Consideration of five recent books that help us grapple with Russia, Ukraine, and history.

As we said at the outset, Russia lost this war the day it began. But where are we now?

The iconic and wacky Millennium of Russia monument in Veliky Novgorod turns 160 this month.

“Independence Day will have a different meaning this year. Us Ukrainians love our freedom. We can say what we believe. My friends in Russia say they have a democracy. What kind of democracy is it if you cannot call a war a war?” 

                                   – A Russian living in Ukraine, Tatyana Antonova

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, the Communist Party Leader who unleashed democracy, glasnost, and perestroika, has died.

The Estonian city of Narva, on the Russian border, quietly dismantled a Soviet memorial featuring a T-34 tank.

“There was a certain girl here who was handing out some permission to paint to artists, complete nonsense. I gave her this work, and the first thing she said was that it was a very dangerous job, because if Gorbachev saw it, he would not allow the unification of Germany and that she will send it to the senate of West Berlin, which was a different country, for approval.” 

                                   –  Dmitry Vrubel, the artist behind the Berlin Wall's "The Fraternal Kiss"

Where we explore the very particular relationship that Russians have with their language.

A few books we’ve been reading lately, and that we felt we should review and share.

Putin says he invaded Ukraine to root out Nazis. Zelensky compares the defense of Ukraine to the heroism of the 1940s. Can both be right? No. No, they can't.

Georgians welcome Russians fleeing their country, but only if they don't support the war in Ukraine.

Over 125 citizens were detained during Immortal Regiment processions across Russia.