Hello all. In light of recent events, I’m sending this correspondence a week early in order to share my own reporting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as well as to amplify some of the best and most clarifying pieces that I’ve read on the subject so far. I’m thinking of everyone who has family and loved ones in the region and of all the incredible journalists who have traveled there to help bring the story to the rest of us.
What I’ve written
In the space of a month, Vladimir Putin has effectively managed to transform a former Soviet state into an extension of Russian territory, in full view of the United States and Europe, without firing a single shot in the country.
I’m not talking about Ukraine, but neighboring Belarus, where some 30,000 Russian troops could remain indefinitely. I wrote about why the world needs to pay attention:
Regardless of what happens in Ukraine, this is a major victory in Putin’s war with the West. The move not only represents a violation of Belarusian sovereignty, but poses a significant challenge to NATO as a security guarantor in the Baltics: Belarus shares a border with three NATO members. Still, few leaders outside the Baltic region have said anything about the announcement or how they plan to respond. The cost of doing nothing could be enormous. Keep reading here
What I’ve read
This must-read essay from Anne Applebaum on Ukraine, its history, and the meaning of this terrible moment (The Atlantic)
“By striving for something better, for freedom and prosperity, Ukraine becomes a dangerous rival. For if Ukraine were to succeed in its decades-long push for democracy, the rule of law and European integration, then Russians might ask: Why not us?”
This moving piece from Val Voshchevska on watching her home being attacked from afar (TIME)
This is not just a war of missiles, of bombs, of troops on the ground. It’s also one of stories. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech utterly rewriting history—denying that Ukraine ever had real statehood or was its own nation. And just a few days later, he harnessed that narrative to change all our lives forever.
This clarifying piece from Julia Ioffe on Putin’s new iron curtain (Puck News)
But even as his forces were shelling the entirety of Ukraine—north to south, east to west—Putin made clear that his invasion wasn’t really about Ukraine. It was about the United States, about history and settling old scores, and rewriting the terms of surrender, thirty years later, that ended the Cold War.
What I’m thinking about
This impressive display of multilingualism, which has no doubt prompted at least a few jealous journos to download Duolingo…
Until next time,
Yasmeen