1/6 During the Soviet Union’s collapse, Russia warned the West that independence for its colonies would lead to violent ethnic clashes.
Western leaders echoed this. Bush’s Chicken Kiev speech called against “suicidal nationalism based upon ethnic hatred” and Thatcher mocked the idea of an embassy in Kyiv.

1/4 It seems people in the West are generally overoptimistic about Russia. By focusing so much on the few Russians who oppose the war, they tend to believe that Putin will somehow be removed from power and that a democratic transition is possible. 2/ This overoptimism might be part of the reason why Ukraine isn’t receiving all it needs to win. Russia, not only in its current form, understands force all too well, and Russians have an uncanny ability to process any defeat as a victory—this isn’t something Putin invented.

Do you know where the allegations that Algerian boxer Iman Khelif was trans started?

Surprise, it was Russia. Let me explain in a short thread.

1/8

Khelif, born female in Algeria, faces a false backlash for allegedly being transgender. Recently, successful female athletes are accused of being trans, prompting "sex tests" in many sports

Today, Russia launched another missile attack on my city, Dnipro. As I woke up to the videos of where the missiles landed, I couldn’t stop thinking about one woman.

This thread is about her—a communist, a anti-colonial icon for me, and simply my grandma. My morning began as it often does for many Ukrainians, with a barrage of messages from friends, colleagues, and family from abroad, as well as from other cities in Ukraine, asking if I was okay. I was okay, just extremely underslept, so I replied to everyone exactly that.

I've read the TIME interview with Navalnaya so you don't have to.

There are many things that are simply incorrect, but there's one point where she is particularly mistaken, and I'll explain why.

She believes that there is a 'mistake of the Ukrainian government.' She talks about how Ukrainians and Russians are like one family, and many of us have mixed families, which is true. However, what is not true is her assertion that Russians wouldn't support the war because of these connections.

Literature is a crash course into a nation's society

Ukraine's literature often spotlights wronged women seeking justice, and challenges societal blame

Russia's literature often seeks to excuse the acts of flawed men, framing them as victims of circumstance

explains a lot, no? also the three main Ukrainian authors are literally a born serf anti-imperialist, a feminist and a socialist. meanwhile what we were taught as humanist Russian literature includes chauvinists, colonial landowners and imperialists.

The Russian Woman’s Burden.

For centuries, a prevailing narrative within Russian society has been a sense of perpetual victimhood. This belief system has historical roots stemming from the country's rapid territorial expansion between the 17th and 19th centuries.

1/12 This growth, averaging 142 km per day, often came at a steep human cost. Russia's military ambitions required a disproportionate ratio of subjects to soldiers (100:3) compared to Western European empires (100:1).

Taras Shevchenko and Ira Aldridge being badass besties. 🧵1/5
Their friendship was unique since they had in common not only the creativity of their personalities, but their shared experiences of social oppression and their dreams of a better future for their people. Born a serf in Ukraine, Shevchenko was destined for a lifetime of servitude. Later following recognition of his talents he got his freedom bought by his influential friends. 2/5