A reading list about the war in Ukraine
Articles that are valuable for more than just a fleeting moment
By Christopher Brennan
Two weeks ago our newsletter used the Overtone scale to help people get a better understanding of the different types of articles that exist about the war in Ukraine.
Some of these pieces do the important work of providing information about the human stories unfolding right now, while others have motivations that do not include informing people. You can revisit the scale here.
People primarily read news to keep up to date with what is happening right now. They also read to get a better, deeper understanding of things: the longer view. This often comes in the form of pieces that are more explanatory than a quick update or a ‘hot take’ on the events of the day. Some of the best pieces to read about an event may have been written long beforehand. The invasion of Ukraine was discussed by governments in Europe and North America for months before it happened, and reporters following the diplomatic and military efforts dug into various angles with information that can be particularly useful now.
This week Overtone looked into its database for 5 out of 5 articles from the past several months, as well as more recent pieces, that help explain various aspects of where we are now. We are presenting this list along with Refind, which aims to highlight stories with a “long shelf life” that help its readers learn something. In this case, we hope a deeper look at what has already happened through quality journalism can guide us in better understanding current and future events around the world
What articles to read on Ukraine - and why to read them
NATO and Russia
Russian president Vladimir Putin, in a rambling speech before the invasion, said that the attack was in response to Ukraine becoming closer to NATO. This piece from Masha Gessen, published before the war, takes a historical approach to looking at the relationship between Russia and the alliance since the 1990s.
How the Kosovo Air War Foreshadowed the Crisis in Ukraine - The New Yorker
Crimea
In 2014, after a change of government in Kyiv, Russian forces took over and annexed the Crimean peninsula. This piece from NPR in early February helps explain what happened eight years ago and its impact today, by focusing on the people who live just outside the taken territory.
On the Crimean borderland, Ukrainians define their identity - NPR
Eastern Regions
In addition to the annexation of Crimea, 2014 saw the emergence of Russian-backed separatists in eastern regions of Ukraine. This piece from Der Spiegel in January looks at the city of Kharkiv, which is near the breakaway territory and has been the target of Russian military strikes for the past three weeks.
The Cracks in Ukrainian Society Run through Kharkiv - Der Spiegel
Weaponry
Since the invasion, attention has turned to the efficacy of the Ukrainian military versus Russian forces. This piece from December by the Associated Press discusses the weapons that Kyiv has been given, which was then followed on by more weapons from the U.S. and European countries.
Ukrainian military long on morale but short on weaponry - Associated Press
Zelensky
One of the emerging faces of the conflict is Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. This piece from Simon Shuster, a longtime correspondent in eastern Europe who first interviewed the future president years ago, tracks his rise from actor to wartime leader.
How Volodymyr Zelensky Defended Ukraine and United the World - TIME
Putin’s Advisers
On the Russian side of the conflict, there have been questions raised about why this is happening now and who is calling the shots. Here Ben Judah, looking at academic research as well as the events of recent weeks, discusses whether Putin is isolated and “ruling alone.”
The Terrible Truth So Many Experts Missed About Russia - Slate
Russian Finances
The main response from North American and European governments to the invasion has been economic measures against Russian companies, banks and individuals. Here the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists details its reporting, including leaked documents.
As the West takes aim with Russian sanctions, here’s what we know about oligarchs’ secret finances - ICIJ
Refugees
International organizations estimate that more than 1 million Ukrainians have already fled abroad because of violence. This piece in the New Republic reports from neighboring Poland and tries to put the movement of so many people in perspective.
At the Poland-Ukraine Border: A 60-Mile Train Trip That Can Take 26 Hours - New Republic
Media
The story of the war in Ukraine is also a story about the media, and where people get their information. This piece from the BBC looks at the personal stories of families split between Ukraine and Russia, with resulting differences in the media they consume.
Ukraine war: 'My city's being shelled, but mum won’t believe me' - BBC World Service
Overtone.ai: Overtone provides clients with an algorithm that “reads” the text of articles to score them based on the substance in the text itself, rather than anything else like clicks or shares. The lowest ranking articles are the ones that are just aggregating or copying information from elsewhere and the highest ranking articles are where journalists are going out and doing the real work. See examples of the Overtone score here.
Refind: Every day we pick 7 links from around the web for you, tailored to your interests, curated from 10k+ sources. Refind is not about news, it's about pieces with long shelf-lives.
A reading list about the war in Ukraine
Anything from Col. Doug Macgregor?
The lead spreader of CIA's "Russian disinformation" Hunter laptops lie was -- JOE BIDEN.
He and St. Obama are Deep State's leaders (the UNI-party of DNC and GOP war ghouls) sacrificing Ukraine in their war against capitalist Russia.
This war criminal will never be asked to account for it. In fact, what proved the media's corrupt intent from the start was neither Bidens denied their authenticity, yet media still claimed it was fake.