COUNTER•POWER S2 Ep5: War and resistance in Ukraine
War and resistance in Ukraine
Just over four years ago, as Putin launched Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he expected the war to be over in a matter of days. But Putin’s army would soon be shocked by the resistance they encountered, and today Ukraine still hasn’t fallen. But it hasn’t won either. This is now a complex, attritional war for endurance against an autocratic, imperial state that appears willing to absorb huge economic and human costs to fight on.
If you’re unsure of what to make of the war, its history, and some of the debates it throws up, then this is the show for you.
Host Luke Cooper is joined by Roksolana Nesterenko, a researcher at the Kyiv School of Economics, and Taras Fedirko, an academic with positions at the University of Glasgow and the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.
In this episode:
- Mood and situation in Ukraine as of early 2026
- Historical context of the war, including the Maidan protests and the Revolution of Dignity
- A culture of active everyday citizenship
- Revenue mobilisation for the war effort through crowdfunding, and how it’s impacted the rise of drone warfare
- Russian propaganda and Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy
- A transition away from the “rally around the flag” stage of 2022 and where Ukraine is now
Featured Organisation: Ukraine Solidarity Campaign
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Links to things we discussed
Come Back Alive: a charitable foundation that comprehensively equips the Defence Forces of Ukraine with everything from vehicles to grenade launchers, as well as implementing educational projects for the military.
Freefilmers: a cinemovement and NGO from Mariupol, Ukraine
Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation: focused on strengthening the Defence Forces of Ukraine and providing assistance to the civilians affected by Russian aggression.
Solidarity Collectives: a group of Ukrainian anarchists and anti-authoritarians who united in 2022 to support comrades fighting the Russian imperial aggression in Ukraine and help people affected by the war. Since then, they have built a mutual aid network for the anti-authoritarian movement in Ukraine.
UNITED24: this platform allows one-click donations to Ukraine from anywhere. Why is this so important? Because Ukraine itself knows best what is needed and can deliver aid directly.
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COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance.
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Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)