Fifty years ago, Baryshnikov defected from the Soviet Union. He discusses that day, the war in Ukraine and the challenges facing Russian artists today.
Tag: USSR (Former Soviet Union)
For Old Ukrainians, Russia’s Invasion Echoes World War II Trauma
The oldest Ukrainians whose towns have been bombarded and overrun by Russia’s invasion have memories of similar miseries at the hands of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Nijole Sadunaite, Lithuanian Nun Who Opposed Soviet Rule, Dies at 85
A dissident who promoted democracy and religious freedom, she was arrested by the K.G.B. After independence from Moscow, she was honored by Lithuania’s Parliament.
‘The Russian Language Is Everywhere Again’: Exiles Cause Unease in Lithuania
An influx of exiled Russian activists and refugees from Ukraine and Belarus is stirring fears in a country that fought to preserve its language and culture under Soviet occupation.
Nikolai I. Ryzhkov, Soviet Premier Who Presided Over Economic Chaos, Dies at 94
Mr. Ryzhkov, who ascended to the Soviet Union’s second most powerful post in 1985, took much of the blame for the economic collapse that led to the country’s dissolution in 1991.
Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky Takes Over at a Fraught Time for Ukraine’s Military
Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky is taking a job vacated by a general who is well-regarded by the army, in what is widely perceived as a politicized shake-up of Ukraine’s military leadership.
Putin’s Drive to Rewrite History Snares a Retired Lithuanian Judge
A few years ago, Kornelija Maceviciene ruled against Soviet officers for a brutal crackdown on pro-independence protesters in her country in 1991. That has made her a target for a Russian court.
What We Know About Israeli Hostages Hamas Released on Wednesday
The sixth round of hostage releases since the cease-fire began involved 10 Israelis, four Thai nationals and two Israeli-Russian dual citizens.
Viktor Belenko, Who Defected to the West in a Jet Fighter, Dies at 76
Among the highest-profile figures to flee the Soviet Union, he brought with him a secret weapon and firsthand experience behind the Iron Curtain.
Desperate for Air Defense, Ukraine Pushes U.S. for ‘Franken’ Weapons
To meet the demand, the U.S. is producing so-called FrankenSAM systems that marry advanced Western weaponry with Soviet-era items still in Ukrainian stockpiles.