This article is an interview with Oksana Zabuzhko, a Ukrainian author and cultural figure, discussing the challenges of confronting Russia’s propaganda efforts in the West. Here are some key points from the conversation:
**The Challenge of Humanizing Russian Soldiers**
Zabuzhko argues that there is a growing trend in the West to humanize Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, seeking to normalize their actions. She cites an example of a documentary called “Russians at War” which portrays Russian soldiers as simple, helpless men.
**The Importance of Critical Thinking**
Zabuzhko emphasizes that it’s essential to critically evaluate information and ask basic questions, such as how the filmmaker gained access to Russian soldiers without permission from higher-ups. She notes that this lack of awareness is alarming, especially since Russia uses soft power and propaganda to shape public opinion.
**Confronting Normalization Efforts**
Zabuzhko argues that Ukrainians should not legitimize Russian writers who claim to be against the war but have not taken collective action or publicly spoken out against it. She notes that some Russian writers have been known to romanticize the Russian Empire and glorify Soviet leaders like Stalin.
**The Difference Between Public and Private Conversations**
Zabuzhko makes a distinction between having private conversations with Russian writers, which might be okay, versus sharing a public stage with them. She believes that legitimizing their views by putting them on the same level as Ukrainian voices can be damaging.
**Ukrainian Agency Matters**
Throughout the conversation, Zabuzhko emphasizes the importance of agency and collective action among Ukrainians in shaping their own narrative and resisting Russian propaganda efforts.
Overall, this interview highlights the complexities and nuances of navigating Russia’s information war in the West, while also underscoring the need for critical thinking, awareness, and Ukrainian agency.