Power Lines: From Ukraine to the World

What is it like to live through the psychological pain of war? How can you heal the trauma of genocide? How do you rebuild a country when a generation has been lost to war? Rebuilding Ukraine will not solely be about creating new cities and rebuilding destroyed infrastructure, there will need to be a new sense of a nation, one not cowed by Russia’s aggression, but stronger and more unified because of it. In the final episode of the series, we speak to historian and political scientist Eugene Finkel about what we can learn from the parallels between this war and those of the 20th century, to explore how an entire country can heal together and move forward to a brighter, peaceful future. Jakub and Nastya also hear from some of the Ukrainian guests who have featured across the series, to hear their reflections on a year of war in Ukraine. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent.  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, it’s our last Q&A of the season. We reached out to our listeners on Twitter to see what they wanted answered on rebuilding, both now and after the war. We received a lot of questions, but most can be boiled down to: how on earth are we going to pay for this?  Jakub and Nastya discuss the possibility of Russian reparations, foreign investment and post-war tourism.  Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent.  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The aftermath of war leaves physical scars in its wake. The abject destruction of landscapes and cities like Kherson, Kharkiv and Mariupol will take tens of years and maybe even a trillion dollars to rebuild, while systemic infrastructure like healthcare and energy plants have been equally affected. So where do you begin when you have to rebuild a country destroyed by war? Who pays for it? And what should be the priorities: people’s homes, or hospitals, schools and roads? In this episode, we speak with two top European economists to answer these questions. First, Ivan Mikloš, a Slovakian politician and the country’s former Minister of Finance. Secondly, Tymofiy Mylovanov, who was previously the Minister of Economy in Ukraine, and is now the president of the Kyiv School of Economics and an advisor to the Zelenskiy Administration.  We also hear from Borys Dorogov, co-founder of interior architecture studio Balbek Bureau, and Adrii Kopylenko, the co-founder of charity organisation District One, to hear how smaller organisations are already beginning the rebuilding process from the ground up. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent.  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jakub and Nastya are speaking to Anna Myroniuk, the head of investigations at the Kyiv Independent. They discuss the complexities of reporting on Ukraine’s corruption in the current climate, offering unique insight into the duty of the media during war.  Since its founding, The Kyiv Independent has always been at the forefront of reporting on corruption within Ukraine’s government. Then, on 24 February 2022, priorities shifted. But is it more important than ever to hold power to account? Or is it a distraction for a country in conflict? Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent.  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The humanitarian response to the full scale invasion of Ukraine has been immense - an outpouring of good will from people across Europe and indeed the world. But when it comes to the large aid organisations facilitating it, the story becomes more blurred. From Amnesty International to the Red Cross, there have been major blind spots, including reports situating the Ukrainian army as aggressors, to aid projects in support of the Russian military. So how did some of these organisations get it so wrong? What would be a better aid paradigm in the future? And should we consider giving weapons to Ukraine as a humanitarian project? In this episode, we speak with Melaniya Podolyak, a broadcaster and member of the Serhiy Prytula Foundation, about her work in bringing aid to Ukrainians, as well as the faults of the major international organisations. We also hear from John Spencer, the author, veteran and chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute, about the specific mistakes made in a 2022 report from Amnesty. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent.  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jakub and Nastya are doing a special Q&A episode on the Russian Intelligence Services. We reached out to our listeners on Twitter to discuss the things you really wanted answered on the FSB, the GRU and the history of this most secretive of organisations. Expect answers to questions like: what is the history of tension between the Russian military and the FSB? Are these agencies focused on spying or just looking to control domestic public opinion? And even: how many of the Russian services’ agents are “nepo babies”? Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent –  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, Putin has used his intelligence, including the FSB and the GRU, to try and understand Europe - what they are thinking, how they would react to a crisis of war. The failure of Russia’s intelligence to predict Ukraine’s commitment to defending itself and Europe’s response of solidarity shows their failures. But what role do the Russian intelligence services play in modern warfare? And what does their history and growth under Putin tell us about the way the Kremlin works today?  In this episode, we speak to Michael Weiss, a journalist, author and expert on Russia’s intelligence services, to discover more about the successes and failures of covert warfare in Ukraine, and how it has changed the outcome of the war. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, we again take a look into Cyber Warfare, this time from a more policy focused perspective, as Jakub speaks with Lauren Zabariek, the executive director of Harvard’s Belfer Centre.  Lauren tells us about the various ways in which hackers across the globe are seeking to attack foreign targets, how this has affected the war in Ukraine, and the ways in which countries like the US are making policy to prevent attacks in the future. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war in Ukraine is being fought by land, sea, air… and online. Russia, has long been infamous for its hacking and aggressive cyber warfare capabilities, having previously been responsible for devastating attacks in Ukraine and across the world. But how effective have they really been during the war? And what about the fightback?  In this episode, we speak to Andy Greenberg, the journalist and author of Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers, to find out more about this pivotal, digital realm in the theatre of war. We also hear from Pavel Lieber, a Belarusian who is creating a digital platform to recreate his home country virtually, while in exile. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many Ukrainians, holiday celebrations will look different this year. Some are in foreign countries, separated from friends and family. Some will have an empty seat at the dinner table. Christmas lights will be a little dimmer. In this special festive bonus episode, we’re catching up with various Ukrainian guests we’ve had on throughout the series to hear about their holiday plans and hopes for the new year.  Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for subscriber-only bonus eps featuring extended and behind-the-scenes guest interviews on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 20th century saw the development of an international rule-based order dictated by the United States, with countries tacitly abiding by certain rules in order to trade and prosper with guaranteed security. But now that Russia has removed itself from this system through horrific actions that many deem to be state-sponsored terrorism – even genocide – what does this mean for the future of international relations?  In this episode, we speak to Bruce Hoffman, a tenured professor at at Georgetown University in Washington DC, and visiting professor at St Andrews University in Scotland, whose work on terrorism includes the books Holy Terror and Inside Terrorism. Bruce analyses whether terrorism is the most cogent term for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and what Russia’s new pariah status means for the rest of the globe. Jakub also takes along with him on his recent trip to Kyiv, speaking with Helen Yushchenko, the Newsroom assistant at the Kyiv Independent, and visiting Kyiv’s new Invincibility Centres which are helping Ukrainian civilians to get through the winter due to recent rolling blackouts. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this week’s bonus episode, we’re speaking more about Roman Ratushnyi, the Ukrainian activist who fought to preserve Kyiv’s green spaces, and was tragically killed by Russian soldiers earlier this year.  We hear from two of Roman’s close friends: Arthur Kharytonov, the President of the Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine, and Maryna Khromykh, an Executive Director of DEJURE Foundation. Arthur and Maryna discuss activism, Roman’s legacy, and the future of Ukraine’s civil society.  Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The demise of the USSR in the 1990s saw the state's vast wealth up for grabs by enterprising citizens; in making the public into the private, a new class of both Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs were born. For decades they played a pivotal role in both local – and often international – politics. But this era may be coming to an end. In both countries, political power is bringing the rich to heel. Will they manage? What does this mean for the mega rich across the globe? In this episode, we speak to Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland, about the rise and fall of Russia and Ukraine's oligarchs, the effect of the war from 2014 to today on their wealth and status, similar trends in other countries, and how much responsibility the rest of the world bares for it all.  Nastya also spoke with Maryna Khromykh, the executive director of the DEJURE Foundation, a think tank which fights against corruption in the judicial system in Ukraine, about the fallen Ukrainian civil activist and soldier Roman Ratushnyi, whose extraordinary life exemplifies the importance of standing up to corrupt elites. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s bonus episode is an extended interview with Bektour Iskender, a journalist and co-founder of Kloop, an NGO and leading news publication in Kyrgyzstan. Through his work with Kloop, Bektour trains young journalists to cover politics and investigate corruption, while also reporting on the most significant stories happening in his home country and near abroad. We spoke to Bektour about his work in journalism and the history of Russian colonial aggression in Kyrgyzstan, creating a snapshot of a country whose past mirrors Ukraine’s, and whose present is also being determined by Russia’s war. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The countries surrounding Russia have long been on the frontline of the country’s aggressively expansionist policies. From Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia to Georgia in the Caucasus – these countries form a Eurasian region which is simultaneously at odds with Russia, but beholden to the Kremlin’s every move. But the war in Ukraine is rewriting old alliances and rivalries here, bringing further instability to a region still scarred by memories of Russian colonial aggression. In this episode, we speak with Fiona Hill, the ex-director of the US government’s National Security Council and now fellow at the Brookings Institute in Washington, to explore the history of Eurasia, and why Ukraine is playing such a vitally important role in the future of so many countries in the region. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s bonus episode, we’re giving you an extended version of last week’s interview with Kyiv Independent reporter Alexander Query. Alexander is originally from France, but has been based in Ukraine covering business and now war related issues for the Kyiv Independent, as well as being a TV correspondent at UATV. Nastya spoke with Alex about the recent suspected explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines that bring gas from Russia to Germany under the baltic sea, as well as his recent interview with the CEO of Naftogaz Yuriy Vitrenko, and just what the war over energy and resources means for the future stability of Russia and Europe. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With its glut of resources and natural gas, cheap Russian energy has long been a lifeline for nations across the globe looking to give their citizens access to affordable fuel. But with the war in Ukraine breaking down relationships between Russia and the West, what will happen when the taps are turned off? And with simultaneous issues arising with disruptions to Ukraine’s agricultural centres, the global situation has become even more fraught. So how can Ukraine, and indeed the world, overcome these challenges? In this episode, we speak to Helen Thompson, professor of political economy at the University of Cambridge, to explore the wide-reaching implications of the war in Ukraine on energy, food security and more. Nastya also speaks with her colleague at the Kyiv Independent, Alexander Query, about the recent alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines and their implications on the global energy crisis. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get the latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special bonus episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Radosław Sikorski, the Polish politician whose work across a wide range of Eastern European politics has made him one of the most consequential politicians over the past few decades. After beginning his career as a journalist, Radosław went on to serve as a minister in various positions in the Polish parliament throughout the 2000s and 2010s, before becoming a member of the European Parliament in 2019. Jakub spoke to Radosław about his role as the architect of the Eastern partnership, the EU’s reaction to Russia’s full-scale invasion, and much more. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ukraine is the most significant part of Europe’s eastern borderland: all black earth and agriculture, the last bastion before the steppe and the vastness of Russia. The country’s geography has defined its significance as a strategic centre as it becomes more entwined with the liberal values of the European Union. In this episode, we speak to Alexander Clarkson, lecturer for German and European Studies at King's College London, about how this has defined the war and what it means for its relationship with the European Union in the future. Nastya also speaks with Edward Reese, a Ukrainian LGBTQ+ activist, about how Pride events in Ukraine are a symbol of the progressive values their country aspires to. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get the latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ukrainian history is defined by struggles for power. It has been the battleground of empires, defined by foreign domination, especially in the 20th century, when Nazi and Stalinist forces sought to dominate and strangle the country for its resources. The parallels with today are stark. Jakub and Nastya hear from the Ukrainian historian and writer, Olesya Khromeychuk, to discuss what Ukraine’s fractious, complicated and significant history in the century before the fall of the Soviet Union can tell us about its modern identity and the reasons behind the war. Nastya also speaks to Alyona Zhuk, an evacuated Ukrainian tattoo artist and illustrator, about passing down history to the next generation. Sign up for 'Power Lines +' for ad-free content on Apple and Spotify. Support The Kyiv Independent by finding us on our Patreon: patreon.com/kyivindependent  Also find us on our website at messageheard.com, or on our Power Lines Twitter, or our Message Heard Twitter as well as Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow The Kyiv Independent on Twitter and Facebook, and Instagram to get the latest news and to stay up to date with our coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices