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Book reviews

 A cover of Snyder's On Freedom alongside Ukrainian cadets at a military oath ceremony in Kyiv on Sep. 8, 2023

‘Praise is not practice’ – Snyder’s new book challenges America’s understanding of freedom through comparison with Ukraine

by Kate Tsurkan

In his latest book, “On Freedom,” American scholar Timothy Snyder establishes a thought-provoking distinction between the word "liberation" and the Ukrainian wartime variant "de-occupation" to probe the fraught but necessary question: When is a person truly free? Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine has left countless settlements in ruins and displaced

Haunting Ukrainian novel explores time, trauma, and identity

Haunting Ukrainian novel explores time, trauma, and identity

by Kate Tsurkan

In the midst of a full-blown agoraphobic episode, the unnamed narrator of Tanja Maljartschuk’s novel “Forgottenness,” becomes engrossed in reading old newspapers. Asked by her increasingly concerned partner what she’s looking for, she simply tells him: “I want to understand what time is.” “Time consumes everything living by

Invasion rooted in history: A review of Serhii Plokhy’s ‘The Russo-Ukrainian War’

Invasion rooted in history: A review of Serhii Plokhy’s ‘The Russo-Ukrainian War’

by Kate Tsurkan

For many people worldwide, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine appeared unprecedented and unthinkable. However, for those familiar with Ukrainian history, it unfortunately represented a familiar pattern. In his latest book, "The Russo-Ukrainian War: A Return to History," the historian Serhii Plokhy explores how the myths deeply intertwined with Russian statehood

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11:31 PM

US rolls back Assad-era sanctions on Syria.

The United States granted immediate sanctions relief to Syria after President Donald Trump called for a complete end to sanctions on the country. The sanctions relief was announced by the U.S. Treasury Department and State Department on May 23.
5:27 PM

Inside Ukraine’s 1,000 for 1,000 POW swap with Russia.

On May 23, Ukraine and Russia began the largest prisoner exchange since 2014. Over three days, 1,000 prisoners of war (POWs) from both sides will return home in a deal agreed upon during direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul earlier this month — the first such talks between Moscow and Kyiv since 2022. The Kyiv Independent went to the site of exchange.
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