Uki Life Abroad

As we begin our celebrations for Ukraine's 30th anniversary of Independence, join us this week for 30 fascinating facts about Ukraine, .From Kyvian Rus to modern day Ukraine, we have got you covered.

After an Olympics roundup, this week we discuss the ever developing story of Vitaly Shishov, a Belarusian activist who was found hanged in a Kyiv park and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the apparent suicide. His death adds to a series of events in connection with the growing dictatorial tendencies of Belarussian president Lukashenko.   

With the Tokyo 2020 Olympics now in full swing,  this week's episode will look at Team Ukraine's successes thus far, which athletes to look out for this week and discuss some controversies affecting Ukraine during the Opening Ceremony.  (Medal Tally update as at 1 August 2021)

As Ukraine celebrates 30 years of independence, we look back at the orange revolution, the first pivotal turning point of Ukraine's democratic journey in the 21 century.  

With the Olympics fast approaching, this week we deep dive into Ukraine's history at the Olympic Games, discuss Lviv's bids for the Winter Olympics and detail which sports to watch to support Ukrainian athletes at Tokyo 2020.

This week we take a virtual trip to Chernobyl, the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster and discuss the tourist appeal of the site and the exclusion zone. With President Zelennkyy's plan to vitalise the area into a tourist destination, we explore what draws visitors to the area and why its remains an iconic site to this day. 

In a recent interview, President Zelenskyy revealed the details of a failed covert operation to arrest 33 militants as their plane passed over Ukrainian airspace. The additional revelation of leaks to the Belarusian President Lukashenko caused protests in Kyiv calling the President Zelenskyy a 'traitor'. This week we discuss the details of this operation as well as the legal and politica...

In the continually developing story of Russian escalation, a British warship was threatened by the Russian coastguard as it passed 12km off the coast of Crimea. This week we discuss the details of the situation and the possible reason behind this latest show of aggression. 

With news from Ukraine playing an essential role in awareness of the country and its events, the need for uncensored accurate journalism has existed for decades. This week we look at the past and present workings of Ukrainian news, starting with the 1970s Ukranian Herald underground news paper and the more recent changes to English Ukrainian news sources.

With covid-19 still and ever-present part of our lives, the importance of wellbeing and community ties online is as strong as ever. This week we speak with Chrestyna Kmetj the founder of the Art of Transformation project and discuss her work in maintaining ties and wellbeing within the community during this difficult time. 

In the world of aviation, the name Antonov is recognised for its technical achievements; however its famous Mryia has put Ukraine in the public spotlight for decades. This week we take a look at the company, its history, its founder and the details of its famous world record holding aircraft, Mryia. 

This week we have the opportunity to speak with the recent debutante group in Sydney. We discuss the process leading up to the ball, the night itself and what it meant to them.

With both Australia and Canada's census season approaching, we take a look at the results of the 2016 census in both countries. We also dive into the history of Ukrainian migration to both Canada and Australia. 

Whilst the majority of the world celebrates the end of WWII in Europe on May 8th, some countries celebrate this victory on the 9th. Find out why in this episode and how Ukraine is planning a transition from one date to the other. Additionally, Russia released a preliminary list of unfriendly nations and we explore the contenders for Russia's biggest enemy. 

This week we discuss the impact that Covid19 and other factors had on the quality of democracy in 2020. We also take a look into Ukraine's democracy, global and internet freedom scores. 

This week we discuss DOM TV, Ukraine's Russian Language TV network aimed at people living in the occupied regions of Donbas and Crimea as well as President Zelenskyy's role in dismantling UATV. 

Join us this week as we explore Ukrainian Easter Traditions, their origins and how they are practiced today.

The recent escalation in Russian military buildup has left both Ukraine and western powers concerned about Putin's intentions. This week we discuss these developments as well as Russia's forcible seizure of land in Crimea. 

In our recent travels to Canberra, we took the opportunity to speak with Dr Mykola Kulinich, Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia. Join us this week for part two, where we discuss Australia-Ukraine bilateral relations and the role of the Ukrainian Community in Australia 

With pilgrimage being an important part of faith around the world, the upcoming Rosh Hashanah celebration in the city of Uman has Jews around the world anxious to attend. Given last years circumstances, the Ukrainian government has made concessions regarding pilgrims to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. In this week's episode we look at these changes and dive deeper into the history and...

In our recent travels to Canberra, we took the opportunity to speak with Dr Mykola Kulinich, Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia. Join us this week for part one where we discuss his previous appointments and his passion for diplomatic service. 

Metros are an essential part of city life around the world, however the underground rail networks of Ukraine have a unique history and cultural significance. In this weeks episode we dive into the past of Ukraine's four metro networks and explore how they have changed since Ukrainian independence. 

Everyone has heard of the Seven Wonders of the World, however most you may not know that Ukraine has its own seven wonders. This week we explore these seven sites that the people of Ukraine have voted as the most iconic in the country.

With Eurovision fast approaching, we take a look at Ukraine's contribution to the contest over the years and its importance in European relations. 

Last week marked the 7th anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea. This year, President Zelenskyy aims to launch a global initiative to de-occupy the peninsula via the Crimea Platform. Will this bring Crimea back into the international spotlight?