Ukraine is now facing unprecedented challenges to its statehood, comparable perhaps only with the events of the beginning of the 20th century. In a singular expression of unity and solidarity, Ukrainian society has come together to defend Ukrainian nationhood itself as it rapidly consolidates in the face of a Russian military invasion. It is the project of a democratic and free secular society governed by the rule of law and principles of individual rights and freedoms of every citizen, regardless of their political, ethnic, religious, or linguistic identity, their age or sex.
In these historic times - not only for Ukraine, but also for the Western world - everyone is called upon to do what they can to support and defend the basic values and beliefs of a European Ukraine. Since its inception in 1997, Krytyka has been striving to promote democratic values and establish high standards of inquiry and discussion. Our goal has always been to overcome the paralyzing burdens of the Soviet legacy and facilitate Ukraine's closer ties with the outside world.
Now more than ever, reliable information on events in Ukraine and their interpretation in the broader context, especially of Ukrainian history and culture, of Russian-Ukrainian and Ukrainian-European relations, are crucial for mobilizing support of Ukrainian sovereignty and independence. The in-depth analysis and contextualization that is required is precisely what Krytyka has been providing for almost two decades now.
We are thus very pleased to introduce our English edition of Krytyka's web platform, www.krytyka.com/en. The English-language edition is not an exact copy of the Ukrainian version. Instead, it focuses on issues that are particularly important for the international, English speaking community interested in Ukraine, Ukrainian attitudes, and the deeper contexts of the issues involved.
The selection of content for translation includes articles from Krytyka Magazine with their deeper and more academic arguments, as well as articles from the "Critical Solutions" project, which are more practically oriented and reflect on the contemporary Ukrainian situation. The website will also feature blogs and commentaries from our authors, as well as book reviews, podcasts and opinion pieces. We cordially invite you to participate in this effort and give your voice an international audience.
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George G. Grabowicz, Krytyka's Editor-in-Chief:
The launch of our English-language website coincides with a time of extraordinary challenges and renewal for Ukrainian society. All of us who care about Ukraine and support its democratic course and its integration into Europe can now participate in its discourse in a dynamic and intellectual context.
Oleh Kotsyuba, Chief Online Editor:
We believe that with this contribution we will significantly widen Western knowledge about Ukraine, its history, and its culture. We hope that it will open a new forum for international debate about issues concerning Ukraine today. And we are convinced that the world will benefit from learning about the Ukrainian perspective from Krytyka's contributors, some of the most recognized experts in Ukrainian and post-Soviet studies.
Oksana Forostyna, Krytyka Magazine's Executive Editor:
25 years ago Ukraine learned to tell the world it existed. While we still face a shortage of information about Ukraine in English, even more vital for us today is the ability to translate ourselves not simply into English, but also into global contexts. This is precisely what Krytyka has been doing for the last 17 years. We are happy to present our achievements in this regard to an international audience.
Ashton Osmak, Copy Editor for Krytyka's English edition:
Krytyka's English website will certainly become a leading destination for a broad audience seeking insight into one of the lesser known countries of Europe and the former USSR.
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Krytyka is very grateful to donors who generously supported this project at all stages of its preparation and completion: Robert Bosch Stiftung (Stuttgart, Germany), Selfreliance (N.Y.) Federal Credit Union (New York, NY), and Mr. Charles Podpirka. This project could not have been possible without their support.
We also express our gratitude to Dr. Halyna Hryn and Dr. Mayhill C. Fowler whose continuous editorial and moral support helped making this project reality.
