Culture

Twentieth-century author Mikhail Bulgakov is seen in 1928.
Culture

What English translations miss about Bulgakov — and why it matters in Ukraine

by Kate Tsurkan

Twentieth-century author Mikhail Bulgakov is celebrated worldwide for his satirical genius and his defiance of Soviet power, most famously through works like "The Master and Margarita" and "White Guard." In Ukraine, his legacy is far more complicated. Rather than being remembered solely as a critic of totalitarianism, Bulgakov is seen by many as a symbol of Russian imperial culture for his hostility toward Ukrainian cultural identity. Born in Kyiv in 1891, Bulgakov grew up speaking Russian an

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'It's a disgrace' — Russian workers turn occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant into 'resort'

When one thinks about the conditions at a nuclear power plant, the image that comes to mind would likely be very different from that which Russian workers at an occupied plant in Ukraine have created. Russian workers brought in to operate the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after it was seized in March 2022 have converted work areas into makeshift living quarters, which a former acting chief engineer said appears to violate plant safety rules and create a fire risk. Rosatom, the Russian nuclea

As Ukraine war deaths mount, Kharkiv morgue strains to identify the truth

KHARKIV, KHARKIV OBLAST — A blonde-haired woman walks through a slim pathway between corpses lying against walls and autopsy tables inside Ukraine's oldest morgue. The main autopsy room, connected with two additional rooms and equipped with an elevator to lift the corpses from the basement, is busy with forensic experts like her going through three bodies on the table. One belongs to a Ukrainian soldier, while the other two are civilians — an elderly lady and a middle-aged man. "It's most lik

Forensic medical expert Inga Gerbst in Kharkiv, Ukraine on Jan. 22, 2026.

While global attention is divided, the largest displacement crisis in Europe is deepening

I came to Ukraine in September of last year, well into the fourth year of the war that had already reshaped the country's geography, economy, and daily life. Having worked for decades in conflict settings, from Afghanistan to Sudan, I am still amazed by the way people in the direst situations can cope and hope for a better future. What one cannot underestimate is how challenging this winter has been in Ukraine. Those living even a thousand kilometers from the front line feel the severe effects

Evacuees arrive by bus at an evacuation point in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, on May 12, 2024.

Explainer: Russia disrupts Ukraine peace talks with timed false accusations

Every time negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. appear to gain momentum, Moscow introduces a new allegation — drone attacks, assassination attempts, nuclear plots, sabotage — that threatens to stall or derail the process. Ukrainian officials and Western analysts say the pattern is no coincidence. A high-level Ukrainian official familiar with the course of the negotiations told the Kyiv Independent that the "nonsense" Russia is spreading is intended to influence the talks and dive

About Culture

Our reporting on literature, films, art, and traditions from Ukraine and the latest news on culture in Eastern Europe.

Ukrainian culture
Ukrainian culture has survived centuries of Russian attempts to appropriate Ukrainian art, silence Ukrainian artists, and erase the Ukrainian language. Modern Ukrainian writers, filmmakers, and musicians — some of whom are serving on the front lines — continue to develop Ukrainian culture and fight for Ukraine’s future.
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