Ukraine issue

• Title

• Our Crew

  People of Something

  
  

  Gabriel

  Editor-in-chief

  How does it work

  
  

  Lucie

  Writer

  Travel with me

  
  

  Adéla

  Writer

  Once upon a time in Fashion...

  
  

  Karolina

  Writer

  Netflix Tips

  
  

  Kevin

  Writer

  Physical health

  
  

  Michal

  Writer

  Sports

  Elen

  Writer

  From A to Z with guests

  Tereza

  Illustrator

  
  

  Tomáš

  Designer

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• introduction

  Hello readers!

  
  

  Written by Gabe

  
  

  This publication is slightly different from the usual. It is not a fully-fledged magazine issue. Instead, it is a smaller work that mostly deals with the present situation in Ukraine and its future. There are four articles here. Mine deals with misinformation, both in general and in the context of the conflict. Kerem’s, is about the reasons for both the conflict and the formation of Ukraine, and Michael’s news from the sport world as well as Kaja’s film recommendations make a return.

  
  

  
  

  Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, I hope you will have learned something from this issue.

  
  

  Thank you for reading,

  
  

  Gabriel M., editor-in-chief

  
  

• sport

  Ukrainian men's football team plays its first game since the invasion

  
  

  Written by Michal

  
  

  For the past few months, Ukraine has had a tough time competing in? the sporting world. The invasion has called for them to take drastic measures. Even members of their Olympic team competing in Beijing  China had to join army forces immediately upon returning to their homeland. Ukraine's national team was able to briefly turn their focus back to football on Wednesday night when they played their first national football game since November, against Bosnia. They were able to beat  Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 in a friendly. A crowd of 20,223 attended the game with Ukrainian nationals able to attend for free. 

  
  

  
  

  It was the first time playing since Russia’s invasion of their country in February. Even though it was only a friendly between the nations, the match also acted as a warm-up clash for June's World Cup qualifier with Scotland, and UEFA games with the Republic of Ireland (twice) and Armenia.

  
  

  
  

  A Borussia Monchengladbach interview said, "We’re glad that we could help Ukraine with their preparations for the World Cup play-offs and would like to wish them all the best!"

  
  

  
  

  When the conflict broke out in the early hours of February 24th, Oleksandr Petrakov, the manager of Ukraine's men's national football team, volunteered to join the fight  instead of leaving his home in Kyiv as the Russians advanced. “My family told me to go to western Ukraine but I refused. I said: ‘I am from Kyiv, I can’t leave,’” says Petrakov. “I didn’t think it would be correct as people have to defend and I can’t run. If they come to Kyiv, I thought I would pick up a weapon and defend my city.”

  
  

  
  

  Petrakov, who decided to stay in Kyiv and wanted to join Ukraine's territorial defense, argues that regular Russians must bear responsibility as well. ‘They have to pay for their support of Putin. As we saw in the stadium, when Putin came there they applauded him,’ said Petrakov, believing that the Russian national teams shouldn't be devoid  of blame and that a 1-year ban just isn't enough, insisting instead on a 5 year minimum.

  
  

  
  

  Recently, it has been announced that players from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year because of the invasion. This suggests  no Russian teams will take part in next season's Champions League, Europa Conference League or Europa League. As well as that, Europe's governing body also announced Russia's bid to host the men's Euros in 2028 and 2032 as ineligible. With the absence of Russian teams in the best leagues in the world, the competition may have just gotten slightly less competitive allowing Czech teams to have that small edge, potentially winning them a trophy. Only time will tell.

  
  

  
  

  NDTV.com, “Olympic Star Shooter Joins Ukraine Forces, Warns Russian Troops ‘They Won't Have A Chance’” https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-war-olympic-star-shooter-joins-ukraine-forces-warns-russian-troops-they-wont-have-a-chance-2978011

  
  

  The Guardian, “‘We could play at Wembley’: Ukraine manager on war, the World Cup and his hatred of Russia” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/01/ukraine-football-manager-oleksandr-petrakov-war-world-cup-hatred-russia UEFA.com, 

  
  

  “Ukraine vs. Republic of Ireland”https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2034514--ukraine-vs-republic-of-ireland/Think tank, 

  
  

  “Russia's war on Ukraine: Impact on athletes and sports competitions” https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2022)729373 

• Kerem

  A Tale of Two Brothers: Ukraine-Russia

  
  

  Written by Kerem

  
  

  Russians and Ukrainians, people of the same lands and roots, yet separated like two branches of a river. People that are now fighting each other, while praying to the same God. People that shared the same tears and smiles, yet far enough from each other to shed one another's blood on the soil which has raised them both. “What caused this tragedy?”, “What is the reason behind?”, “What fuels all this hatred?” Those are some of the questions which we all have been asking ourselves. Since the beginning of the conflict between the two countries, we all have been hearing different opinions from countless sources. But do we know, “What this is all about as one solid piece?” or “What we have heard is wrong, and what is correct?” ?

  
  

  
  

  For example, “who are the Ukrainians?”. According to the notorious speech of Vladimir Putin, this term was founded by Lenin and they are part of the Russian nation. But is this all that simple? After all, we have a sovereign state with its own language and anthem. Ukrainians, or with their older name, Ruthenians are a part of the Eastern Slavic people, even though they are in the same group as Russians and Byelorussians, claiming that they are all the same is like rejecting the differences between you and your siblings. The first appearance of Ukrainians in history was the Kievan Rus in the 9th century. It was founded by a Viking prince named Rurik. This state is claimed by both Russia and Ukraine, but the truth lies in between, as the bond between these two nations was very strong back then. However, in the 13th century, the state fell  to the Mongolian invasion and this was the start of the split between these two nations. During this period, both Ukrainians and Russians were vassalised by Mongolians. Later on, Russians established the Grand Duchy of Moscow, however Ukrainians endured  foreign rule by various nations, and even Lithuanians once had a grip on their lands. 

   

  
  

  Image: Map of Kyivan Rus, Ian Mladjov, mappingeasterneurope.princeton.edu

  
  

  
  

  Image: Distribution of East Slavic languages, Wikipedia.org

  Yellow: Ukrainian, Orange: Rusyn, Light green: Byelorussian, Dark green: Russian

  
  

  
  

  In the 17th century, with the creation of the Cossack Hetmanate, Ukrainians gained their independence after centuries. But also, this started a schism between Eastern and Western Ukrainians as this all happened with Russian support and on the western bank of Dnieper, people favoured the Polish-Lithuanian rule. However, the entirety of Ukraine soon fell under the rule of Russia with the exception of Galicia being taken by Austrians. For Russians, Ukranians were only a sect of Russians named Malorussians, but for the Ukrainians, the dream of independence was still in their minds. 

  
  

  
  

  During this period, there were many Ukrainian intellectuals who advocated for independence and protected the Ukrainian heritage despite the efforts of assimilation, the most important one of them being Taras Shevchenko. In 1917, the Ukrainian state declared its independence, after the withdrawal of Russia from World War 1 with the treaty of Brest-Litovsk. However, this was only for a short period before the newly founded USSR invaded the country once again. One could argue that this was the period when the division between two nations turned into hostility. At the start, Ukrainians received autonomy and had their own republic in the union, under the name of Ukrainian SSR, but as soon as Stalin took the charge, things started to change. His forced policies on the Ukrainian landowners and farmers caused a human-made famine followed by the eradication of millions of Ukrainians. Thanks to the forced isolation of the republic from the rest of the world and the union. Also known as Holodomor, this incident is the main cause of the hostility between the two nations, despite the cultural oppression under the rule of the Russian Empire.

  
  

  
  

  Image:  Map of Eastern Europe in 1914, Roy Winkelman, etc.usf.edu

   

  
  

  Image: Ukrainian ethnic presence in 1901, Albert H. Bumstead, National Library of Australia

   

   

  Image: Map of the USSR, Maps-Russia.com

  
  

  
  

  After the Cold War with the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Ukrainians were once again free in their homeland. However, the situation was far from the ideal , despite the optimistic atmosphere. Russia wasn't prepared to lose its once-called breadbasket. The first issue to appear was the Nuclear arsenal of the newly founded Ukrainian state, which was inherited from the Soviet Union. This issue was solved with an agreement between Ukraine, Russia and the USA, with the promise of recognition of their integrity and sovereignty, as well as financial aid from the USA, Ukraine agreed to deactivate its nuclear arsenal. Another important agreement is the one signed by both NATO and Russia, where Russia vocalised that they wouldn't intervene if any of the ex-soviet states wanted to join NATO, in return, NATO promised not to station any nuclear forces in the territories of the newly accepted members. Everything looked bright for everyone during this period, with the eastern economies becoming  stabilised and the Cold War being left in the dusty pages of history.

  
  

  
  

  Image: Collapse of the Soviet Union, https://www.freeman-pedia.com/

  
  

  
  

  The Munich Security Conference in 2007 was the end of that period of optimism, with Putin's notorious speech. This  was then followed by the invasion of Georgia in 2008 and the start of Russia's intervention in the Syrian Civil War on the side of local dictator Bashar al-Asad. During this period, one important  incident happened in Ukraine was “the Orange Revolution”. This happened after the election in 2004, where the pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych won by a small margin. People protested in the streets claiming that the elections were rigged and that a new election was necessary. They were successful in their cause, and with the decision of the Ukrainian Supreme Court, a new election was held, where pro-Western candidate Viktor Yushchenko won the election. However, Yanukovych was later elected president in the upcoming elections, which led to the Euromaidan protests. After Yanukovych refused to sign the long-discussed trade and association agreement between the EU and Ukraine in 2013, due to favouring Russia as a trade partner, massive demonstrations ignited  in Ukraine. People demanded the resignation of Yanukovych and protests soon became  violent due to the aggressive response of the police. In February 2014, Yanukovych fled the country and the protests were successful. The deal between the EU and Ukraine was signed later on, but was it that simple? In March 2014, Russia, dissatisfied with the events in Ukraine, indirectly sent troops into Crimea and annexed it with an election after pro-Russian troops seized control of the peninsula. Also, Russia supported the separatists in Donbas, in order to pressure Ukraine even more. However, those actions only increased hostility which has led to the recent events.

  
  

  
  

  Besides all these things, there is also a long-lasting dispute about identity. The name "Ukraine" etymologically means "at the border" or "the borderlands", so in some sense, one could claim this is an artificial name. However, this is not the first name used for the people of Ukraine, the name Ruthenian was used long before, which derived from the word "Rus'". So to summarise things, Ukrainian heritage relies on Kyivan Rus, and this is the root of the dispute. We can see from many things, such as the Ukrainian currency and their national emblem, how the heritage of Kyivan Rus is still visible. On the other hand, Russia is acting similarly by erecting statues of Kyivan rulers such as Vladimir the Great in Moscow, who was the first Kievan ruler to convert to the Christian faith. From the Russian perspective, Ukrainians, Byelorussians and Russians are the same people, who are all members of a  greater Russia. 

  
  

  
  

  As they claim the Kyivan Rus all for themselves, this automatically leads to the rejection of the existence of a separate Ukrainian identity from Russia. For the Ukrainian part, they see themselves as the righteous successors of the Kievan Rus, which hosted all the eastern Slavic people under its roof. Prior to  recent events , this was even a dispute among the Ukrainian population, but since what has happened, we could say that Ukrainians are now more firmly united in their national claims. Furthermore, one could say  that this whole situation might have created a Ukrainian identity, stronger than ever, by reminding people of all their struggles throughout history, all at once.

  
  

  
  

  In conclusion, we could say that a close connection doesn't necessarily guarantee a close relationship, in fact, it could even mean the opposite. Even for two brothers that were raised under the same roof, by the same mother. 

  
  

  Simon Franklin, Jonathan Shepard. The Emergence of Rus Longman, London 1998.

  
  

  Raphael Lemkin "SOVIET GENOCIDE IN THE UKRAINE" 1953.

  
  

  Robert Conquest. The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization and the Terror-Famine 1987. 

  
  

  Wilson Center. International History Declassified - COLD WAR ORIGINS 

  
  

  Michael A. Guhin, John Foster Dulles. A Statesman and his times. Columbia Univ. Press, New York 1972 Vitaly Mansky. Putin's Witnesses 2018.

  
  

  Wikipedia.org “Orange Revolution” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_RevolutionWikipedia.org “Modern History of Ukraine” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history_of_Ukraine

  
  

  Wikipedia.org “Euromaidan”    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euromaidan#:~:text=Euromaidan%20(%2F%CB%8Cj%CA%8A%C9%99r%C9%99%CB%8C,(Independence%20Square)%20in%20Kyiv.

  
  

  Wikipedia.org “Holodomor” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodomor

  
  

  Wikipedia.org “Ukrainians” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainians

  
  

  Wikipedia.org “Kievan Rus” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kievan_Rus%27

  
  

  Ian Mladjov. Rus in 1200. https://mappingeasterneurope.princeton.edu/item/rus-a-brief-overview.html

  
  

  Wikipedia.org “East Slavic Languages” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Slavic_languages

  
  

  The New Encyclopedic Atlas and Gazetteer of the World, New York, P. F. Collier and Son, 1914, 77. https://etc.usf.edu/maps/pages/7600/7669/7669.htm

  
  

  Albert H. Bumstead. The National Geographic Magazine, Map of the Races of Europe, Asia and Africa. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-280523200/view

  
  

  Maps Russia, “World Map USSR,” https://maps-russia.com/maps-russia-old/world-map-ussr

  
  

  Freeman-pedia, “Collapse of the Soviet Union,” https://www.freeman-pedia.com/collapse

• gabe

  Lies we’re told

  
  

  Written by Gabe

  
  

  Misinformation could simply be defined as “false information”. A certain kind of misinformation is called “disinformation,” distinguished by the fact that it is spread intentionally, knowing that it is false. The internet, while no doubt one of our greatest inventions, provides a great opportunity to spread both types of false information. In fact, it has become a hotbed  thereof in recent years - both due to the recent pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine - but why even publicize falsehoods? What are the  common strategies utilized to make fake news go “viral”? What makes us susceptible to misinformation? And what are some myths currently circulating about the situation?

  
  

  
  

  Image: Misinformation, https://sharedassessments.org/

  
  

  
  

  Motives for the spread of misinformation

  
  

  
  

  There are many reasons to spread misinformation. Advertising oneself, monetary gain, spreading a specific ideology or political message are all common reasons. Some distributors of false information even believe themselves to be right - think of conspiracy theorists and religious groups that deny scientific evidence, such as ‘young earth creationists’. In this article, the focus will mainly be on political misinformation. While saying that the West doesn’t produce misinformation would be disinformation on its own, the most influential disinformers when it comes to the Ukrainian conflict specifically are Russia and its allies.

  
  

  
  

  What leads us to believe false information?

  
  

  
  

  A common reason we are often led astray and believe lies is so-called “intuitive thinking” - jumping to conclusions. People have a tendency to not think things through methodically. This may be effective if one is trying to decide what to wear or where to eat but it can be dangerous when dealing with new information. What group of people we perceive ourselves to be a part of, as well as our identity and ideologies we believe, also have an effect on our decision-making process - we are more likely to believe those who are from the same social groups as us - liberals are more likely to believe liberals, Christians other Christians. 

  
  

  
  

  Image: Drivers of false beliefs, Gabriel Makhoul

  
  

  
  

  Strategies disinformers use

  
  

  
  

  Firstly, we are more likely to believe “experts” - sadly, this often includes politicians or people whose field of expertise has nothing to do with the topic at hand. Disinformers thus take advantage of their PhDs and other titles to make themselves look credible. Secondly, disinformers rely on sensationalism and emotional effect - it is harder to think critically when you’re shocked or offended. Our brains are also more likely  to view repeatedly occurring information as more credible - an effect known as illusory truth, that can easily be misused by sources of misinformation on social media.

  
  

  
  

  Image: Strategies used by disinformers, Gabriel Makhoul

  
  

  
  

  How to deal with misinformation

  
  

  
  

  The most important thing to remember is to think critically and with deliberation. If you encounter a new bit of information about a controversial topic, especially if it sounds “shocking”, try to avoid intuitively jumping to conclusions, as your brain often tends to do. Secondly, try to “think like a fact-checker” - do not believe claims made on social media, instead compare information you find with reliable sources. Look into the originator of the claim - is that PhD really relevant to the discussion? Is the author a credible figure? 

  
  

  Common myths circulating today

   

  
  

  With the how and why covered, let’s look at the what. There are many false claims in circulation about the current Ukrainian situation. This is not a comprehensive list, but rather a general overview of some of the lies one can find on the world wide web (there have been about 23 myths so far). English is the most common language for the spread of misinformation on this topic. 

  
  

  
  

  “THE WAR IS A HOAX” - No, the war is not a hoax. Viral posts in Russia happen to claim that there is actually no war in Ukraine. This is a flat-out lie and there is no reason to believe it, the refugees in the streets being proof enough. “UKRAINE IS 

  
  

  
  

  BEING DENAZIFIED” - A claim originating from Putin himself - supposedly, Russia is stopping “genocide” in Ukraine. This is false. Russia is a clear aggressor here.“

  
  

  
  

  UKRAINE STARTED THE WAR” - this is related to the previous claim. Again, it is untrue. The war started when Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24th 2021.“

  
  

  ZELENSKYY SURRENDERED” - this is, again, false. The video of his doing so is a deepfake. 

  
  

  
  

  Misinformation comes from both sides

  
  

  
  

  The West is not guilt-free when it comes to untrue claims, and Pro-Russian misinformation is not the only kind of false information spread about the war. There have been examples of Pro-Ukrainian claims with no basis in reality as well - for example, there is no sign that the legendary “Ghost of Kyiv,” (accounts of which have even been shared by Ukrainian authorities) who supposedly shot down several military jets is a real person.

  
  

  
  

  Think critically - the fact that something sounds agreeable doesn’t make it true.

  
  

  
  

  Image: MiG-29, the “Ghost of Kyiv’s” supposed plane, Dw.com

  
  

  Clare Duffy, Rachel Metz, “Why Ukraine war misinformation is so hard to police,” CNN.com https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/15/tech/ukraine-russia-misinformation-challenges/index.html

  
  

  Dw.com, “Fact check: Ukraine's 'Ghost of Kyiv' fighter pilot“ https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-ukraines-ghost-of-kyiv-fighter-pilot/a-60951825

  
  

  Ina Fried, Sara Fischer, “Ukraine misinformation is spreading - and not just from Russia,” axios.com https://www.axios.com/2022/04/05/ukraine-misinformation-is-spreading-and-not-just-from-russia

  
  

  Jill Goldenziel, “The Russia-Ukraine information war has more fronts than you think,” Forbes.com  https://www.forbes.com/sites/jillgoldenziel/2022/03/31/the-russia-ukraine-information-war-has-more-fronts-than-you-think/

  
  

  Laura F. Mega, Gerd Gigerenzer, Kirsten G. Volz, “Do intuitive and deliberate judgments rely on two distinct neural systems? A case study in face processing,” Frontiersin.org https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00456/full#h4

  
  

  Marianna Spring, “How to spot false posts from Ukraine,” BBC.com https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-60654288

  
  

  Nature.com, “the psychological drivers of misinformation belief and its resistance to correction” https://www.nature.com/articles/s44159-021-00006-y

  
  

  Nytimes.com, “How to avoid sharing misinformation on the war in Ukraine,” https://www.nytimes.com/article/ukraine-fake-news-russia.html

  
  

  Erik Krell, “What are misinformation, disinformation and malinformation (MDM) incidents?” Sharedassessments.org https://sharedassessments.org/blog/misinformation-disinformation-malinformation-incidents/

  
  

  
  

  Verywellmind.com, “What is a heuristic” https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-heuristic-2795235

• Netflix

  The Best Ukrainian TV Series and Movies

  
  

  Written by Kája

  
  

  There are more ways to support Ukraine than by just donation. In these horrid times, let's consider the country's beauty, explore its culture and the cinematography. By watching these movies and TV  series we will be able to taste the culture of Ukraine. Through these we  can imagine the country. We can see a different point of view of  the cities, not like nowadays in the news where we see them getting bombed. In these cinematographic scenes we see the real Ukraine, the beautiful country which over forty million people call home. 

  
  

  
  

  Free to Play

  
  

  
  

  This film gives you a great insight into the world of e-sports and its rise in popularity. This “teenage” hobby has now become  a well-known, legitimate sport 

  
  

  
  

  Free to Play is a very gripping documentary about professional gamers who have the  opportunity to compete in a world tournament that could change their lives forever. They have to put aside their private lives and family problems to compete to win one million dollars. Their peers consider gaming a waste of time but the winner becomes a millionaire and a celebrity. In this TV movie you will understand the pressure they undergo during this worldwide competition, the contrast between  e-sport lives and personal ones. Free to Play puts  you through a huge amount of emotions. You will feel for and with the competitors, experiencing  anticipation, thrills, and reflection. The aftermath showing the losing teams can get very sad and emotional but that's what makes the movie worth watching

  
  

  
  

  Photo: Free to Play, IMDB.com

  
  

  
  

  Servant of the People

  
  

  
  

  This comedy show featuring the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is about a humble history teacher who goes viral on Youtube after his students post a video of him in a miserable situation. People love his indignity and they start supporting him and gathering money for a presidential campaign, which he later succeeds in and wins. However, he  has no intention of changing  his life. He wants to live the life he has lived before. This TV series guides us through his new life and the funny moments that happen during his journey of becoming a president who is trying things in a ridiculously corrupt system, despite the odds. Russia and the current conflict is mentioned but does not encroach into the series. We get to see the beautiful cities and nature of Ukraine through  which we can get to know the country better. If you want to taste a little bit of Ukrainian cinematography, this show is ideal for you! 

  
  

  
  

  Photo: Servant of the People, IMDB.com

  
  

  
  

  The Babushkas of Chernobyl

  
  

  
  

  I have one last tip for you. If you are interested in the Chernobyl disaster, you have probably already seen the Chernobyl HBO mini-series, but this movie needs to be added to your list! This documentary is focused on three old women who returned to the still highly-radioactive Exclusion Zone. They were obligated to leave everything behind and move away from their homes. The documentary was filmed over  Easter,one of the holiest times of the year. In this movie you will hear  every detail of their lives. It puts you into their situation  and makes it feel like a tale. 

  
  

  
  

  Photo:The Babushkas of Chernobyl, IMDB.com

  
  

  IMDB.com, “Servant of the People”, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6235122/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3 IMDB.com, 

  
  

  “ Free to Play”, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3203290/ Reelgood.com, “Servant of the people”, https://reelgood.com/show/servant-of-the-people-2015 

  IMDB.com, 

  
  

  “The Babushkas of Chernobyl”,https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3299704

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