Serhii Plokhy: History of Ukraine, Russia, Soviet Union, KGB, Nazis & War | Lex Fridman Podcast

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  • Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
  • Serhii Plokhy is a Ukrainian historian at Harvard University, director of the Ukrainian Research Institute, and an author of many books on history of Eastern Europe, including his latest book The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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    TRANSCRIPT:
    lexfridman.com/serhii-plokhy-...
    EPISODE LINKS:
    Serhii's X: x.com/splokhy
    Serhii's Website: history.fas.harvard.edu/peopl...
    Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute: huri.harvard.edu/
    Serhii's Books: amzn.to/3OS2EqK
    2006 - The Origins of the Slavic Nations
    2010 - Yalta: The Price of Peace
    2012 - The Cossack Myth: History and Nationhood in the Age of Empires
    2014 - The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union
    2015 - The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine
    2016 - The Man with the Poison Gun: A Cold War Spy Story
    2017 - Lost Kingdom: The Quest for Empire and the Making of the Russian Nation
    2018 - Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy
    2021 - Nuclear Folly: A History of the Cuban Missile Crisis
    2021 - The Frontline: Essays on Ukraine's Past and Present
    2022 - Atoms and Ashes: A Global History of Nuclear Disaster
    2023 - The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History
    PODCAST INFO:
    Podcast website: lexfridman.com/podcast
    Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2lwqZIr
    Spotify: spoti.fi/2nEwCF8
    RSS: lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/
    Full episodes playlist: • Lex Fridman Podcast
    Clips playlist: • Lex Fridman Podcast Clips
    OUTLINE:
    0:00 - Introduction
    1:18 - Collapse of the Soviet Union
    17:27 - Origins of Russia and Ukraine
    30:30 - Ukrainian nationalism
    38:13 - Stepan Bandera
    1:07:13 - KGB
    1:22:11 - War in Ukraine
    1:58:27 - NATO and Russia
    2:09:30 - Peace talks
    2:23:17 - Ukrainian Army head Valerii Zaluzhnyi
    2:29:54 - Power and War
    2:40:45 - Holodomor
    2:47:17 - Chernobyl
    2:57:51 - Nuclear power
    3:07:28 - Future of the world
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  • Наука та технологія

КОМЕНТАРІ • 8 тис.

  • @lexfridman
    @lexfridman  3 місяці тому +180

    Here are the timestamps. Please check out our sponsors to support this podcast.
    Transcript: lexfridman.com/serhii-plokhy-transcript
    0:00 - Introduction & sponsor mentions:
    - Eight Sleep: eightsleep.com/lex to get special savings
    - Shopify: shopify.com/lex to get $1 per month trial
    - NetSuite: netsuite.com/lex to get free product tour
    - AG1: drinkag1.com/lex to get 1 month supply of fish oil
    1:18 - Collapse of the Soviet Union
    17:27 - Origins of Russia and Ukraine
    30:30 - Ukrainian nationalism
    38:13 - Stepan Bandera
    1:07:13 - KGB
    1:22:11 - War in Ukraine
    1:58:27 - NATO and Russia
    2:09:30 - Peace talks
    2:23:17 - Ukrainian Army head Valerii Zaluzhnyi
    2:29:54 - Power and War
    2:40:45 - Holodomor
    2:47:17 - Chernobyl
    2:57:51 - Nuclear power
    3:07:28 - Future of the world

    • @yuriimakarov4832
      @yuriimakarov4832 3 місяці тому +23

      Very thank full for this guest, I almost lost hope and thought you will invite guests that repeat russian propaganda narrative

    • @nikan2269
      @nikan2269 3 місяці тому +11

      Nice follow-up after TC. I know this is a topic you are passionate about based on past discussions and posts. Thank you for sharing this content.🤙🏼

    • @reggiesilver384
      @reggiesilver384 3 місяці тому +1

      ty Lex gg wp gl hf

    • @metju30
      @metju30 3 місяці тому +11

      Totally delusional in his predictions

    • @FaerieSidhe
      @FaerieSidhe 3 місяці тому +2

      When is the Destiny Finkelstein debate going to be available? Is it a secret??????

  • @Dustmuffins
    @Dustmuffins 3 місяці тому +847

    Whoever was doing the subtitles kept writing "Kazakhs" whenever he said "Cossacks". There's a big difference between the two groups.

    • @sacramentofwilderness6656
      @sacramentofwilderness6656 2 місяці тому +44

      Yeah, I've burst into laughing when seeing this.

    • @BoolatGuzairov
      @BoolatGuzairov 2 місяці тому +41

      Not for those guys. We are all barbarians for them.

    • @sherrillwhately7586
      @sherrillwhately7586 2 місяці тому +20

      Ukrainians transliteration of Cossack is Kozak.

    • @Yablonskiis
      @Yablonskiis 2 місяці тому +60

      "Kazakh" is a citizen of Kazakhstan, have nothing to do with Cossacks

    • @sherrillwhately7586
      @sherrillwhately7586 2 місяці тому +24

      @@Yablonskiis Correct. Kazakhs come from Kazakhstan. Kozaks from Ukraine. I’m afraid I might get the plural ending wrong, probably Kozaki.

  • @michaelcruz8425
    @michaelcruz8425 3 місяці тому +686

    Lex, I don't know how often you read your comments but listening to your podcasts with political thinkers and historians has done a lot for me. I started college at 16 and have delayed my graduation over and over again because I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do. I majored in Political Science. The amount of knowledge that I had gained from these podcasts had inspired me to open up a few books and it reignited my interest in my field, making me happy to finally decide to make a career out of this. Thank you

    • @kurtdixon4700
      @kurtdixon4700 3 місяці тому +17

      Wow! That is very inspiring!

    • @muhammadhasanin8413
      @muhammadhasanin8413 3 місяці тому +21

      Good speed Michael. It’s never delayed, you’re only on time brother. Good luck in your endeavors

    • @jeffjames3111
      @jeffjames3111 3 місяці тому +3

      Amazing. Thanks.

    • @TheTarotDJ333
      @TheTarotDJ333 3 місяці тому +7

      What a cool comment for Lex to get! 🌟
      Good luck, Michael, with whatever you decide to do! Knowledge is the key to freedom!✨️

    • @TheTarotDJ333
      @TheTarotDJ333 3 місяці тому +3

      LEX IS HOT!!!! 🔥🔥🔥

  • @irina573
    @irina573 2 місяці тому +103

    Пан Сергій - фаховий та поважний вчений. На питання "в чому сенс вторгнення в 2022?" майстерно почав з "коли війна почалась в 2014..." Brilliantly

    • @AvatarSD
      @AvatarSD 2 місяці тому +3

      Так, хоча в багатьох аспектах, по типу: чому Ярослав Мудрий почав штампувати гривну, він не розповів)

    • @ufukpolat3480
      @ufukpolat3480 Місяць тому +19

      He also skillfully ignored the Maidan Coup, the right wing violence and US state department support leading up to it. What a clown is this guy that he never mentions the role of Victoria Nuland, as if she hasn't been exposed meddling in Ukrainian affairs. Ukraine got what it deserved because of people like Serhii.

    • @irina573
      @irina573 Місяць тому +23

      @@ufukpolat3480 the ears of the Kremlin stick out from under your hat. hello mr major of russion FSB 😄🤡

    • @kanycmun
      @kanycmun Місяць тому

      @@irina573of course I see how are you dumb. Just see how much people was at maidan, and how much was at full Ukraine. Too close argument my boy

    • @tarasshevchenko8917
      @tarasshevchenko8917 Місяць тому +10

      ⁠@@irina573Yet he’s not wrong. There has been meddling way before 2014. If there is a counter argument, it would be nice to have a constructive discussion. Дякую.

  • @andrewdemchyshyn6599
    @andrewdemchyshyn6599 2 місяці тому +142

    Better later then never: 1st Ukrainian voice on this podcast for last 2 years

    • @cookml
      @cookml 2 місяці тому +18

      How many Russians voices have we heard?

    • @planet-karma
      @planet-karma 2 місяці тому

      ​@@cookml Tucker Carlson, John Meirsheimer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Oliver Stone - among others. He gives a stage to many Americans who parrot Russian propaganda - knowingly or not. Hearing from Ukrainians at least allows people to hear the side of the country being invaded - and constantly disparaged by his guests.

    • @Grek1574
      @Grek1574 2 місяці тому +6

      @@cookmlTaker😂

    • @andrewdemchyshyn6599
      @andrewdemchyshyn6599 2 місяці тому +19

      @@cookml I mean every podcast have “russian” voice

    • @andrewdemchyshyn6599
      @andrewdemchyshyn6599 2 місяці тому

      @@cookml jokes aside, every other guest that talk on topic of geopolitics is russian simp or carrying pro russian views on russia war on Ukraine.
      There were Guests without pro russian views - you can even say they hold anti russian but American views, not Ukrainian view. The difference is that you can say to anti russian American “it is fake, it is propaganda, you believe media too much” when you discuss russian war, but you cant say it that easily to Ukrainians, they know their facts about invasion directly from their relatives and friends also they understand russian language and that’s why understand more clearly what russians say and what their goal is.

  • @ilkayylmaz2354
    @ilkayylmaz2354 3 місяці тому +98

    There are mistakes in the subtitles. When Serhii Plokhy talks about Cossacks, in the subtitles we see "Kazakhs".

    • @Andrey-il8rh
      @Andrey-il8rh 3 місяці тому +2

      Maybe because it's autogenerated?

    • @ilkayylmaz2354
      @ilkayylmaz2354 2 місяці тому +1

      @@Andrey-il8rh There are two subtitle options: 1. English - Default 2. English (auto-generated). I'm talking about the first one. I haven't even looked at the second one.

    • @Gargoiling
      @Gargoiling 2 місяці тому +3

      I prefer "Qazaqs". "Kazakh" reflects Russian pronunciation and, as you know, this is a Turkic language, no more closely related to Russian than to English. If we have Türkiye, why not Qazaqstan?

    • @ilkayylmaz2354
      @ilkayylmaz2354 2 місяці тому +8

      @@Gargoiling We shouldn't have Türkiye in English at all. The letter "ü" is not even part of the English alphabet. Should we call Germany "Deutschland", Spain "España" or Albania "Shqipëria"? That's ridiculous.

    • @joanlivingston686
      @joanlivingston686 2 місяці тому +1

      The captions are done by AI.

  • @Gravitys-NOT-a-force
    @Gravitys-NOT-a-force 23 дні тому +9

    There's a book titled 'Stepan Bandera: The Life and Afterlife of a Ukrainian Nationalist: Fascism, Genocide, and Cult' by Grzegorz Rossolinski-Liebe. Stepan Bandera in Rossolinski-Liebe's book isn't quite the innocent, detached, non-participant that Mr. Plokhy paints in your interview, Lex. Why did the Soviet Union send an assassin to kill Bandera in 1959, 14 years after World War ll was over? The Russians claim that the people buried at Babyn Yar are simply Soviet citizens murdered by the Germans, NOT Jews. According to Rossolinski-Liebe's book there were NO Jews left in Ukraine at the end of World War ll - and that Stepan Bandera's OUN-B played a big part in that unfortunate fact. Professor Plokhy's view certainly isn't the only one regarding Stepan Bandera and the OUN-B.

    • @dominicgibson8477
      @dominicgibson8477 18 годин тому

      In 2017 I stayed in a Jewish accommodation facility halfway between Kiev and Odessa. It was a Friday night and they were gearing up for their Sabbath. Oddly they served Jack Daniels with dinner

  • @fredm73
    @fredm73 2 місяці тому +5

    from 2:43:00-2:47:00 in this interview: I was taken with S.P.'s way of expressing a very wise observation. Thanks, Lex, for once again helping us to understand the issues of the day by interviewing some of the most thoughtful folk on these topics.

  • @andreme7326
    @andreme7326 3 місяці тому +755

    You need to invite Timothy Snyder too.

    • @manlikederek925
      @manlikederek925 3 місяці тому +1

      I think he's done Lex's podcast before

    • @Abby-np5rr
      @Abby-np5rr 3 місяці тому +47

      He is completely out of touch

    • @andreme7326
      @andreme7326 3 місяці тому

      @@Abby-np5rr he's an expert on the subject.

    • @ageekay3879
      @ageekay3879 3 місяці тому +30

      Please no 😂

    • @SergiyJust
      @SergiyJust 3 місяці тому +108

      Would be good but Lex probably would afraid to. As Timothy is very open & sincere about nature of russians 😊

  • @niloyahmed7792
    @niloyahmed7792 3 місяці тому +314

    Please lex, have more historians. Thanks for the conversations

    • @wishIKnewHowToLove
      @wishIKnewHowToLove 2 місяці тому +29

      this "historian" is rewriting history...

    • @Petro250
      @Petro250 2 місяці тому +19

      @@wishIKnewHowToLoveprove it, he had some minor inaccuracies but for the most part was correct objectively

    • @iamthereforeistrive9392
      @iamthereforeistrive9392 2 місяці тому +10

      Historians...who is ordering them the narrative? I no longer know who to trust.
      I do not even know is having a historian from the opposite side would help.
      Maybe a historian of the C.I.A. (not their own), or some kind of an "Economic Assassin" guest would help see better how the relationships BTW close nations were historically muddled with.

    • @salimmazariboufares3118
      @salimmazariboufares3118 2 місяці тому +22

      This one is not a historian, is a propagandist.

    • @liamriley9816
      @liamriley9816 2 місяці тому +8

      “Historians”

  • @SergiyNesterenko
    @SergiyNesterenko 2 місяці тому +26

    Lex, this is a great interview! Have you considered mediating a debate between Plokhy and Mearsheimer, whose theories go unchallenged?

    • @okplay9446
      @okplay9446 2 місяці тому +3

      Great idea

    • @renatobelic
      @renatobelic 2 місяці тому +5

      Mearsheimer would crash his claims.For instance,this guy somehow conclude that for Putin the collapse of SSSR was bigger tragedy than loss of man during the ww2. So, Mearsheimer would have probably tell him that you can't compare loss of life kind of tragedy with the term "GEOPOLITICAL catastrophe"!Putin said it very clear for the most of people,but this guy is not one of them.If you want to learn from guy who can't comprehend a simple sentence,go on.This kind of people are not seeking the truth,they already decided what it looks like and then they looking for pretext for it.

    • @saturn_in_blue
      @saturn_in_blue Місяць тому

      Mearshiemer is a coward, fraud and compulsive liar. He would never agree to an interview with someone who could expose his lies.

    • @ldhorricks
      @ldhorricks Місяць тому +10

      @@renatobelic what on earth are you talking about?

    • @renatobelic
      @renatobelic Місяць тому +3

      @@ldhorricks Putin has described the collapse of Soviet Union as a "largest GEOPOLITICAL catastrophe of the century".He did not describe it as a largest human tragedy,or human loss.If he would do that,then this so-called historian could claim that for Putin "the biggest tragedy is not the loss of life,the biggest tragedy is the loss of the great power..."Do you understand now,or should I draw it to you?

  • @juliamroz5087
    @juliamroz5087 3 місяці тому +83

    I also liked Timothy Snider’s work of Ukrainian history. Such a great work. With it’s dark and bright sides revealed. Thank you Lex for interesting interview ❤

    • @ruslankbr5243
      @ruslankbr5243 2 місяці тому +4

      Did Snider explain why Azov uses Nazis symbols of Wolfsangel and Black Sun?

    • @Grek1574
      @Grek1574 2 місяці тому

      @@ruslankbr5243I think for the same reason that russian “Rusich” battalion call them self a nazi battalion.

    • @Kirill-bi4gh
      @Kirill-bi4gh 2 місяці тому +9

      @@ruslankbr5243 don't pay attention to that. it's just most pure Russian propaganda

    • @Kirill-bi4gh
      @Kirill-bi4gh 2 місяці тому +1

      Better take a look at one of the founders of the Wagner PMC (Dmitry Utkin). He had tatoos with Nazi symbols on his chest.. That's insane.

    • @ruslankbr5243
      @ruslankbr5243 2 місяці тому +3

      @@Kirill-bi4gh really but I did deep research and this is pure truth. I can explain you their roots and symbols)

  • @F4nTom_II
    @F4nTom_II 3 місяці тому +160

    One minor correction (at 18:44): "Once we had Czechoslovaks, now we have Czechs and Slovaks." Sorry for going nitpicky, but compared to the others mentioned, it's a bit misleading.
    Slovaks, Moravians and Czechs (going east-to-west) can technically be taken as three stages of settling in one direction of the slavic diaspora. But Czechoslovakia and the idea of a joint nation is an invention of the early 20th Century, made out of sheer convenience to make a better case for RE-establishing a country after the breakup of Austro-Hungaria.
    Sadly enough, the wider English culture remains oblivious to anything that went on between the German and Russian lands prior to Napoleon winning at Austerlitz.
    Like... Czechs having a fairly singificant presence in Europe for centuries as a nation and kingdom (until the 1620 Battle of White Mountain), even having one of their major monarchs as the Holy Roman Emperor (Charles IV, recently elevated from virtually-unknown to somewhat-known worldwide thanks to the game Kingdom Come: Deliverance).
    Czechs and Slovaks exist as separate nations/ethnics/... since pre-1000AD and in the case of Czechs, the oldest written local sources go down to the 13th Century. Differences between Czechs and Moravians are barely worth mentioning, as both groups always maintained close ties. But Slovaks were largely separated from much of their western kin most of the time, mostly due to geographic and political reasons. The Czechoslovak get-together-again after WW1 was an idealistic political stunt that looked great on paper back then, but was doomed to fail in the long run in any case. This would be worth a whole socio-economic lecture.
    Also, the thing about "Bohemia" and "Bohemians" is a sad historical misnomer worthy of an entire lecture too.

    • @unreliablenarrator6649
      @unreliablenarrator6649 2 місяці тому +7

      See my comment for a correction of a rediculously inaccurate board statement he makes. I'll suggest he is not an expert on East Asian history and should probably say less until he learns more.

    •  2 місяці тому +6

      there was a common empire "great moravia" in 9-10th century, the split happened when Magyar came then it became Bohemia and Hungary

    • @cioccolateriaveneziana
      @cioccolateriaveneziana 2 місяці тому +4

      But Great Moravia wasn't a "national state", it was simply an early medieval state-like formation of some slavic tribes. And the tribe that later gave name to the Czech nation, the ancient Czechs, was just one peripheral tribe dependent on the prince of Moravia. @

    • @PKowalski2009
      @PKowalski2009 2 місяці тому +6

      I don't know whether 1,000 years ago Czechs were ethnically different from Poles or Slovaks; whether countries didn't distinguish themselves earlier than nations. But you are right -- talking about the ancient past using the word "Czechoslovakian" is a biting mistake here.

    • @yurilytviak9066
      @yurilytviak9066 2 місяці тому +2

      This is true , but I understood Plokhy as explaining how matters looked or was described in the west , especially america…

  • @noriakikakyoin8841
    @noriakikakyoin8841 3 місяці тому +46

    As a Ukrainian I'd like to note a thing about languages. Ukrainian is really close to Belarusian and I've heard conversations where two people would speak their native languages and it was easily comprehensive. As far as I know russians have troubles comprehending both Ukrainian and Belarusian languages due to very different vocabulary and very distinct phonetics.

    • @cioccolateriaveneziana
      @cioccolateriaveneziana 2 місяці тому +3

      Thanks for confirming my observation.

    • @PUARockstar
      @PUARockstar 2 місяці тому +13

      As another Ukrainian who understands Belarusian nearly perfectly in all forms (despite never learning it), can confirm it. Also, many Belarusians also understand me in Ukrainian without much trouble at all.

    • @OverwatchUA
      @OverwatchUA 2 місяці тому +8

      Yep, can confirm. I can comprehend Belarussian without too much trouble. My Belarussian friend can easily understand me too, however the tragedy is that he won't speak Belarussian to me... drumroll... because he doesn't know his own language good enough to speak it! I knew about the russification of Belarus, but when he told me in details the extent to which it happened in the 90s and 2000s, I was completely blown away.

    • @user-xt3sd5kf5c
      @user-xt3sd5kf5c Місяць тому +6

      Its simmilar to russian i can speak russian i learnd in my teens but never learnd ukranian, i understand ukranian easy

    • @olgaltey3278
      @olgaltey3278 Місяць тому +6

      Russians understand Ukrainian perfectly. And it depends on what form of Ukrainian you mentioned, I am Ukrainian and understand Western Ukrainian with big difficulties, but Polish would not have problems,
      Linguistically, all 3 language: Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian s belong to 1 group; it would be strange if countries had borders that were not connected

  • @maryedoolan7868
    @maryedoolan7868 2 місяці тому +5

    Thank you both for a truly worthwhile 3+ hours, previously I had a rather sketchy knowledge (very sketch)y!) of Ukrainian history, I now feel I might be in a position to learn a lot more - re-read Bloodlands, listen to your program once again, buy a book or two of the professor’s books.

  • @RandomNooby
    @RandomNooby 2 місяці тому +7

    Started watching this, 30 mins in I paused, read several works by, or about Pushkin, Tolstoy, Trotsky, Dostoevsky, and others. Now I am coming back to finish watching the rest of the video, with some context. Thanks Mr Friedman...

  • @MYOB2023
    @MYOB2023 3 місяці тому +86

    My great grandmother was from Nova Lesna, Slovakia so I am eager to hear this episode and learn more about that time. Many thanks

    • @standad7541
      @standad7541 3 місяці тому +5

      Doporučuju Snyderovi lekce na yt.

    • @PRINCIPijalan
      @PRINCIPijalan 3 місяці тому +13

      After listening this western version of the history you need to listen the eastern version, and the truth is somewhere in the middle.

    • @oleh_1337
      @oleh_1337 3 місяці тому +23

      @@PRINCIPijalan you mean the KGB version?

    • @MYOB2023
      @MYOB2023 3 місяці тому

      @@standad7541 Timothy Snyder? I will look into it! Thanks!

    • @MYOB2023
      @MYOB2023 3 місяці тому

      @@PRINCIPijalan Any suggestions on ones you find more accurate?

  • @yuriywankiewicz6689
    @yuriywankiewicz6689 3 місяці тому +96

    11:52 Serhii mentions that "level of russification is much higher" in the post soviet state of Russia. The closed captions says 'unification' rather than 'russification.' This mistranslation/ failure at writing the correct words used is something that should be corrected, as the meaning conveyed by those two terms is strikingly different for everyone who is not perhaps Russian.....

    • @zetristan4525
      @zetristan4525 2 місяці тому +4

      You could not have been pleased when it automatically transcribed you as Wank a witch

    • @yuriywankiewicz6689
      @yuriywankiewicz6689 2 місяці тому +2

      @@zetristan4525 funny

    • @zetristan4525
      @zetristan4525 2 місяці тому

      ​@@yuriywankiewicz6689And wouldn't Plokhy be translated as Bads? 😜If not, my bad...

    • @daniel8728
      @daniel8728 2 місяці тому +1

      And the Ukrainization of Russians, Hungarians, Poles, Romanians, and others is just dandy! Hypocrisy!

    • @yuriywankiewicz6689
      @yuriywankiewicz6689 2 місяці тому +4

      @@daniel8728 What was done in Ukrainianization? All I know is Ukraine trying to make Ukranian the only official language, anything else? Cause if not then there's no comparison here.

  • @gerdar
    @gerdar 23 дні тому +2

    I absolutely loved the podcast. Serhii is a very intelligent and an interesting person to talk and listen to. I love how he keeps to be neutral and professional when talking about Ukraine and Russia even though he comes from Ukraine.

  • @christinemartin63
    @christinemartin63 Місяць тому +1

    By far, the best interviews (IMHO) are the ones with historians. Mindbenders all!

  • @yuriydee
    @yuriydee 3 місяці тому +276

    Would love to see you interview Zelensky (and ask all the hard questions I personally want to hear answered as a Ukrainian) !

    • @dvegule920
      @dvegule920 3 місяці тому +107

      No one want to listen to Selensky anymore. What would he say what he didn't say until now? He is constantly lying. What value do his words have? For change he should try to work for peace.

    • @R6SiegeTank
      @R6SiegeTank 3 місяці тому +176

      @@dvegule920 You surely mean Putin, right?

    • @MinimaAmoralia
      @MinimaAmoralia 3 місяці тому +117

      @@dvegule920 you made a couple mistakes in the word Putin mate

    • @waki_resigns
      @waki_resigns 3 місяці тому +2

      Arestovych is far more available than Zelensky. Sadly I can imagine Melnyk being far more eager... it would be a lot of crap throwing on Europe...

    • @waki_resigns
      @waki_resigns 3 місяці тому

      @@dvegule920 There are different levels in hell. And if you speak about the compartment for liars, Zelensky is out of the league compared to Russian officials, all the Islamists and most Arab leaders, Chinese, North Koreans. And then have Trump MAGA camp and the previous guests of Lex: Oliver Stone and Tucker Carlson. So no... get a bit less deluded Sir...

  • @JustMeAndcookie
    @JustMeAndcookie 3 місяці тому +115

    This episode is a special one truly considering what is going on in the world right now. Also, I'm Lithuanian so I'm especially grateful for this one, Lex. Thank you Lex and Mr. Serhii Plokhy!

    • @valuerc2664
      @valuerc2664 3 місяці тому

      his name is Sergey, not Serhii

    • @LyubomyrSemkiv
      @LyubomyrSemkiv 3 місяці тому

      @@valuerc2664why you think so?

    • @JustAsPlanned1
      @JustAsPlanned1 3 місяці тому +19

      @@valuerc2664 It's Serhii or Serhiy. He's Ukrainian. That's how it's pronounced.

    • @Marmur21
      @Marmur21 2 місяці тому +14

      @@valuerc2664 No, it's Serhii. Just like Zelensky's name isn't Vladimir but Volodymyr. Slavic names are written and pronounced differently in different Slavic languages.

    • @PUARockstar
      @PUARockstar 2 місяці тому +3

      @@Marmur21 btw, the original name is Volodymer (the Great), the one that brought the Christianity to Rus.

  • @user-of8ye7zp3j
    @user-of8ye7zp3j 2 місяці тому

    I really appreciated this. Thank you - I have subscribed and look forward to listening to other podcasts.

  • @smi454
    @smi454 3 місяці тому +140

    I am a Canadian with mixed Russian-Ukrainian ethnic background. Therefore the blunder in Canadian Parliament concerns me directly.
    It is so good to see that Dr. Plokhy is given a floor to lay out his views. I congratulate Lex on making it happen, Lex’s interview style is excellent for seeking the truth. In order to have a 3D view of a complex subject, one must be able to view it from several perspectives. In the last 10 to 15 years there has been a lot of academic research in Canada, USA, Sweden, Germany, Poland that was able to use the previously inaccessible archives on the difficult subject of nationalism in interwar, WW2 and post-WW2 period. There is also research on the role of Ukrainian extreme nationalists and far-right nationalists in the last few decades. I would encourage those who want to better understand the subject to become familiar with the works of those researcher, some which are given below.
    It is a pity that the OUN(b)’s own involvement in atrocities against Poles, Jews, Ukrainians and Russians is not given sufficient attention. Focusing exclusively on collaboration with German Nazis does not address heads-on the fascist ideology of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalist Bandera’s faction known as OUN(b) by it Ukrainian acronym. The fact that OUN(b) fought, as they claim, for Ukrainian independence does not absolve them from either collaboration with German Nazis nor their own atrocities. Similarly, the fact that Stalin collaborated with the Nazi Germany does not absolve OUN(b) actions and those persons involved in them.
    John-Paul Himka Professor Emeritus, University of Alberta, Canada.
    He is a Canadian, an ethnic Ukrainian who believes it is critical to face the difficult history heads-on, rather than ignoring, cherry-picking or worse yet, whitewashing it. This is what allows one to separate wheat from the chaff and tell the good from the evil. He considers that heroization of OUN(b) and whitewashing their atrocities is a bland spot in the collective memory of the Ukrainian diaspora. This is in fact the root cause of the blunder of the Canadian Parliament giving a standing ovation to Yaroslav Hunka, a SS Galizien Nazi member, rather than some inexplicable mix-up which the Government officials cite.
    www.academia.edu/104655067/War_Criminality_A_Blank_Spot_in_the_Collective_Memory_of_the_Ukrainian_Diaspora
    Chrystia Freedland, Deputy Prime Minister was present in the Parliament and she clapped to Hunka enthusiastically. She is fluent in Ukrainian and Russian and spent a significant amount of time in Ukraine and Russia. She cannot plausibly claim ignorance of the subject of the involvement of Ukrainian nationalists and their atrocities during WW2 in inter- and post-war periods against Poles, Jews, Ukrainians and Russians. Her grandfather Michael Chomiak was the editor of Krakowski Visti, a Ukrainian Nationalistic newspaper in WW2 period that collaborated with Nazis and published antisemitic material and promoted Galizien SS Division. Chrystia Freeland must be well aware of John-Paul Himka research, who is, in fact, her uncle and son-in-law of Michael Chomiak. Freeland is actually acknowledged by Himka for helping to get some details rights in one of John-Paul Himka’s earlier papers. Skillful propaganda will certainly use some true facts, and the mere use of them by propaganda does not render them false. To effectively respond to propaganda it is essential to be able to handle the difficult truth heads-on, rather than brushing it away by saying “it is propaganda”. Silencing or ignoring those who point to the difficult truth does a disservice to the truth. So far, Canadian Government was unable to handle the truth on the difficult subject of the past Nazi war criminal.
    Anders Per Rudling, associate professor at the Lund University in Sweden.
    His research included Ukrainian Nationalism interwar, WW2 and post-WW2 period. Also - the Ukrainian Nationalism in Canada and whitewashing OUN (b) history in post-WW2 period. He authored many academic papers, as well as articles in the press on the subject. Below is one of the most recent ones. Attempts were made on to silence him and his research.
    Rudling, P. A. (2022). The Far-Right Ukrainian Diaspora's Policing of History. In N. Mörner (Ed.), The Many Faces of the Far Right in the Post-Communist Space: A Comparative Study on Far-Right Movements and Identity in the Region (pp. 42-60).
    sh.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1640388/FULLTEXT01.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1SzqDH53e9ffiPJIhYQ__jKYzlNRtV3xzFuomlz9nrw3eqz8SuWKh_SPU#page=42
    Rudling, P. A., & McBride, J. (2024). By opening up the archives, Canada can finally address its past with Nazi war criminals. The Globe and Mail.
    www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-by-opening-up-the-archives-canada-can-finally-address-its-past-with/#comments
    Grzegorz Rossoliński-Liebe, Research Associate and Lecturer Friedrich-Meinecke-Institut in Germany.
    His PhD thesis was on Stepan Bandera. Here is an article he wrote on the subject:
    www.academia.edu/9780848/Stepan_Bandera_The_Life_and_Afterlife_of_a_Ukrainian_Nationalist_Fascism_Genocide_and_Cult_Stuttgart_Ibidem_Press_2014_
    Ivan Katchanovsky, professor at the University of Ottawa
    www.academia.edu/41023574/The_Far_Right_the_Euromaidan_and_the_Maidan_Massacre_in_Ukraine

    • @valuerc2664
      @valuerc2664 3 місяці тому +19

      excelent coment

    • @niall0006
      @niall0006 3 місяці тому +24

      Zelensky must be acutely aware of the history and he was also enthusiastically applauding.

    • @AlexanderSeven
      @AlexanderSeven 3 місяці тому

      I stopped watching after he tried to whitewash Bandera saying "oh, Stalin also was cooperating with nazis", somehow forgetting that there was no nazi ideology in Soviet Union, and all cooperation was in fact trying to direct Hitler away from USSR while Soviets where preparing for inevitable war, and Bandera was just a terrorist who hated Jews, Poles, Russians and was killing anybody with different political views on future Ukraine.

    • @jossiesh7649
      @jossiesh7649 3 місяці тому +8

      Thank you for your comment.

    • @sylviaowega3839
      @sylviaowega3839 3 місяці тому +13

      Now is it possible that some of those Ukrainians that joined the German SS army during WWII for the sake of fighting against Russia, or an attempt to escape an imminent death, as opposed to supporting the Nazi cause?
      Note that I will always stand with Ukraine 🇺🇦 and Israel 🇮🇱.

  • @saida5290
    @saida5290 3 місяці тому +37

    Thanks, Lex, for the awesome podcast episode, especially in these uncertain times. The guest was really inspiring, and I learned a lot about the nearby Slavic regions from the impressive historical insights shared.

    • @mrblack5554
      @mrblack5554 2 місяці тому

      This historian is very biased

  • @joeytranchina8839
    @joeytranchina8839 9 днів тому +1

    Encouraging to hear a scholarly discussion, that is focused on expanding our understanding of this situation. The visible thoughtfulness of Serhii Plokhy's personality and presentation that makes his words trustworthy. With the stakes & the pain-level so high in Ukraine, to feel educated rather than propagandized after listening to a discussion, is an achievement. Thank you.
    The Bolsheviks "arrested the development of the religion and thinking and theology." to fix it in pre 1917 imperialism. I have struggled to a way to come to grips with at force in Russian politics. Again, thank you.
    The podcast is so much more useful than a lecture because I can replay the parts I really need to hear, to let them slink in. Again, thank you.
    "NATO wa a big part of the Russian justification for the war, The truth is..."
    "The immediate goal was to stop the drift of the Ukraine to he West..." YES,
    except it was more than a "drift" it was a march toward a better future.
    Putin's Russia represents nothing but rot.

  • @Dr_Beastus
    @Dr_Beastus 2 місяці тому +18

    What a great, deeply informative episode. It's a shame it has more than 10 times less views than the one with Tucker

    • @TonnyDeff
      @TonnyDeff 2 місяці тому +2

      It's bias. This guy is lying. Try to fact-check him.

    • @Dr_Beastus
      @Dr_Beastus 2 місяці тому +3

      @@TonnyDeff I’ll look into it - can you give some examples of points where he is lying? Also, what’s a good unbiased source?

    • @TonnyDeff
      @TonnyDeff 2 місяці тому

      @@Dr_Beastus One example - he said there are no NAZIs in Ukraine nowadays. Please search in Google or better in DuckDuckGo NAZI and Ukraine. You will find a lot of evidence: symbols, flags, pictures, and tattoos (even with Hiter himself). Please read about SS Galizien and the Wolynia Massacre in 1943. He said also Bandera is considered as NAZI because he collaborated with Hitler, but also others (Stalin for instance) also collaborated with Hitler. The truth is Bandera is considered as a NAZI because he shared the same ideas with Hitler: Jews, Russians, Poles and other nations are less human than Ukrainians and Germans. Ukraine should be pure like a glass of water - and so on.

    • @TonnyDeff
      @TonnyDeff 2 місяці тому

      @@Dr_Beastus check this en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decalogue_of_a_Ukrainian_Nationalist

  • @Aijan100
    @Aijan100 3 місяці тому +226

    It’s so important to hear more Ukrainian voices on platforms like Lex’s to connect more to the ongoing war and the people in it.

    • @IgorSinitsky
      @IgorSinitsky 3 місяці тому +1

      I can say a lot about war in Ukraine as I live in Kyiv and lived in Russia, Im also half Russian half Rkrainian but Lex will never invite me because he in cherrypicking his guests and leaning to pro-russian anti-west MAGA-like propaganda

    • @Smokereca
      @Smokereca 3 місяці тому +31

      are you joking? There is no other point to hear then the ukrainian and western. It would be an achievement if in mainstream media they start to let the other side talk and be heard.

    • @ssuuppeerrbbooyy
      @ssuuppeerrbbooyy 3 місяці тому +22

      @@Smokereca What?

    • @gugugaga1233
      @gugugaga1233 3 місяці тому +14

      they are n&zi's lol.

    • @ssuuppeerrbbooyy
      @ssuuppeerrbbooyy 3 місяці тому

      @@gugugaga1233 you mean russian neo nazis like Alexei Milchakov?

  • @djquinn11
    @djquinn11 3 місяці тому +46

    Lex always gets the best guests. I respect his interview style and his intellect, he’s not an ideologue.

    • @ds6914
      @ds6914 3 місяці тому +4

      I think he secretly supports Russia

    • @larynOneka8080
      @larynOneka8080 3 місяці тому

      @@ds6914 Lex is from Russia.

    • @JustAsPlanned1
      @JustAsPlanned1 3 місяці тому +2

      @@ds6914 I thought so too until he called Zelensky a hero.

    • @lukebruce5234
      @lukebruce5234 2 місяці тому +5

      @@ds6914 I think he is extremely anti Russian and pro Western to the point of it being funny.

    • @johnchristopher3032
      @johnchristopher3032 2 місяці тому

      ​@lukebruce5234 Once you've lived in each, the choice is easy. Remember, Lexs people are Ukrainian, too.

  • @tikaanipippin
    @tikaanipippin 2 місяці тому +39

    On a visit to Soviet Kiev in 1981, with a friend with relatives there, it was still apparent that Ukrainians were being spied upon. In fact our Intourist guides were particularly interested in my friend, whose name ended in "-enko", an Ukrainian surname, and were very inquisitive about our movements on the days when we did not take part on official visits or outings with the tour group. They were also rather inquisitive during our stays in Leningrad and Moscow, asking me, with a few months of evening school Russian lessons, a lot of questions about my friend, who spoke rather more Russian than I did.

    • @user-wb2bu8br7g
      @user-wb2bu8br7g 2 місяці тому +4

      Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko is a Soviet party and statesman. General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, perhaps he was just looking for his relatives?

    • @PatriotParty
      @PatriotParty 2 місяці тому

      Maybe you felt like that because you are a westerner in Soviet Russia and you have a friend there in a time where neither sides governments trusted eachother. . . Real spies don't have "spy jobs." They integrate with the community they are placed in and earn people's trust so they can get Intel from them. For context I wasn't even born then and I'm purely speculating that this could have partly something to do with it. I did serve in the US military though and I worked in intel.

  • @nialkhabi5234
    @nialkhabi5234 2 місяці тому

    Lex, it was another great podcast. When will you be interviewing Serhii Horoshiy?

  • @Mind_game7
    @Mind_game7 3 місяці тому +43

    Thank you for this incredible interview. Thank you Lex for doing this.

  • @garybuchner
    @garybuchner 3 місяці тому +47

    Dr Fridman, thank you for doing what you do, I so enjoy your analysis and general conversation with people of all backgrounds

  • @terzija1
    @terzija1 Місяць тому +3

    Aleksandar, congratulations for questions asked, as well as a very calm manner of interviewing respected Ukrainian Professor. Both of you have a nice Slavic accent and I am happy that you are not hiding it. It would be interesting if your interviewee would be in a debate in which slightly different opinions would be on the table. However, the Ukrainian Professor delivered his version of the truth. Another dimension which I want to stress is that this horrible conflict had to be avoided, because Slavic people are killing Slavic people. Let us talk about the outcome of this conflict in a couple of years, hoping that in the meantime the entire Europe will not be already totally destroyed, or burning. Actually, I like the patriotic segments of the speech of your interviewee.

    • @chris-2496
      @chris-2496 20 днів тому

      What this war shows is that values and sense of identity are more important to people than ethnicity and that's where putin miscalculated in launching his full scale attack in 2022 trusting his intelligence that russia's efforts to buy off the play-makers in Ukraine will be enough to prevent serious military opposition.

  • @malikamasimova7631
    @malikamasimova7631 2 місяці тому +20

    When professor says “we should do what our predecessors did in the Cold War” what does he mean? He was in the Soviet Union at a time, studying in a University in Moscow. Who is “we” in this case and who are his “predecessors”?

    • @johnlyndonescario419
      @johnlyndonescario419 2 місяці тому

      Imagine American historians (many, if not all) aren't guided by ideology too lol.

    • @amotriuc
      @amotriuc Місяць тому

      we prob current generation, predecessors the generation during Cold War, both sided.

  • @mykhailoroshko8835
    @mykhailoroshko8835 3 місяці тому +74

    Great interview Lex, very good to see more intelligent people on your podcast! Mr. Plokhy shed so much light on Russia-Ukraine conflict very interesting conversation and I loved the quote in the end!

  • @Ingagit
    @Ingagit 3 місяці тому +60

    Lex, I admire your dedication to get to the bottom of issues however complicated and tangled these issues may be. Great podcast. Thank you for your work!

    • @iMetmor
      @iMetmor 3 місяці тому +16

      Plokhy is a Ukrainian propagandist with history education. Inviting him is the opposite of getting to the bottom of the issues

    • @Lessgo00
      @Lessgo00 3 місяці тому +17

      ​@@iMetmorI am Bulgarian, Slavic and i was always neutral.
      Today's Ukrainians were there first, here is where putin's propaganda starts falling apart

    • @iMetmor
      @iMetmor 3 місяці тому +6

      @@Lessgo00 «Ukrainian» and «Russian» are not some tribes that lived in different lands.
      Russians are the people of the old Rus' state, much like Han Chinese are the people of the state ruled by the Han dynasty, or Americans are the people of the USA.
      Projecting «Ukraine» into ancient times is an anachronism.
      Ukrainians couldn't have been first anywhere, as «Russian» is an identity that is about a millenium older than «Ukrainian».

    • @Lessgo00
      @Lessgo00 3 місяці тому

      @@iMetmor Today's Ukrainians are direct successors to Kievan Rus'.
      Russians for some part are the same people that went out of the Kievan Rus' state and founded Russia.
      It's like i have a brother and we found together a country. Later he goes out and founds another country all by himself and after years he starts claiming the rights on our first country claiming that it was always his.

    • @TheSteinbitt
      @TheSteinbitt 3 місяці тому +7

      @@iMetmorRussland came from Kyiv, so I guess Ukrainians should rightfully rule Moscow:)

  • @user-el6ns3ck9x
    @user-el6ns3ck9x 2 місяці тому +30

    Very nice overview of the historical landscape around Ukraine. Like the way Serhii tells history, it's not boring at all. Read one of his books, worth reading

  • @pofkiz
    @pofkiz 3 місяці тому +22

    maybe it's time to interview Timothy Snyder?

  • @jjohns17
    @jjohns17 3 місяці тому +6

    I hope you have Henry Rollins as a guest. A conversation between you two would be fascinating given Henry's travels and humanitarian views.

  • @TarasZakharchenko
    @TarasZakharchenko Місяць тому +1

    Wonderful! Listened for whole 3 hours

  • @uaeio
    @uaeio Місяць тому +2

    Excellent interview question; Serhii Plokhy, thank you on providing more clarity to reality of present situation. Many important questions that was not asked: why Ukraine does not condemn Wolyn massacre, why cult of Bandera, and cult of Ukrainian SS division, why so many 😊Ukrainians joined in murdering Jews during Holocaust?

  • @neilwieland2748
    @neilwieland2748 3 місяці тому +14

    At the 1:41 mark Serhii talks about Ukraine being a truly bilingual country. Could this also apply also in Slovakia? Not to quibble on a minor point, but I think many Slovaks can speak and understand Czech. But maybe they're closer linguistically than Russian and Ukrainian. I don't know. Perhaps someone can speak to this. Thank you for the interview. Very knowledgeable guest and Lex you always do great work as an interviewer.

    • @gedrovitch
      @gedrovitch 3 місяці тому +9

      I can tell you that linguistically, Ukrainian closer to Slovaks and Czechs languages, than to Russian.

    • @CentralAnalytiX
      @CentralAnalytiX 3 місяці тому +7

      Many Ukrainians speak fluent Russian because they either had everyone around them speak Russian, or they had TV where most of the films and TV shows were in Russian, or both.
      But from my experience talking with Russians, they struggle to understand Ukrainian.
      If we look at vocabulary, Belarusian shares 84% of vocabulary, Polish 70%, Slovak 68%, Russian 62%.

    • @rubeng160
      @rubeng160 3 місяці тому +6

      My guess is Czech and Slovakian are closer to each other than Russian and Ukrainian. If a Czech, visiting Bratislava, can understand Slovakian without previous exposure to the language then it is not the same thing as in Ukraine. Russians from Russia cannot understand Ukrainian. But Russian-speaking people from Ukraine do understand Ukrainian for most part. That's why it is not uncommon in Ukraine to have bilingual conversations expecting that the one person would easily understand what the other person says. And if, for example, a Russian-speaking person does not understand the Ukrainian-speaking person at all then it becomes clear that the first person is not from Ukraine. Because even if a Russian speaker has never spoken any Ukrianian, just by living in Ukraine he would have a decent passive knowledge of Ukrainian from the school, media, songs on the radio, just coming across people from different parts of Ukraine. So, Serhii explained it very accurately. Having at least passive knowledge of both Ukrainian and Russian is a marker that a person has lived in Ukraine for some time. But Czech and Slovakian are just much closer to each other, that's why if a person understands Slovakian it does not necessarily mean he is from Slovakia, maybe he is from the Czechia.

    • @mado.madeleine
      @mado.madeleine 3 місяці тому +7

      I know 3 of these languages. Czech and Slovak are way more similar to each other than Russian and Ukrainian. Also, while a lot of Slovaks can actually speak Czech, Czechs might understand Slovak but they don't usually speak it. So yeah, you could say Slovakia is kinda bilingual (not officially though), but there are also plenty of bilingual (and even multilingual) countries in Africa and Asia.

    • @lukebruce5234
      @lukebruce5234 2 місяці тому +3

      No it is not. Czech and Slovak are considered different languages for political reasons. In reality they are just dialects of one another. Ukrainian and Belorussian could be considered such but Russian is already significant enough and is a different language.

  • @semicedevine6918
    @semicedevine6918 3 місяці тому +9

    I hosted 30-40 player diplomacy games for people back in 2014 where each player got to play as a country and roleplay modern geopolitics. I didn't understand at the time (was a kid), but someone told me it was very important to include Ukraine as a separate country from Russia.
    I split them up and gave Ukraine control of Romania and some Baltic states (every part of the world had to be owned by some player at game start, there were only 40 players maximum and previous game hosts had Ukraine and Russia together).
    I didn't realize at the time the geopolitical implications for what I did. All I knew was that I made someone happy and it meant a lot to me.

    • @GarioTheRock
      @GarioTheRock 3 місяці тому +4

      It meant a very potent strategic advantage to the player who owned Ukraine! Since the time of the Thracian empire and before to the modern day, Ukraine is an extremely geographically important area of the world for transportation and commerce for the regions east of Europe with the entire West. Which means it is even more important when borders start moving.

  • @sergeypashenko3
    @sergeypashenko3 2 місяці тому +6

    One question - where is the USA during these turbulent times???

  • @RuthKirkpatrick
    @RuthKirkpatrick 2 місяці тому +1

    Amazing historical talk, for learning from experts, and how your own personal perspective from family history played into the conversation. I'm new to your podcasts, but avidly watching them now. Thank you.

  • @martinrohac1213
    @martinrohac1213 3 місяці тому +65

    Would be lovely for Lex to facilitate discussion between Mearsheimer (or someone else) and this professor.
    I feel like both have some holes in their line of argumentation and it would enrich us the listeners even more 😉

    • @Dimka2012Bo
      @Dimka2012Bo 3 місяці тому +3

      I asked Sergii about Mearsheimer he gave a good answer

    • @sedalia9356
      @sedalia9356 3 місяці тому +51

      Mearsheimer has holes in his heart and his head. Absolutely closed-minded person who will never deviate from his ideology.

    • @Dimka2012Bo
      @Dimka2012Bo 3 місяці тому +18

      I met with Sergii few months ago, his point is that Mearsheimer thinks within a specific framework, a very logical - western realpolitik and doesn’t see the Russian angle to it.

    • @jjreddick377
      @jjreddick377 3 місяці тому +1

      Mearsheimer isn’t a historian. He’s a political “scientist “ who engages in bullshit and lies.

    • @paulgiesbrecht955
      @paulgiesbrecht955 3 місяці тому +10

      I stopped listening to mearshimer as soon as he said that he dosnt belive theres any actors more powerful then the state 🤷‍♂️ that takes alot of history out of his view 🤣

  • @IsntTheInternetGreat
    @IsntTheInternetGreat 3 місяці тому +7

    Question unrelated to the video: why do reactions often not get through, despite them not violating community guidelines? I have written a lot of reactions below the video and they just don't show up. It's highly frustrating.

  • @5ty717
    @5ty717 2 місяці тому +19

    Genius guest Lex. Love the way you draw the info out.

  • @yuriysymczyk3334
    @yuriysymczyk3334 2 місяці тому +2

    Thank you for this discussion 🇺🇦

  • @MrJayrodge
    @MrJayrodge 3 місяці тому +118

    Wow, Lex. It took me three days to get through the whole thing. Boy was it worth it. This was a really good interview! Thanks.

    • @georgeharding7949
      @georgeharding7949 2 місяці тому +11

      the guest is 100% biased though... talkinh about russia disintegrating, in his dreams!

    • @MrJayrodge
      @MrJayrodge 2 місяці тому +6

      Well, the guest was talking about the trend across the arc of history. What has been happening to all empires for the past several hundred years. The reasoning is that, as population grows, governments tend to have an increasing problem with maintaining a single national identity. Then things tend to break apart. The same thing may be happening in the United States right now. Without a cohesive vision and identity you are not one people. And, honestly I can't imagine a leader that could unite this mess we're in.

    • @iamthereforeistrive9392
      @iamthereforeistrive9392 2 місяці тому +2

      ​@@MrJayrodgeinteresting point of view. I agree with it. However, the guest's bias felt strong. I can forgive him-he is a Ukrainian.

    • @elenacrudge5815
      @elenacrudge5815 2 місяці тому +1

      @@iamthereforeistrive9392 been a Ukrainian is not an excuse for the gross total lies. Not a single answer was objective. Yak

    • @darkknight9461
      @darkknight9461 2 місяці тому +4

      ​@@elenacrudge5815What did he say that is totally biased?

  • @vutat1443
    @vutat1443 3 місяці тому +43

    The "Cossacks" are wrongly transcribed in the subtitles as "Kazakhs". These are two very different things. Please correct it.

  • @TheMrKMen
    @TheMrKMen 5 днів тому +2

    Очень интересный гость. И первый час беседы особенно классный. Но затем когда гость стал затрагивать более политизированную сторону истории, его ангажированность стало видно особенно сильно. Однако на эти темы говорить сложно без политических предрассудков, к сожалению.
    Некоторые люди умудряются спорить с политикой Римской республики. Хотя там непредвзятого намного меньше.
    Но классно, когда проблемы рассматриваются с разных точек зрения, и высказываются разные люди.

  • @valeriasergeeva6599
    @valeriasergeeva6599 Місяць тому +1

    Великолепный выпуск! Огромное спасибо🙏🏼 привет из Москвы 💔

  • @paulbadics3500
    @paulbadics3500 3 місяці тому +12

    Yes there were logistical problems & more resistance from ukrainians than expected but military analysts are clear there were not enough russian troops to take Kiev & would have been long drawn out & bloody for both sides especially civilians ..no way Putin was planning to force his way into such a large city opposed..only if govt surrendered which was his plan

    • @azerty8866
      @azerty8866 2 місяці тому +1

      you are acting like russia isn't winning the war

    • @Ast151
      @Ast151 2 місяці тому

      @@azerty8866 of course, it is not winning. They have 2 trillion budget deficit and their National Security Fund is almost empty.

    • @PUARockstar
      @PUARockstar 2 місяці тому +2

      @@azerty8866 is it? Define winning for russia then.

    • @pavelt5732
      @pavelt5732 2 місяці тому +1

      There is no "kiev", it's Kyiv

    • @ilya1421
      @ilya1421 2 місяці тому +1

      You're absolutely right about Kiev

  • @AltamiranoPhilosophy
    @AltamiranoPhilosophy 3 місяці тому +91

    Lex, when the full scale invasion of Ukraine started I was finishing my philosophy undergrad at Columbia University. Being a Marine Corps veteran I decided to volunteer and headed to Ukraine (first time there with no ties to the country) during my time there I got to emerge myself into the culture, the people, the history, the sorrows, pains, loses, and victories. I went in part (to the extent that we can understand a segment of why we do what we do) for the love of what the Ukrainian people were doing (and not out of hate for Russia).
    Just wanted to thank you for being the voice of reason and knowledge. I listened to your interview with Tucker Carlson (and many other referring to this war) and your ability to listen to and acknowledge multiple perspectives is extremely refreshing.
    Keep doing such an amazing job. May you continue to spark brilliant discussions around the world.
    P.S. would love you to interview the president of El Salvador, Nayib Armado. It would be a fascinating podcast

    • @dvegule920
      @dvegule920 3 місяці тому

      Sy Hersh, Apr. 5, 2023; The Nord Stream Ghost Ship, The false details in the CIA´s cover story:
      America’s Central Intelligence Agency is constantly running covert operations around the world, and all must have a cover story in case things go badly, as they often do. It is just as important to have an explanation when things go well, as they did in the Baltic Sea last fall. Within weeks of my report that Joe Biden ordered the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines, the agency produced a cover story and found willing takers in the New YorkTimes and two major German publications.
      Sy Hersh, Jun 15, 2023 Partners In Doomsday, As Ukraine begins a counter-offensive and Biden´s hawks look on, new rhetoric out of Russia points a revival of the nuclear threat
      Putin should rightly be condemned for his decision to tumble Europe into its most violent and destructive war since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. But those at the top in the White House must answer for their willingness to let an obviously tense situation lead into war when, perhaps, an unambiguous guarantee that Ukraine would not be permitted to join NATO could have kept the peace.
      Sorry, did you fought for that? Did you hear something about Gonzalo Lira who died in Ukrainian prison without medical help? A USA citizen? Who ask you to "help"? In a foreign country???

    • @TheMrNomadus
      @TheMrNomadus 3 місяці тому +28

      There is nothing proud in being a mercenary lmao.

    • @matsemillian
      @matsemillian 3 місяці тому +16

      «Fullscale invasion» lmfao cmon

    • @livingtribunal4110
      @livingtribunal4110 3 місяці тому +1

      Idiot.
      On every level.

    • @JustAsPlanned1
      @JustAsPlanned1 3 місяці тому +15

      @@TheMrNomadus Ukraine pays foreigners same money they pay their own soldiers. A very small wage by western standards.
      The only people who go there are volunteers, they often sell property to fund themselves. Just like the Westerners who went to Spanish Civil War. Hemingway and Orwell.

  • @ramilasat5030
    @ramilasat5030 2 місяці тому +1

    Lex, переведи, пожалуйста, все интервью на русский. Впервые я смотрел твоё интервью об ИИ, было очень интересно, не знаю причем на каком канале оно было выложено. Также посмотрел интервью с Карлсоном тоже очень интересно.

  • @lessiakochetkova8363
    @lessiakochetkova8363 17 днів тому +1

    Excellent interview with a profound analysis. Thank you both for an inspiring approach to discover the truth in a huge pile of propaganda, myths, and ongoing political manipulations. We didn't come here to follow the crowd, to fit in or to please anyone. This interview manifests the best way to search for what really is going on.

  • @fhajji
    @fhajji 3 місяці тому +65

    Thank you, Lex. That was very interesting.

  • @BigGabe-hr3vk
    @BigGabe-hr3vk 3 місяці тому +56

    Loving the history podcasts. Thanks Lex.

    • @brandonlance3601
      @brandonlance3601 2 місяці тому +2

      More of a political opinion piece

    • @BigGabe-hr3vk
      @BigGabe-hr3vk 2 місяці тому

      Get over it, people have political opinions. I don't agree with all the political opinions expressed in this video, implicitly and explicitly. But you can still appreciate the history and differentiate what the facts are.
      Or you can't, and that's a shame. For you, not for me.@@brandonlance3601

    • @johnlyndonescario419
      @johnlyndonescario419 2 місяці тому

      ​@@brandonlance3601And pro-Ukrainian is not??? Lololol.

  • @donaldskibo8970
    @donaldskibo8970 2 місяці тому +1

    VERY INFORMATIVE-THANK YOU

  • @joiedevie3901
    @joiedevie3901 2 місяці тому +3

    Great interview.

  • @olenievart
    @olenievart 3 місяці тому +21

    Delighted to listen to the talk. It seems to me that, closer to the beginning of the fourth hour of the talk, both gentlemen started to feel tired, especially Lex.

  • @rettaroo5972
    @rettaroo5972 3 місяці тому +8

    Wonderful and timely guest!
    Lex I noticed the essential water on the desk. Since they aren’t listed in your sponsors, I thought I would comment on this product. It was my water of choice for nearly a year before, realizing my health began to deteriorate. I couldn’t get enough of this clean cold, delicious tasting water. but the high alkalinity caused Gerd and dysfunction of my gallbladder. With no other interventions, I ceased drinking the water and all of the symptoms, the burning in my throat. The indigestion, and the pain in my gallbladder went away. I did some research online and learned that, although it sounds counterintuitive, too much alkalinity in the stomach is not good for digestion.
    So many of these new fad health waters are anything but healthy.

    • @user-xq1wz3tp5z
      @user-xq1wz3tp5z 3 місяці тому

      It's said that our guts become less acidic with age, which is why supplementation of vitamin B12 becomes useful.

    • @emrage
      @emrage 2 місяці тому +1

      Here's a thought why don't you just drink normal water that's filtered and have your vitamins from food and supplements?

  • @robertboyd1467
    @robertboyd1467 2 місяці тому

    @lexfridman What's your opinion on Interviewing the political scientist: George Friedman (Friedman György)

  • @scammicus7110
    @scammicus7110 2 місяці тому +3

    Another great interview Lex, my thanks to you both for the time invested in having such an in depth discussion to share with us.

  • @oleksandrsavin7682
    @oleksandrsavin7682 3 місяці тому +44

    @Lex, thank you very much for this amazing episode of podcast! I am Ukrainian, so naturally I am biased on the topic of war, but still it's very important for me that you invite people that tell a comprehensive history of East European region. Many people don't understand the drama, difficulty, confusion, connection, dilemmas that surround this discussion between Ukraine and Russia. Many people tend to simplify or narrow down the path of the history into the war as a result of one or two simple historical moments. But truth is, nothing is easy when it comes to Ukraine and Russia. That's why EVEN inside just Ukraine, there will be people telling one story and yet in the same country there will be people telling the other story. There are a lot of emotions going around and very little logical sense. So, I appreciate you inviting a well educated person to talk real historical, political, social facts that happened in this region and led to what has happened.

    • @aloha5527
      @aloha5527 3 місяці тому +11

      Yes, but professor is lying.

    • @illz47
      @illz47 3 місяці тому +11

      As a Ukrainian I second this

    • @andriyandriychuk
      @andriyandriychuk 3 місяці тому +9

      Finally we saw a Ukrainian guest.

    • @mythbuster6126
      @mythbuster6126 3 місяці тому +11

      What political, historical and social facts led to the Ukrainian commander taking selfies in front of Bandera's portrait with a smile?

    • @eighty88eight
      @eighty88eight 3 місяці тому

      We will not move NATO one inch to the East ! !

  • @TETPochatok
    @TETPochatok 3 місяці тому +31

    Thank you for the interview.

  • @lukasvesely7910
    @lukasvesely7910 Місяць тому

    Ty Lex. This is such an incredibly important part our collective history

  • @timamet
    @timamet 2 місяці тому +5

    This is good one

  • @jozefpalica
    @jozefpalica 3 місяці тому +47

    I wish to see discussion on this topic between profesor Measheimer, Dougles Mac Greggor, profesor Sachs vs Serhii Plokhy

    • @trogdortpennypacker6160
      @trogdortpennypacker6160 3 місяці тому +5

      They all are experts in different fields so it would be extremely difficult. Mearsheimer is a rockstar in IR, Macgregor has a PhD in IR but he was really known for being a innovative military thinker, Sachs is an economist/public policy wonk, and Plokhy is a historian. Plokhy has no knowledge in their fields and vice versa.

    • @jozefpalica
      @jozefpalica 3 місяці тому +5

      @@trogdortpennypacker6160 disagree , on the topic of origin Russian - Ukrainian conflict all of them have great knowledge of recent history of those countries , theoretical and practical(direct communication with political elites of this era )

    • @markp6621
      @markp6621 3 місяці тому +2

      Yes... Primary sources are king in the study of history (and those guys qualify as primary sources on quite a few topics), and if one is to dismiss what they say one must have good reason.

    • @redrev674
      @redrev674 3 місяці тому

      @@markp6621primary sources are contemporary sources that were there at the time that the events happened ie the best sources of history. None of these names clearly are primary sources!

    • @markp6621
      @markp6621 3 місяці тому +3

      @@redrev674 That shows you how little you know. Sachs knew most of the eastern European leaders including those of Ukraine and Russia because he was advising them economically. He also knew those in Washington in that context. Scott Ritter was a weapons inspector in the Soviet Union representing US interests and knew military and civilian leaders in both the east and west at the highest levels. I'm less aware of MacGregor's experience, but it was probably NATO related and he does seem to have some knowledge and contacts in Ukraine and Poland from around the end of the cold war.

  • @I.S.1226
    @I.S.1226 3 місяці тому +18

    Lex, great work. Big support. Thank you.

  • @dariakozlova9657
    @dariakozlova9657 Місяць тому

    A truly brilliant interview, thank you!

  • @angusmcbraith
    @angusmcbraith Місяць тому +1

    High quality, So interesting, thank you

  • @ivavasadze7503
    @ivavasadze7503 3 місяці тому +4

    At 1:15:31 he says Komsomol leaders (Soviet youth political organization), not council leaders, 1:15:47 - indistinct word here is Politburo, and at 1:16:07 is mentioned Brezhnev, not Beria (Beria is long gone by that time). 1:16:14 - in foreign language he means Siloviki, which is Russian umbrella term for military, security, and police state organizations.

    • @denisgut
      @denisgut 3 місяці тому +2

      It's fascinating how this man can teach people in Harvard with such a level of knowledge 😂

  • @maxdfd
    @maxdfd 3 місяці тому +69

    thank you for a great episode and an amazing guest!

  • @Kirill-bi4gh
    @Kirill-bi4gh 2 місяці тому +1

    As a Ukrainian, i'd love to see you interview Zelensky. Even ask him complex questions as some of the viewers has already suggested here. I like the interviewer. The guy thinks, always tries to ask follow-up questions. Respect. Not browning-nose to you, just like the approach and the personality.

    • @Kirill-bi4gh
      @Kirill-bi4gh 2 місяці тому +1

      The most admirable fact is that Lex never interrupts the person he's speaking with.

  • @listudy7323
    @listudy7323 2 місяці тому +1

    Thank you!

  • @tsapenkopolina
    @tsapenkopolina 3 місяці тому +36

    GREAT interview, Lex, I sincerely appreciate your attention and being able to LISTEN, not just ask (very smart) questions.

    • @dimapro
      @dimapro 3 місяці тому +2

      sure sure great interview not at all not full of bs and leading questions. What a disappointment you are Lex

    • @brandulak
      @brandulak 2 місяці тому +4

      @@dimapro keep chugging your state propaganda Dmitry. Or maybe you have some factual arguments that can disprove some parts of this interview?

  • @pseudovictim
    @pseudovictim 3 місяці тому +48

    This is a balanced approach on discussing the current war. Well done, Lex! Listening to your podcasts is an antidote to my biases.

    • @manodirivera6703
      @manodirivera6703 3 місяці тому

      Pseudobalanced. Nazi apologist and truth bender. Wrong on so many accounts, but presented smooth

    • @knecht3000
      @knecht3000 3 місяці тому +11

      In general I agree. However IMO it's an issue that the podcasts with populists that make up their own facts are watched a lot more than those with scientists that mostly speak facts. The tucker podcast has >10 times more views than this one.

    • @arslanseitaly8364
      @arslanseitaly8364 3 місяці тому +21

      It is not balanced at all. He whitewashed everything, skillfully avoiding all problematic topics

    • @nabiji
      @nabiji 3 місяці тому

      ​@@arslanseitaly8364 elaborate.

    • @anatoliypankevych4853
      @anatoliypankevych4853 3 місяці тому +8

      @@arslanseitaly8364you definitely know everything better, than a professional historian. Especially you know about Ukrainian history, sitting in Kirghizia.

  • @comenadgetme
    @comenadgetme 29 днів тому +1

    Very interesting! Thank you!

  • @dmitrinosovicki5992
    @dmitrinosovicki5992 2 місяці тому

    The unanswered question of how we managed to keep the war cold after WWII was a key to the question of to how to put the sides to the table.

  • @jaynuck
    @jaynuck 3 місяці тому +33

    Great conversation Lex. Thank you.

  • @vahuid
    @vahuid 2 місяці тому +6

    Serhii Plokhy is too smart for Lex Fridman.

  • @scottb7347
    @scottb7347 3 місяці тому +16

    thanks for this

  • @ned900
    @ned900 Місяць тому

    I could listen all day all week to this man

  • @genieinthebottle64
    @genieinthebottle64 2 місяці тому +6

    Very interesting guest! thank you!

  • @coopoylozenge5964
    @coopoylozenge5964 3 місяці тому +3

    Very educational

  • @kcperception3895
    @kcperception3895 3 місяці тому +21

    I appreciate a viewpoint that I don't necessarily buy in on. Thanks Lex.

    • @alexanthony9856
      @alexanthony9856 3 місяці тому +5

      May I ask which information informs your dissent?

    • @dwl3006
      @dwl3006 2 місяці тому +22

      @@alexanthony9856His opinions on Zelensky, Boris Johnson, and NATO are naïve to put it mildly. Boris Johnson acting independently of the United States? Give me a break! Even a janitor has more understanding of international relations. He can't imagine Zelensky taking orders? What a joke. And then he expects that Russia should have sent half of its forces to Finland in the middle of a war if it was really about NATO. So now this military genius thinks it's a good idea to open a two front war to prove that Russia is being genuine about its fears of NATO expansion. This guy shouldn't be working in a kindergarten let alone Harvard.

    • @gregoryedwards9097
      @gregoryedwards9097 2 місяці тому

      Whole heartedly agree. Zelensky and Putin had a peace deal forming in Turkey in April 2022, confirmed by even Ukrainian diplomat Oleksandr forgot his last name even mentioned this in late 2023.
      The propaganda against Putin is so strong people don’t even realize it. When you actually look at what Putins words and actions are, you’ll see he has been far more consistent with his rhetoric than the collective West has been. To think NATO doesn’t play a part into this is like saying this world doesn’t have criminals or people who take advantage of situations. Each place has their own agenda, and the US is bent on maintaining hegemony because they have/ had the world reserve currency. They have more to lose than Russia and China combined, and they know this.

    • @alexanthony9856
      @alexanthony9856 2 місяці тому +5

      I‘m curious, so you feel you are more qualified than this Harvard scholar to assess these matters. May I ask what sources you used for your assessment?

    • @banalestorchid5814
      @banalestorchid5814 2 місяці тому +4

      @@alexanthony9856 Well said, I suspect this person has been exclusively watching Tucker Carlson etc.

  • @user-qg1th8op8v
    @user-qg1th8op8v Місяць тому

    Thank you, very interesting and educative as always!❤
    Just a small remark - 2:28 - he doesn’t speak foreign language (as said in the subtitles), he names different cities - “Kiev, Minsk and Dushanbe - left in different countries”

  • @santiagovenegas4388
    @santiagovenegas4388 2 місяці тому

    Lex you have to interview Peter Turchin. I think you two might get a long well and you’d think his perspective on the war is interesting

  • @anikiforova
    @anikiforova 3 місяці тому +19

    Thank you for an interesting guest and a great interview. I have wanted to read one of his books for a while. But have never gotten to it.

    • @dimapro
      @dimapro 3 місяці тому

      Load of clap. go back to school

    • @anikiforova
      @anikiforova 3 місяці тому +3

      @@dimapro judging by the language you are using, you either need to attend school yourself, or it's not very helpful 🤡

    • @dimapro
      @dimapro 3 місяці тому

      Glad you can identify yourself otherwise hard to see that you are a clown@@anikiforova

    • @anikiforova
      @anikiforova 3 місяці тому +3

      @@dimapro I'm afraid you are projecting your issues onto others, dear.

    • @TheWefikus
      @TheWefikus 2 місяці тому

      @@dimaproda da Dima

  • @BoolatGuzairov
    @BoolatGuzairov 3 місяці тому +7

    Important thing about Ukrainian approach towards independence:
    None of major Ukrainian philosophers/thinkers/political figures (Mazepa, Khmelnitskiy, Taras Shevchenko, Grushevskiy etc) stated the independence as the national goal. They rather looked for more autonomy, but always under guidance of some big brother (Russia, Austria, Poland).
    The paradox is that based on Mr.Plokhii stated, Bandera was the only one person looking for it.
    The problem with it is that you can’t choose geography.

    • @wisefull
      @wisefull 3 місяці тому +3

      who told you this nonsense? who taught you that None of major Ukrainian philosophers/thinkers/political figures (Mazepa, Khmelnitskiy, Taras Shevchenko, Grushevskiy etc) stated the independence as the national goal. and that Mazepa, Khmelnitskiy, Taras Shevchenko, Grushevski are "major Ukrainian philosophers/thinkers/political figures " ?

    • @BoolatGuzairov
      @BoolatGuzairov 3 місяці тому +2

      @@wisefull starts with all independent Ukrainian governments put those people’s names on the flag including Zelenskiy regime. Please provide arguments instead of reflection.

    • @andriyandriychuk
      @andriyandriychuk 3 місяці тому +1

      Father of Ukrainian nationalism is not Bandera but Mikhnovsky.

    • @feorh1919
      @feorh1919 2 місяці тому

      @@wisefullYou should read what they write. And at least half of the guys you mentioned were medieval figures and cared zilch about the national freedom you speak of. Schevchenko was mostly a "go Ukrainians" guy. He was not an anti-Russian guy as a matter of fact.

    • @ddd7386
      @ddd7386 2 місяці тому

      Another Russian nonsense. Stop lying

  • @matrixknobs2848
    @matrixknobs2848 Місяць тому +2

    Lovely interview 👋

  • @KorolDanylo824
    @KorolDanylo824 29 днів тому +2

    At 3:12:46, I understand the reasoning, but the “focus on what did we do right in the Cold War” argument does not apply to today’s situation. Russia’s actions more closely resemble September in 1939 than anything during the Cold War. As a historian, he should understand how passivity and appeasement to genocidal dictators is ultimately viewed in history.

  • @mikekolyshkin3931
    @mikekolyshkin3931 3 місяці тому +5

    Many thanks, Lex! ❤
    It was an interesting and meaningful conversation,
    especially in comparison with Tucker's chatter-box show.

    • @Gurbeable
      @Gurbeable 2 місяці тому

      Be carefull, Tucker is a Jesus-like figure for many people.

  • @paulbadics3500
    @paulbadics3500 3 місяці тому +25

    Finland is not same as Ukraine from Putins point of view

    • @cioccolateriaveneziana
      @cioccolateriaveneziana 2 місяці тому +17

      Well, not now when it's in the NATO, thankfully.

    • @WangMingGe
      @WangMingGe 2 місяці тому

      Yet the Russians tried repeatedly to take it over, and did succeed in seizing some of its territory.

    • @nyalarhotep
      @nyalarhotep 2 місяці тому

      It never was, since `45. Finns were fooled into NATO and out of neutrality. And actually, only NOW they are in potential danger.@@cioccolateriaveneziana

    • @clintloranrand951
      @clintloranrand951 Місяць тому +1

      ??? Finland has never been any Russian land as there are no Russians. Okraine (not Ukraine) is Novorossiya being taken from the Ottomans from 21 wars until Vlachia (Rumenia) 1707. Ukraine is mostly Galicia and west from Kiev and had NEVER being on Black Sea . Ukrainians and Okrainian- Russian settlers are two different ethnic groups, like Serbs and Croats (White Croats being actually Ukrainians too)

    • @sgolowka
      @sgolowka Місяць тому

      Don't be what u say... lalala

  • @Keldozad
    @Keldozad 2 місяці тому

    Hi Lex, this is a great job you are doing. I would like to see you debate the Czechoslovak Legions from 1914-1920 with an expert. BTW I just played the game "Last Train Home" which is about this. And it's an incredible story.

  • @patmathew5757
    @patmathew5757 8 днів тому +2

    His Bandera explanation is a little too neat and tidy for me... any rebuttals?

  • @peterhawryluk8430
    @peterhawryluk8430 3 місяці тому +7

    Thank you both for a informed conversation. Taras Shencko was finnally mentioned in the independence for Ukraine. We had his picture on our wall and in every Ukrainian household I've ever been in. I would always hear Shachenko said ...

    • @JohnSmith-px5nf
      @JohnSmith-px5nf 3 місяці тому +7

      “Ukrainian” writer who lived and worked in St Petersburg, Russia lol

    • @PolyakovAlexei
      @PolyakovAlexei 3 місяці тому +5

      you mean Shevchenko?

    • @thanksmark
      @thanksmark 3 місяці тому +4

      @@JohnSmith-px5nf what a moronic answer

    • @janebofelt
      @janebofelt 3 місяці тому +8

      Произведения Тараса Шевченко изучают во всех российских школах в курсе литературы в 7 классе, просто для информации.

    • @JustAsPlanned1
      @JustAsPlanned1 3 місяці тому +1

      @@janebofelt Русскую классику изучают в украинских школах тоже, кстати.