ALSO SCROLL DOWN FOR A READING LIST OLEK SHARED WITH RC101 READERS.
”Peace is not achieved unless we undo the displacement. If there’s a ceasefire, it doesn’t mean much unless there are people who can actually go to their homes”
The Ukrainian Spaces audio show has been one of the most important things I have done, and a jewel in the Volya Hub constellation. Three years, 70+ episodes amplifying unfiltered voices of Ukrainian anti-colonial resistance and decolonising Ukrainian conversations. It took me and a Ukrainian campaigner, Val Voshchevska-Khan, almost a year to ship this season, but we could not be prouder of what we can share with the world.
For our fifth season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to where it began: revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how hope, resistance, and resilience have shaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, language, love, resistance, and the future—our guests reflect on the past, share intimate stories, and write letters to their former selves. A return and continuation, this season reminds us that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.
A Ukrainian journalist, Olek Shyn, joins us for the first episode of the season to reflect on the early days of the war in Ukraine and how fear has transformed into action, drive, and new purpose.
Originally from the Koryo-saram community of Ukrainian Koreans in a small village in southern Ukraine, Olek is now a prominent voice of the Ukrainian community in Taiwan. Today, he is the editor-in-chief of Radio Taiwan International’s Ukrainian Service, the first Ukrainian-language broadcast service in Asia, where he builds bridges of solidarity and deeper understanding between Ukraine and East Asia.
In this episode, Olek explores how his post-invasion fear, since his first appearance on Ukrainian Spaces, has evolved into focus, drive, and clarity, and how living abroad shapes his understanding of Ukraine’s story. He reflects on the awakening of his Ukrainian identity, the way the country is perceived now internationally, and the inner struggles Ukrainians may face even after the war ends. The letter that anchors his story reads: “Fear will sharpen you, but it will not own you.”
Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it’s a decolonising movement. It’s about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from imperial stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine’s present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its right to exist.
SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise more Ukraine conversations - become our Patreon sponsor or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.)
This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OLEK’S WORK
Global Voices Podcast: Olek Shyn, Korean–Ukrainian, on the complex history of his ethnic and national identities.
Oleksandr Shyn (Ukraine) - Game Changers with Emily Y. Wu - EP 09
ANTI-COLONIAL READING LIST BY OLEK SHYN
I also asked Olek to share his shortlist of the best books on Ukraine, colonialism, and works that shaped his journey of anti-colonial resistance with you, guys.
Russian Colonialism 101 is the first newsletter to shed light on Russian colonialism and is part of the Volya Hub network.
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