Ukrainian Identity, Freedom, and the Power of Storytelling

In this episode of Off the Record, Ambassador Natalka Cmoc sits down with world-renowned Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov to talk about identity, freedom, and the role of literature in times of war. Kurkov, author of Death and the Penguin and Grey Bees, shares how he found his Ukrainian identity, why “freedom means more than stability” for Ukrainians, and how writers can become advocates for truth and resilience. Topics discussed: – What it means to be Ukrainian today – The power of storytelling during war – The difference between Ukrainian and Russian mentality – The cultural importance of Grey Bees – Literature as diplomacy To explore more of Andrey Kurkov’s work, check out the links below: https://www.sevenstoriespress.co.uk/books/ordinary-people-dont-carry-machine-guns https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/461801/the-language-of-war-by-mykhed-oleksandr/9780241690840 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_West_Street https://worldliteraturetoday.org/2025/july/we-were-here-artur-dron