Explain Ukraine

Explain Ukraine

Answering the most common questions about Ukraine

Media coverage of Ukraine is often limited to the war in the east, corruption, and the occasional political crisis. But there is so much more to our country than that and we want to tell you all about it.

Our friends abroad ask us about it. All sorts of different questions. Serious and fairly silly, those straightforward, and those requiring some serious consideration before one can provide a good answer. We’ll try to answer these questions here. In writing, without the silly accent, and providing links to the sources whenever possible.

Latest Answers

What is worth reading from Ukrainian classical literature?

If you want to understand Ukraine — read Ukrainian literature.  Three key figures without whom it...

Why are the colours of the Ukrainian flag blue and yellow?

The Ukrainian flag consists of two horizontal stripes: blue on top, yellow on the bottom. Both co...

Is Gogol a Ukrainian or Russian writer?

The identity of Mykola (Nikolai) Gogol is complex. He was born in Ukraine’s Poltava region to a f...

Is Ukrainian a dialect of Russian?

In short — no, that is untrue. The myth that Ukrainian is merely a dialect of Russian was invente...