4 Books to Read For Better Understanding Of Ukrainian Context
Books that can assist you in understanding the importance of Ukraine
Russia launched a full-fledge invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022 that shocked the whole world. The invasion has far-reaching impacts on the stability of post-cold war Europe, and the consequences can destabilize the relative peace in the globe after the end of the cold war.
However, one should ask why the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is hell-bent upon invading Ukraine?
One needs to understand the context of Ukraine and its political and geographical importance for Russia and the Nato Block to get comprehensive insights into the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
For those who haven’t an idea of what’s happening in Ukraine, various prominent authors have written extensively on the importance of Ukraine for Russia and the Western Block, giving us a detailed account of what was about to come in the near future.
The books I recommend here provide you with a panoramic view of the whole scenario that was building gradually and ultimately culminated in the direct Russian invasion.
Here are the four books to read to better understand the Ukrainian context.
1. The Gates of Europe By Serhii Plokhy
The Ukrainian crisis is not new and can’t be understood in the present context alone. Ukrainian ongoing full-blown conflict with Russia is but a string that is attached with a long history of battles fought on Ukrainian soil by competing forces of the past.
Being situated in the strategic geographic location, Ukraine is viewed by various past great empires such as the Ottomans, Romans, and other Asian and European states as a gateway to accumulating power by gaining easy access between east and west.
These power-hungry empires fought various battles on Ukrainian soil that left an indelible mark on Ukrainian culture and political scenes.
Serhii provides a detailed history starting from the origin of the Slavs and shedding light on the subsequent development of Ukrainian political history that how various people and races such as Vikings, the Mongols, The Byzantine Empire, The Russian Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Soviet Union shaped the cultural and political landscapes of Ukraine. In the later phases, he discusses the importance of Ukraine as an independent country and her modern problems.
To understand the history, the present crisis, and the unpredictable future of Ukraine, I recommend The Gates of Europe by Serhii Plokhy as the best book to get a comprehensive insight into what’s going on in Ukraine.
2. Absolute Zero By Artem Chekh
Absolute Zero is a memoir by the famous Ukrainian writer Artem Chekh who gives us various details of Ukrainian history, politics, importance, and the crisis with Russia from a first-person point of view.
Artem Chekh served in the Ukrainian army and actively participated in the War in Donbas against Russia. The war in Donbas was aimed at eliminating the separatists backed by Russia.
However, Chekh doesn’t focus on the actual war but its negative impacts on the psychology of the soldiers and the Ukrainian general people. He tells us about soldiers’ pains and suffering when they fight a war.
He provided various personal accounts of his first-hand experiences in the war with Russia.
It’s a worth reading memoir that can provide you with a better understanding of the people and soldiers of Ukraine and how they see war as a disruptive force in their lives.
3. Conflict in Ukraine By Rajan Menon, Eugene B. Rumer
Rajan Menon and Eugene. B Rumer has given a detailed picture of how Russian power show in the Crimean peninsula has given a hard blow to the relations between the West and Russia.
The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has devastating impacts on the political and diplomatic environment between Russia and the USA and Europe.
It has undermined European security, halted NATO’s expansionist agenda, created fissures in the USA’s foreign policies.
The tension between Ukraine and Russia will have far-reaching consequences on the world’s economies and may lead to another great depression-like situation.
The book comprehensively explains the political, diplomatic, and economic challenges aggressive Russia can pose to the world.
They also provide a historical perspective of the development of the tension and offer solutions to how to tackle the challenge to avoid huge catastrophes in the future.
4. The Orphanage By Serhiy Zhadan
The Orphanage is a fascinating novel that recounts a brutal wartime story in Eastern Ukraine. The story revolves around a 35 years old Ukrainian language teacher, Pasha, who set out to search for his nephew, Sasha, who was stuck in an orphanage in the Russian-occupied territory.
The book narrates the horrors humans face during the conflict and devastation wrought by the war on the citizens of Ukraine.
The novel provides deeply personal accounts of the narrator, who faces horrors of the war while on his journey to cross the wired borders and fight along the way to bring Sasha home.
As a novel, the book provides for the artistic thirst of the reader as well as presents a realistic picture of the Ukrainian conflicts over the years and how it has negatively affected the common people.
Final Words
Conflict anywhere poses serious threats to human lives and well-being. But the current Russian invasion of Ukraine has startled the world because of its full-fledged war that defies international laws.
More than the world, it has particularly devastated Ukrainian citizens. Millions face homelessness, loss of near ones, and personal threats to their lives due to the ongoing war.
Many people want to understand the context of the Ukrainian war and the reasons for the perpetual tussle that Ukrainian faces.
The above-listed books provide a comprehensive analysis of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and its impacts on the West and the whole world. These books have encompassed almost all aspects of the skirmishes between these two countries ranging from history, economics, politics, and diplomatic relations.
