How can history help us understand the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Why can Moscow not even imagine itself without Kyiv? Is Russia an empire in decline? The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites Professor Serhii Plokhii, a prominent Ukrainian historian, director of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI), and author of numerous books about Ukraine, Russia, and Eastern Europe. His latest book is The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History. This conversation was held in Kyiv on May 24th, 2024, before Plokhii met with the Ukrainian public at the UkraineWorld Club and PEN Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine. UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs. Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com. Check two other podcasts with Plokhii: What Makes Ukrainian History Interesting to the World https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts/ep-46-ukrainian-history World War II and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts/ep-223