“What this war taught us as a society, as people, is that yes, it doesn't take you a lot to help somebody, to step in, to extend your hand to people whom you do not know. It made us more open to helping strangers, to helping each other.”

For our fifth season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to its beginnings, revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how war, time, and resistance have reshaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, creation, resilience, love, and acceptance—our guests reflect on the past and write letters to their former selves. This season affirms that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.

In this Love episode of the new Ukrainian Spaces season, we reconnect with a Ukrainian journalist, media strategist and head of the Ukraїner platform, Julia Tymoshenko. She shares with Val and Maksym why she decided to stay in Ukraine in 2022, choosing journalism as her new career, and how she has taken on even more responsibility in uncertain times.

Julia opens up about the lasting scars of the russian occupation of her home village, and why any future peace in Ukraine and Europe won’t be possible without justice served for stealing, violating and destroying Ukrainian homes. Julia closes the episode with a letter to her 2022 self, written from a place shaped by loss, endurance, and love.

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from imperial stereotypes about Ukraine, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its right to exist.

SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise more Ukraine conversations - become our Patreon sponsor or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.)

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This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.