Ukraine – borderland: background and journalism on Ukrainian revolution and the Russia – Ukraine crisis (book review)

The book by Anna-Lena Laurén and Peter Lodenius is one of the first books on Ukraine´s Euromaidan revolution and the following Russia – Ukraine crisis and war. In the book, Laurén’s journalistic and Lodenius’s background parts are intertwined.

Laurén writes beautifully and sympathizes with the fates of Ukrainians. The texts deal with Maidan demonstrations and revolution, beginning of war in Dobass, occupation of Crimea and the fronts of information war. A central merit is the description of thoughts and opinions of ukrainians. Laurén deals both Russia’s role in the crisis and its Ukrainian features and analyzes the information warfare sharply.

The background texts by Lodenius deal with reasons, the longing for European reforms of many ukrainians, choice between EU and Eurasian union, the process of the Euromaidan revolultion and the beginning of ”separatism” and ”Russian world” in the conference in Kharkiv on 22nd February 2014 by Eastern area leaders, formerly loyal to Yanukovich. Lodenius presents the background of the crisis in depth and reasons for activities of different groupings and the geopolitical aims of EU and Russia in Ukraine.

In the end of the book there are letters by Lodenius and Laurén to each other, analyzing the book process and the work of each other. Niklas Meltio’s pictures are concentrated as an attachment, they don’t illustrate the texts themselves.

The book is a readable and skillful book on the current central question of European security. For myself, Lodenius’ backgrounds opened new views on the situation in Ukraine.  Laurén is one of the Western journalists with most knowledge on Ukraine, her skills deserve international recognition. The time for final analysis is later, and I hope Laurén and  Lodenius return to the issue.
Book is recommended reading for all who want in-depth picture of the Ukrainian situation. Hopefully it is soon translated in addition to original Swedish and soon published Finnish to Ukrainian, Russian and English.

Anna-Lena Laurén & Peter Lodenius, bilder Niklas Meltio

Ukraina – gränslandet

Schildts & Söderströms, Helsingfors 2015

http://www.sets.fi/bok/ukraina-granslandet/