The history of the war

How Russia Russified the east of Ukraine

For centuries, Ukrainians have had their unique Ukrainian language and culture. These developed separately from Russian society, in a parallel tradition. However, when the Ukrainian territories were incorporated into the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, the Russian authorities...

The Fault of Russia: A Century of Deportations from Ukraine

Inspired by age-old imperial policy, endless territorial expansion and impunity, Russia’s rulers have been destroying and assimilating indigenous peoples of captured territories for centuries. One of the tools that Russia used and still uses against Ukrainians is deportation, which is...

Fear and loathing in the USSR: what life was like during the so-called golden age of Soviet stability

The Soviet Union, the largest totalitarian neo-empire in the world, collapsed more than three decades ago. However, a generation of older people who lived in the USSR still recall (or re-imagine) it as a haven of solace and peace. It’s...

What awaits Putin: History of international trials of war criminals

Throughout history, we have seen many international trials of war criminals who felt absolute impunity before that. After unleashing an unprovoked full-scale war against Ukraine, Russian president Putin has become the main war criminal that must face an international tribunal....

Propaganda leaflets in modern-day Russia and Nazi-era Germany: Suspiciously Similar

The world is rapidly becoming digitised, yet printed propaganda leaflets are here to stay. The history of world wars proves that this tool of influence is one of the easiest to produce and distribute. We selected several examples of German...

Russia’s wars for the last 30 years and their consequences

Russia constantly claims to be a “peacemaker” who strives for peace. Since the beginning of the military conflict in Ukraine in 2014, there has been a constant narrative about “saving” those whom this country seems to come to protect. This...