I listen to the podcast every day at work! It's excellent. We need to all understand more fully how Russian colonialism, genocide, and history revisionism works. This podcast does a good job to teach others.

I was fortunate to discover Bulgakov many years ago. Quite simply one of the Titans of 20th century literature and a brilliant (and critical) commentator on communism. He only survived the purges because even Stalin recognised his brilliance. I don't think he would have approved of Putin's Russia and he would have parodied it in the same way he did communism in The Master and Margarita.

It was very moving hearing this young woman's nuanced explanation of the early 20th century history of Ukraine and her hopes and fears for the future. So many Ukrainians have such humanity, and it's especially precious in the face of the barbarity they confront day after day.

Thanks for the report and your valuable insights/ Guests…💙💛💙

Ukraine must be defended!

This was an utterly engrossing and moving interview, the curator of thr museum balanced and fair and highly articulate. Great questions from Francis.

God bless Great Britain ! Great nation which understands what Ukraine is currently experiencing and what an evil she is facing …

valuable insights, as always. i often find myself wiser after one episode. atleast briefly ;)

I think portraying Bulgakov as "White" in the context of the Russian/Soviet Civil War is still oversimplifying things a little. Granted, Ms Sychenko emphasizes Mr Bulgakov's general aversion to war and violence as being at least as important a driving force between his writing "The White Guard" as his imperial upbringing. But one can go further and look at his theatre play "Flight" ("Beg"), which shows a general of the Russian Whites fighting the tail end of a losing battle as the Reds push into Crimea towards the end of the Civil War. This General Khludov loses his mind over time, becoming as bloodthirsty as Lenin and as paranoid as Stalin - and, as a consequence, as murderous as both. Now, Stalin judged the piece as anti-Soviet, because the "common" characters we are led to sympathize with are from the upper class, rather than the proletariat ("sitting on the people's shoulders"), but let's be frank, this is hardly a piece that's sympathetic to the White cause. I'd argue that Bulgakov is ultimately unsuitable to serve as the figurehead for any nationalist, ideological or religious cause, as he is too keen an author for that - rather showing the human condition with all its good and bad sides. And thanks to the things he witnessed in his life (starting, by the way, with a syphilis epidemic in a rural area as a young doctor before the Revolution), the bad sides do tend to dominate somewhat. And yet...

Very moving

I discovered Bulgakov on account of a single comment over a video of "20th c Russian literature" in udemy (I think pre-2014). The comment berated the presenter for leaving out Bulgakov in such a survey. A little research then set me on to M&M, and when the war started I was genuinely confounded at how such a thing could happen between two countries so bound together.

The Telegraph talking about literature. Anything to avoid mentioning the continuing Russian advances on the frontline

Up until this day, Russia's imperial chauvinists use one dialogue from Bulgakov's "Dni Turbinykh" as a solid proof that Ukrainian language "doesn't exist". None of them have read the whole book.

Thanks, Telegraph. MD.

How old is this episode? Is it from Friday?

Excellent and heartfelt snapshot into Ukraine’s complicated past and present

It's so tragic that America is now almost a vassal state of Russia. I never thought America would fall so easily.

Every country likes to associate itself with it's greatest artists, writers etc. Bulgakov was a genius that Ukraine should embrace & be proud of. I suspect that were he alive today, Bulgakov would be just as likely to parody contemporary Ukraine as he would Russia.

Head of SBU (Malyuk) has been given a chance to save his own life and avoid collateral damage around him.

Slava ukraini

this was really beautiful and very well done excellent journalism

Fed up hearing about Ukraine 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧

if anyone in Ukraine has access to fresh water and electricity, can they put the kettle on please ?

NATO lost. What can we do?

Russian troops have taken control of several Ukrainian strategic strongholds near Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), adviser to the DPR head Igor Kimakovsky told TASS on Monday. "Our assault groups supported by artillery, the Aerospace Forces and FPV drone teams have taken control of several strongholds of Ukrainian armed formations near Chasov Yar. The strongholds seized by our troops have strategic significance and, correspondingly, prospects," he said. Therefore, Russian assault teams have advanced considerably towards Chasov Yar, placing a larger part of the Ukrainian combat group’s supply routes in that area under their gunfire control, he specified. Earlier, Kimakovsky told TASS that Chasov Yar was a key hub for the Ukrainian army on DPR territory.

Statues of actual people are not a history lesson. They're a glorification of an individual.

Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) head Vasily Malyuk has received Russia’s warning in the form of counter-terrorism demands and the countdown clock is now ticking for him, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for the crimes of the Kiev regime, told the Soloviev Live TV show. "Yesterday, this character whose arrest we have requested, the thuggish-looking Comrade Malyuk, who currently heads the SBU, immediately burst into an angry speech, a patriotic one in Ukraine’s view, but we got the message that he has received the signal. He broke down in a fit of hysteria as he understands the consequences of how this mechanism should work. His countdown clock is ticking," Miroshnik warned. According to the diplomat, Russia has initiated specific procedures "as we have every reason to deem Malyuk and an entire list of other persons in charge of Ukrainian state agencies as terrorists."

Tedious.

A complete collapse, blackout of Ukrainian territory was arranged for the unwanted pensioner PrezeZelensky and "Kharkovoblenergo" (russia could not do this) disconnecting the electricity for several months in order to close his mouth and freedom of speech. And everything is covered by law enforcement officers and the DBI of Ukraine. Полный коллапс, блекаут на украинской территории устроил неугодному пенсионеру ПрезеЗеленский и "Харьковоблэнерго" (раша этого не смогла сделать), отключив электричество на несколько месяцев с целью закрыть рот и свободу слова. И всё крышуется (покрывается)правоохранителями и ДБР Украины.

Russian and Ukraine : two peas in a pod

Im gonna right a new book too! Its called: " 30 countries helping and u guys cant stop one country that fights with shovels"😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Weapons. Eu has given peanuts compared to Us