The anti-social ferocity of Ukrainian neo-liberals
The recent statements of Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovych about "destroying everything social" and "taking Ukrainians out of their comfort zone" have caused significant public outcry and a wave of criticism. Yet this is not the first time that officials directly involved in social policy have publicly taken anti-social stances. What does the presence […]
We must fight for the future of Ukrainian education. Interview with the Priama Diia (the Direct Action) student union
On the eve of September 1st, the Day of Knowledge, Commons spoke to activists of the student union Priama Diia about the right to education in a country at war. They explain why they decided to relaunch the union, what obstacles there are to protecting students' rights, and share their plans and dreams for the […]
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant: UN needed to avoid catastrophe in Ukraine
Last week, Ukraine warned the world that Russia may be planning a catastrophic attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The reaction to this crisis has been another failure of the United Nations – one that comes in amid a larger failure by the UN to enforce international law and diplomacy against Russia. Usually, when […]
Ukrainian economy and society: whither the (postwar) country?
On February 24, 2022, when Russia yet again invaded Ukraine, it was already one of the poorest and most indebted countries in Europe, at war since 2014. Its needs and losses have grown exponentially – dislocation of the labour force, infrastructure destruction, ecological damage, etc. This article argues a case for large-scale multi-faceted international assistance, […]
Nine Months in a Juvenile Shelter. Musician David’s story about Deportation to Russia
On 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued warrants of arrest for russian*[1] president Vladimir Putin and children’s commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for the mass abduction of Ukrainian children. The court's statement holds them accountable for the harm inflicted upon Ukrainian children due to the war crimes of forcibly displacing individuals from […]
From Lisbon to Kryvyi Rih: a conversation about labor struggles with Yurii Samoilov
Yurii Samoilov is the leader of an independent miners' union in Kryvyi Rih and an activist of the left-wing organization Social Movement. For years, he has been organizing and supporting workers, especially in the mining and metallurgical sector. As a trade union representative, he joined the fight in courts, at demonstrations and strikes, and conducted […]
De-occupation of Crimea: Crimean Tatars and the Path toward Decolonization
In 2020, when I conducted my ethnographic fieldwork in Crimea, few expected it to be de-occupied any time soon. In mainland Ukraine too, the saying “next year in Bakhchisaray” sounded naïve and awkward as those who uttered it understood their self-deception perfectly well. Yet, three years later, de-occupy Bakhchisaray is becoming a real possibility. Moreover, many […]
Swimming Upstream: Stories of people who challenged employer tyranny in Ukraine
In the current Ukrainian context, the demand of society for fairer living conditions and the demand of the people who are ready to promote and defend them is increasingly strong. And experience shows that there are more and more people in Ukraine who put the pursuit of truth and the protection of public interest above […]
What’s wrong with Ukraine’s wartime diplomacy in the Global South
In the month of the 1st anniversary of Russia’s illegal and brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelensky held a speech at the European Parliament, where he declared Russia to be “the biggest anti-European force of the modern world”[1]. By “European”, he meant its ostensibly “way of life steeped in rules, values, equality, and […]
Decentralization or Decapitation? Decentralization reform during the War in Donbas
Ukraine’s decentralization reform has been claimed as one of the country’s most successful since the 2013-2014 Maidan Revolution. Recently, an article in Foreign Affairs argued that Ukraine’s decentralization has ‘brought the country together’ in the face of Russia’s 2022 invasion, fostering political legitimacy, solidarity, and community pride. I offer a different perspective in my research […]
