Christopher Miller - Seeds of Russia's War Against Ukraine and West were Sown More Than a Decade Ago
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- čas přidán 13. 01. 2024
- Christopher Miller is an American journalist covering foreign affairs, national security, global conflicts, crises, and politics, with a special focus on Ukraine, where he’s lived and worked since 2010. Author of the book, “The War Came To Us: Life And Death In Ukraine,” published by Bloomsbury in July 2023. Christopher Miller is the Ukraine Correspondent for the Financial Times.
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When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine just before dawn on 24 February 2022, it marked his latest and most overt attempt to brutally conquer the country, and reshaped the world order. Christopher Miller, the Ukraine correspondent for the Financial Times and a foremost journalist covering the country, was there on the ground when the first Russian missiles struck and troops stormed over the border. But the seeds of Russia's war against Ukraine and the West were sown more than a decade earlier.
This is the definitive, inside story of its long fight for freedom. Told through Miller's personal experiences, vivid front-line dispatches and illuminating interviews with unforgettable characters, The War Came To Us takes readers on a riveting journey through the key locales and pivotal events of Ukraine's modern history. From the coal-dusted, sunflower-covered steppe of the Donbas in the far east to the heart of the Euromaidan revolution camp in Kyiv; from the Black Sea shores of Crimea, where Russian troops stealthily annexed Ukraine's peninsula, to the bloody battlefields where Cossacks roamed before the Kremlin's warlords ruled with iron fists; and through the horror and destruction wrought by Russian forces in Bucha, Bakhmut, Mariupol, and beyond.
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The War Came To Us: Life and Death in Ukraine (2023)
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I lived in Ukraine and saw the war coming before 2009. It was obvious to me that the Russian security apparatus was everywhere. I experienced the pressure first hand and barely escaped alive in 2010.
As a Ukrainian I appreciate the level of understanding of the subject both on the part of the host and the guest/author. I do understand that it is not easy to see the true picture of events given how obscured it is by ruzzian propaganda machine. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your hard work. ❤
Again, a great discussion Jonathon. It does such great harm when western politicians and others propagate Russian dis/misinformation. Heroyam Slava, Slava Ukraini!
Yes, the war escalated full in Feb 2022, but it was started before 2014. It was a huge mistake to not start sanctions after Crimean annexation. Now we are all paying for it.
There was lots of sanctions, research before posting.
@@trogdortpennypacker6160 Well apparently not strong enough. We made agreements. They were broken. The world was busy elsewhere.
trogdortpennypacker6160, not even close to enough.
The problem was a inability to even comprehend that the cold-war ending might start a new round of the great game for some ex-empires and not some western values all around period of peace.
It’s difficult to express my gratitude to you , Jonathan, to incredibly prepared and honest people like Christopher Miller , and fortunately many others. Ucrainians continue to fight, they are strongly motivated , also because the best people from the whole world hasn’t abandoned them . 💙💛👏👏👏✌️✌️✌️
Christopher Miller speaks clearly and thoughtfully. I look forward to his book - I'm sure he has many stories to back up his opinion.
Also, I appreciated the attention given to the best response to people who spout the opinion that Ukraine provoked Putin to invade by wanting to join NATO. They obviously don't know tha Russia has attacked them repeatedly since the 1600's, and they have repeatedly fought Russia off (after the rusky sliver sect that left Kyiv in the late Middle Ages to retreat to the relative safety of moscow and points East). This is the Ukanian hour to make the break permanent!
Thank you, Jonathan, for this conversation with Christopher Miller. Your channel is the best for hearing the most educated voices on Ukraine. Thank you for all the work that you put in!
🇺🇦 Заради життя кожного українця! 🇺🇦
Your interview with Christopher Miller demonstrates the value of long form journalism, given the opportunity to flush out both the historic precedent and tying it to how and what is happening now. Without this basis of rooting the facts in time to the acts carried out then and now, an accurate narrative takes on relevance and power of truth capable of disabling the lies we live with today by the root.
👍👍👍
It's great to listen to people who talk common sense. Thankyou. Such interviews make me feel there is still some hope for mankind.
👍👍👍
I concur with you
We need hope.
I agree that 'peace' without justice is no peace.
Excelente, gracias …
SLAVA UKRAINI, HEROYAM SLAVA
🫶🙏🫡🇺🇦🐈⬛
I have been watching your videos all day. Love your channel! 👏
Thank you so much Jonathan and Christopher. Much love from Ukraine.
👍👍👍
Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦
Heroyam Slava 💛💙
Yet again another great discussion. The point about how much better Ukrainians are at seeing through Russian misinformation than we are in the West is so critical to the way this war is being reported in our media. We need more Ukrainian voices and people like Christopher Miller telling this story.
Thanks for bringing to our attention such interesting guests. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦❤🇬🇧
Great guy, great conversation
Amazing interview! Thank you! 🇺🇦
Thanks guys 😁
I was struck by a Vice News article published back in Dec. 2019 (just before...). They started with reporting from way back in 2014, and they were sure to point out the Nazi symbols on display in parades / gatherings of Ukraine's far right. They were using Russian belligerence, and Russia was using them. But they also covered a pro-Russian Crimean citizen, who in 2014 was very optimistic about the annexation. Lion tamer, of all professions. In 2019 they tried to reach him again, and were finally able to cut through the firewalls. His voice hung heavy, and he lamented that they had not realized what they stood to lose. Crimea was turning into a fortress, and the lion tamer said that Putin was preparing for WW III.
NATO military preparations - nuclear war is inevitable
From the beginning of this year, for four months, NATO will rehearse a full-scale land war against Russia. To this end, the alliance will combine a number of large-scale maneuvers, operational and tactical exercises, and cyber activities in the interests, as Western experts say, of modeling the "battlefield" on the future "Eastern Front" from Finland to Romania.
In January-February, major exercises of the NATO Armed Forces "Firm Approval-24" will be held in eastern Europe. The second part of the exercise is scheduled for May.
The Winter-24 exercises will start in Latvia from mid-January. In Estonia, in January-February, the Winter Camp 24 exercises will be held at the Tapa training ground, in which the Estonian Armed Forces and the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Combat Group (EFP) will be involved.
From February 28 to April 21, Poland, the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Romania, Finland, Germany, and Sweden will become the arena for this year's largest multinational exercise Defender of Europe-24 in Europe. Approximately 50 thousand military personnel, 500-700 aircraft and more than 50 ships will be involved in them.
Against the background of the Defender of Europe-24 exercises, the Steadfast Defender 2024 exercises will take place in Germany, Poland and the Baltic States, the NATO Arctic Dolphin 24 exercises will take place in the North and Norwegian Seas, and the multinational Northern Response 24 exercises and Finnish Air Force exercises will take place in Norway, Sweden and Finland "Vikhuri-24". In Germany, from February to April, the national exercises "Quadriga-24" will be held with the involvement of more than 12 thousand military personnel. During the exercises, a massive transfer of German troops to Lithuania, Hungary, Norway and Romania will be carried out.
It is noted that the "highlight" of the Quadriga-24 will be the Big Quadriga exercises in May, during which the 10th Armored Division in Lithuania will work out "deployment" and joint combat operations with NATO mechanized units.
The above-mentioned maneuvers will gradually be overgrown with dozens of other exercises involving hundreds of thousands of military personnel
@@user-bi7tl3gp8f BEEP BEEP BOOP BOOP
As someone who served in the war, the Nazi thing was just one of the many psy ops Russia pushed that was at first (2014-2021) successful at preventing Ukraine from defending itself. They used religion, language, Nazi memes, and anti globalists among others to appeal to western audiences and to creat fake crisis. I spent time with members of Azov and Donbass volunteer units. I saw 3 guys with possible Nazi ideologies. Most volunteers were nationalists (you need to be to fight for free). I saw at least three Russian soldiers with swashtikas myself. It was mostly to keep western military aide out. Ukraine tried to purchase patriot, machinery etc but was sanctioned under Obama, well he didn’t lift the arms restrictions.
What did you think in 2019 when the USa walked away from the Intermediate-range nuclear Forces treaty that had served Europe and Russia so well ? I guess you like most westerners thought absolutely nothing. In Russia and for that matter China alarm bells were riging big time. It meant the USa could place nuclear missiles in Poland, Rumania and of course Ukraine, 10 minutes flying time from moscow. How would you feel if a foreign power put nukes on your border....wake up your being fed propaganda
@@user-bi7tl3gp8f In a world faced with an increasingly belligerent Russia it would be extraordinary if NATO were not carrying out exercises. In fact, irresponsible. The idea that this is a precursor to a land war against Russia is ridiculous. The only possibility of a land war with Russia would be if Russia invaded a NATO member country.
Once again, you provide us with educational and insightful analysis from someone on the ground. Well done Jonathan, keep up the good work!
Great to ‘meet’ Christopher who’s excellent book I’m currently reading.
Halfway through "The war came to us". Highly recommend
Thank you both for this interview. Christoper Miller's journalism from 2014 was a part of how i followed the war back then, and I am delighted to learn that he has written a book about his many experiences. He has always been approachable and clear, really the best. Thank you Jonathan and Christoper. Keep the faith, i will try to do the same. Slava Ukraini!
💛💙💜💙💛 listening now 😀👍 🇺🇦 🌏 🇺🇸
Great interview with Christopher Miller. One thing that's really confused me, I have a hard time getting my brain around is the fact that Russia has approximately the same GDP as Canada has. For Russia to maintain its standing in the world Russia must spend enormous capital on military and political expenditures. Canada does not. The numbers just don't seem to make sense, as a Canadian, I have a hard time comprehending how a country could even spend that much while neglecting its own people. Western malaise?
Completely agree. I think there are some nuances to the Canada comoarison. First of all the Putin regime inherited the bulk of the old Soviet army. Second, Putinists are repulsed of the thought of being a "G10ish Canada country", in their mind their "rightful spot" is to be one of the top 2-3 countries in the world. Which is of course delusional. Third, gangster mentality is prevalent in the post 90s elites of Russia, meaning that fear is believed to be the same as respect, peacefulness to be weakness and to either eat or be eaten.
Great interview. Thanks guys. Now you guys should have this conversation with Elon Musk!
Can you arrange that?
Silicon Curtain? Count me IN! 😀xxx
Also on podcast. Google nest mini finds easily enough.
Great video
It's not just Ukrainians who want accountability. It's also those who've been there before and those who will be next.
Christopher Miller is an historian, writer and US citizen. The fullness of his dissertation on the subject shows how much needs to be understood about the rights of Ukrainian democracy. He is determined to vouch for the small state’s unanimity its political certainty and decision to stand and fight against the post-Soviet invasion. Little can be in doubt about the American’s determination that nothing can stand in the way of Ukrainian self-realisation into a new self won victory. After years of doubt Russia’s threatening postures on the borderlands has still failed to break the courage of a state backed by the USA to the hilt. We must continue to support Ukraine’s bid to become a member of NATO and maintain its stubborn refusal to bend under the tyranny of her neighbour.
agree but rather than stubborn, it's more a pure resistance, born of existential needs. This is the real thing in terms of defense against totalistic genocidal intentions. Ukr was backed by the US almost to the hilt, but that has waned & never did reach a full extent actually needed (e.g. e-warfare, longer range missiles, some air cover using planes, etc). Ppl are not listening enough to western military officials who have explained that Ukr has not been given nor trained enough, and we need to step up the process very very much from now, plus restart our military industrial complexes in both the US where it's actually ironically state controlled, and in europe where it's private enterprise controlled and thus would need 5-year contract commitments. If we dn't get going, then Ru, Chi, Iran & N.Korea, r going to keep pushing and pushing
👍👍👍
🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦✌🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦
Never a poor interview on your channel. ❤
Would you talk with International criminal that brakes every agreement they signed
Brakes?
They believe their own lies.
I was first in Crimea in 2000.
Thanks, Jonathan.
The seed have been sown decade ago?
What is the function of the UN Charter on conflict prevention (chaptet 6)?
Great interview. I noticed the bricks are same work as Anna from Ukraine background. Is it a brick material native to Ukraine, like Cotswold stone?
I’m not sure. I’ll ask!
It's not disinformation, it's Fairytailism.
I understand the break from the international norms, where standards absent absolute power started with the transformation of the CCP under Xi in 2012. Others seeing the push to a unitary leader and the locus of power projected by Xi was noticed by others, especially Vladimir Putin. In 2012 Xi wrote of what is termed "historical nihilism" that appears to been adopted by Putin in recasting the past as a political prerogative and not about anything dealing with reality.
Very well said.
Fancy anyone in the west taking about nihilism as you propagate same sex marriage sell your churchs to turn them into night clubs. Destroy the family structure hahaha hilarius
Oh, Poland knew absolutely everything that was it all about. Who is who? Etc.
I am sorry for not being loud enough. We lost our breath and could not call for alarm even louder.
I really like Arestovich. The Army has hated Arestowicz for years now.
It seems the new guard of democracy politicians, were thoroughly unprepared for the harsh reality of politics in a "old" world, socialized with the "post-history" world of fukuyama - and thus unable to give those remnant empires paroli - or even capable to comprehend the situation.
Can’t see the transcript or the comments.
Sometimes the transcript is at the side of computer screen, where chat comments would appear, and yes I am used to transcript below the thumbnail picture and description.
returning ukraine to 1991 borders is the war aim but getting justice served on the torturers and the missing children and seeing individuals in court is another thing but the Jews went after their tormentors and so to will the Ukrainians especially in the age of an internet. Slava Ukraini
It is shocking to see the conditions in Moscow and St Petersburg. Put Put may I have to cancel the election if the weather doesn't improve🎉🎉🎉
he held back regarding atrocities
he knows at the back of his mind
he can be questioned about american atrocities
in afgan syria libia iraq etch,,,,
👀👀👀
Wow 😊. These comments are interesting and informative to like Poobum was preparing for this like Hamas was doing over in Israel 😊. hint hint
Is the Arestovich mentioned, Alexei? I was listening regularly to his discussions since Feb '22 with Mark Fegin, translated into English on YT's Privateer Station. It never occurred to me that it was disinformation. I just thought he likes Zalushny TONS more than Zelensky so when Zalushny might be fired, Arestovich turned on Zelensky.
Sergej Sumlenny traveled across Ukraine recently. Streamed on "European Resilience Initiative Center, titled "Ukraine 2024 Challenges and Chances". CZcams startup at this time.
Thank you Mr Fink for highlighting the biased hypocracy of South Africa.
How long can you hide the peace deal that was on the table Istanbul April 2022 and why Ukraine walked away.
Orcs out of Ukraine, there you have The peace deal.
I don't remember you mentioning the name of the book. While I have supported the Ukrainian cause since before Putin invaded Crimea, I don't think the author accusing the "right-wing" of being extremists nor mis-stating why many right-winger are wanting to quit supporting Ukraine helps the Ukrainian cause. It is important to remember that it was the left-wing who supported Lenin during the Russian Revolution, praised Stalin as Uncle Joe, cheered Castro in Cuba, idolzed Che Guevara, convinced Ukraine to turn over their nukes to Russia, wanted to do a reset with Putin & refused to give Ukraine weapons during Putin's 2014 invasion and refused to give Ukraine weapons until just before Putin's 2022 invasion and then refuse to give Ukraine tanks and warjets calling them "offensive weapons." As well as it is the left
"slow-walking" weapons to Ukraine even now. Most Americans are being oppressed by the Biden Administration due to regulations, taxes fees, open borders and shutting down our fossil fuel industry. We see Biden finding ways to send our money as well as a giving money to our enemies, Iran, Venezuela and China. We saw Hillary for Obama ditching our allies and even supporting unnecessary war getting our soldiers killed. Beyond that you have people like Tucker Carlson and Glenn Beck,on the right, both of whom I have been severely critical of, who lost their mind with fear of nuclear war. When you add all that with the numerous wars even the left have fanatically condem.We also see Biden following the led of Putin using COVID and Putin's War as reason to turn away from the Constitution and making the nation he leads into aThe fascist state where freedom of speech, protest and movement is restricted, elections corrupted and political opponents are imprisoned. Then you have Zelenskyy and his wife spending extravagant amounts of money they didn't have before. So you have many Americans, left and right, saying Putin's War is not our war we need the weapons as well as money to repair our nation and support our sovereignty. The fact is Prigozhin proved he could occupy Moscow in three days collapsing Putin's regime. Poland realizes that Putin will turn on rest of Europe with Poland being first and now Poland has a military to do the job. The Baltic States, Finland and Sweden would help those Allies. Europe should take the days if not hours it would take to free the Russian people in St.Petersburg and Moscow which would not only collapse Putin's regime but the people of Belarus would remove Lukashenko, stop the Venezuelan attack on Guyana, stop Iranian surrogates attacking Israel and US Forces and stop Xi's PRC (China) from attack Taiwan. Putin said on several occasions he was in a world war and this time I believe him. There has been to much coordination between Putin, Xi, Kim, Maduro and the Irainian mullahs with their surrogates. I am confident if Putin takes Ukraine he will put Tsunani-creating nukes into the North Sea and English Channel severly damaging Norway, Sweden, Demark This would eliminate Britain, France, Belgium and Luxembourg by drowning causing the rest of Europe to surrender to Putin. Of course its possible the Russian people will tire of fighting and dying for Putin and iminate the problem themselves.
Keep an eye on this? We pay to close attention and you risk losing an eye.
On thing we need to grasp here is that there’s no surprise regarding Russias actions. We just have to accept them as they are and prepare accordingly! They have not changed in their imperialistic view not a bit!
From a Finnish perspective russia has at least once a century invaded Finland the last there’s centuries. The Great Wrath 1714-21, civilians slaughtered en masse and take and sold as slaves to Russia! The Finnish War 1808-09, the Winter-war 1939-40 and the Continuation war 1941-44.
From this, I am sadly seeing how The West will be ok with 🇷🇺pulling back to the 2014-2021 battle lines. Only 🇺🇦 thinks The War started in 2014. Obviously 🇺🇸🇬🇧 abandoned the Budapest Agreement back then. Gee, thanks Obama…😢
Russia has been invading and pillaging Ukraine for 3 centuries now.
Budapest memorandum 1994:
Russia invaded Ukraine.
US has gone weird.
UK has just signed a security assurance and is still helping Ukraine.
So much for the two big superpowers. Well, if you can call RF a superpower...
Whenever and however some kind of 'peace' agreement is ever reached we in the West are going to have to take a very close look at ourselves, what we value and to what degree we will stand up for what we value. This war may devolve into something of an insurgency should the Ukrainians see their capacity and combat power diminish significantly, and that will depend upon our determination in the West to support Ukraine. We are now in a new cold war that will last for the rest of the century. The Russians think they can outlast the West's commitment to and attention on Ukraine's survival as a free, sovereign , democracy in Eastern Europe. Will we defend the victory we won in 1989-91 when we witnessed the breakdown of Communist rule in Eastern Europe, the reunification of Germany, and the disintegration of the Soviet Union. To the extent that the US, at least, desires to turn our attention to the next great standoff of civilizations, meaning China, we will have to take care that our geopolitical 'flank' is defended in every possible way, such that we are able to devote our entire attention and resources to the coming confrontation with China, that is every bit economic as it is military. Mr. Putin has answered the question concerning post Cold War Russia. That is, will Russia evolve to a democratic and economic partner with Europe and North America in the 21st century? It is clear that the answer is no. In a sense, this war in Ukraine was coming from the day the hammer and sickle were lowered over the Kremlin. Russia is an authoritarian and oligarchical society that still believes it has the imperial right to possess each of the independent states it formerly held as Soviet republics or held sway over with dictatorial Communist governments friendly to the Kremlin. That is what makes it so important that Ukraine, and by extension, the West, MUST succeed in ejecting Russian forces from Ukrainian territory, including Crimea. That we offered no support in 2014 letting Crimea fall to Russia, only solidified the view in the Kremlin that they could outlast the West when they came back in 2022 with the intention of taking the rest of Ukraine. Stopping Russia, here and now, decisively, will give the Russians pause. Once that peace is achieved, the Russians will have much to think about before they launch another unprovoked war of conquest. Under those circumstances the West can give our full attention to the ever increasing power of a China who considers itself ever more able to "bury" the United States as Nikita Krueschev, General Secretary of the Soviet Union, once famously exclaimed. Secondarily to achieving that 'just' peace in Ukraine it will be critical that the EU and NATO work efficiently and effectively with Ukraine to develop their governance and begin to rebuild that country in preparation to see through the respective processes for Ukrainian membership in each of those organizations. Let's not kid ourselves. We know who Russia is. They will utilize any period of peace to reconstitute their military power to be ready to eventually strike against Ukraine, or another East European state, most likely the Balkans. But those are NATO countries. Ukraine's membership in NATO would be the best possible deterrent there is to Russian aggression because it will never be possible for Ukraine and Russia to peacefully coexist short of NATO. The Kremlin will see to that.
Not happy to see the book quote Alexander Vindman. That's getting off on the wrong foot.
You know has been said to many times by this guy,very distracting …..
Этот канал США и Украины 😂
I love these experts on Ukraine who do not live there and have no idea what it is like to live in Ukraine right now. I'll tell you, if you're not afraid.
He does live there. Clearly you didn’t watch the video.
First bot of the day ?@@SiliconCurtain
@@frog252yes. You are the very first bot. Thanks for your participation.
@@frog252 me????????
I love these morons who say things that are untrue and are too lazy to fact check.
The Minsk 2 agreement was agreed by Ukraine and not respected by them. So the idea that Russia is unreliable needs qualification.
Was Minsk 2 respected by russia? Or Budapest memorandum?
Are russian troops still occupying the eastern parts of Moldova?
It needs none - unless you blatantly ignore all the evidence.
I love these "trust me, bro" kind of statements. Do you have some OSCE data to back it up?
@@vegyesz89 Russia is also not respecting the NATO Russia founding act of 1997. In their defense, it's hard to grab some Lebensraum without breaking a few laws and agreements.
@@vegyesz89 The following is from the Wikipedia article about the Transnistria War:
1) On 31 August 1989, the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR enacted two laws. One of them made Moldovan the official language, in lieu of Russian ...
2) These events, including the end of the Ceaușescu regime in neighboring Romania in December 1989 and the partial opening of the border between Romania and Moldova on 6 May 1990, led many in Transnistria and Moldova to believe that a union between Moldova and Romania was inevitable. This possibility caused fears among the Russian-speaking population that they would be excluded from most aspects of public life. From September 1989, there were strong scenes of protests in the region against the central government's ethnic policies. The protests developed into the formation of secessionist movements in Gagauzia and Transnistria, which initially sought autonomy within the Moldavian SSR, in order to retain Russian and Gagauz as official languages. As the nationalist-dominated Moldavian Supreme Soviet outlawed these initiatives, the Gagauz Republic and Transnistria declared themselves as separate from Moldova and announced their application to be reattached to the Soviet Union as independent federal republics.
In my view the opinions of those in a linguistic region matter a lot and an administration should refrain from actions that will cause discrimination against mass of the local population.
You have entirely the same state of affairs in the Eastern part of Ukraine:
From the Wikipedia article on the Russian language in Ukraine:
In 1994, a referendum took place in the Donetsk Oblast and the Luhansk Oblast, with around 90% supporting the Russian language gaining status of an official language alongside Ukrainian, and for the Russian language to be an official language on a regional level, but it was ignored by Parliament.
From the Wikipedia article on Derussification in Ukraine:
Derussification in Ukraine is a process of removing Russian influence from the post-Soviet country of Ukraine. This derussification started after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and intensified with the demolition of monuments to Lenin during Euromaidan in 2014 and the further systemic process of decommunization in Ukraine.
My view is that many people in the East of Ukraine have a well founded fear that they are or will be discriminated against as a result of restrictions on the use of the Russian language, books, other media and official documents.
For Ukraine to act in this way is provocative and considering their powerful neighbour - foolhardy in the extreme and I believe that Ukraine has brought this trouble upon itself.
Christopher Miller is on FSB payroll. GUR has a nice file on him. DOJ investigating him for not reporting foreign income, among other things.
Your evidence for that is?
Give sources for this.
Russian Bot
You think the FT would employ him, if that were the case?
Konashenkov is that you? Get lost ruzzian bot
FYI Harvard’s Ukrainian Research Institute publishes translations. Idea for guest, Oleh Kotsyuba @HURI_Harvard