While Ukrainian diplomats in Istanbul pretended not to understand Russian during negotiations, the Ukrainian special services exploit that knowledge in warfare. A Ukrainian linguist tells us how.
“Under the Ukrainian presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, known to be a Kremlin puppet, nearly all efforts to counter Russian FSB agents were dismantled.”
***
According to the reports I’ve been reading, our DOJ and FBI have been dismantling all efforts to counter Russian FSB agents under the American presidency of Donald Trump.
Many consider him — based on both his words and actions — to be a Kremlin puppet.
That line hit hard. Because I remember what it was like in Ukraine under Yanukovych — when everything was breaking down from the inside. And it's terrifying to see similar processes unfolding in countries we always thought of as stable.
So happy to hear Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul were speaking Ukrainian and used interpreters to communicate. I’m sure that really ‘ticked’ the Russian negotiating team.
Russia has been forcing non-Russian subjects to speak Russian for centuries and then say their territories are non-sovereign because the people speak Russian. It’s the same thing with their forced Russian passports imposed on non-Russians. That’s another way to delegitimize sovereignty.
Very happy to see the Ukrainian language restored to primacy. Great post on how Ukrainian linguists prepare Ukrainian spies in this war. I enjoyed reading it.
👍 As always impressed by the Ukrainian multi-faceted approach to keeping their country free from Russian occupation. I loved the "interpreter" part of the recent negotiations when I read it at the time 👏 BUT as highlighted in this excellent article, you NEED to understand the enemy in order to defeat them... Drones & missiles are only part of how modern warfare is waged 🤷 I swing between thinking this increase in drone attacks from Russia is due to panic - trying to get the upper hand before/if there is a ceasefire - OR the increased manufacture & sophistication of what they have available. I hope it is panic 🤞💙💛🫂💪
This clearly shows how important it is not only to have modern weapons but also to understand what drives the enemy and how they will act next. This approach gives hope that we can stay one step ahead.
I am reminded of the oh-so-prescient Ukrainian TV show "Servant of the People", in which then-actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy starred as his future self. In it, there was an exhortation of "Speak Ukrainian!" to anyone reverting into speaking Russian. The characters implicitly understood Russian, but were annoyed by casual use of the language. The " banned at least 134 times" link is currently failing, but there's a copy at Internet Archive.
It’s striking how Servant of the People addressed the issue of language identity even before the full-scale war — particularly through lines like “Speak Ukrainian!” What was once seen as satirical exaggeration now feels like an early response to Russia’s hybrid cultural influence. The language issue is no longer just a matter of everyday choice — it has become political and strategic.
Putin’s Russia is incapable of good faith even in such a small matter as conducting a prisoner of war exchange. Instead they hand over civilian convicts who are being deported after finishing their sentences. Presumably Russia doesn’t care if no one relies on a thing they ever promise.
This line jumped out at me:
“Under the Ukrainian presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, known to be a Kremlin puppet, nearly all efforts to counter Russian FSB agents were dismantled.”
***
According to the reports I’ve been reading, our DOJ and FBI have been dismantling all efforts to counter Russian FSB agents under the American presidency of Donald Trump.
Many consider him — based on both his words and actions — to be a Kremlin puppet.
I thought the same! The Trumputin administration is scrubbing all security measures.
That line hit hard. Because I remember what it was like in Ukraine under Yanukovych — when everything was breaking down from the inside. And it's terrifying to see similar processes unfolding in countries we always thought of as stable.
Being in one of those countries, I completely agree! It’s also infuriating.
So happy to hear Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul were speaking Ukrainian and used interpreters to communicate. I’m sure that really ‘ticked’ the Russian negotiating team.
Russia has been forcing non-Russian subjects to speak Russian for centuries and then say their territories are non-sovereign because the people speak Russian. It’s the same thing with their forced Russian passports imposed on non-Russians. That’s another way to delegitimize sovereignty.
Very happy to see the Ukrainian language restored to primacy. Great post on how Ukrainian linguists prepare Ukrainian spies in this war. I enjoyed reading it.
Thank you.
👍 As always impressed by the Ukrainian multi-faceted approach to keeping their country free from Russian occupation. I loved the "interpreter" part of the recent negotiations when I read it at the time 👏 BUT as highlighted in this excellent article, you NEED to understand the enemy in order to defeat them... Drones & missiles are only part of how modern warfare is waged 🤷 I swing between thinking this increase in drone attacks from Russia is due to panic - trying to get the upper hand before/if there is a ceasefire - OR the increased manufacture & sophistication of what they have available. I hope it is panic 🤞💙💛🫂💪
This clearly shows how important it is not only to have modern weapons but also to understand what drives the enemy and how they will act next. This approach gives hope that we can stay one step ahead.
I am reminded of the oh-so-prescient Ukrainian TV show "Servant of the People", in which then-actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy starred as his future self. In it, there was an exhortation of "Speak Ukrainian!" to anyone reverting into speaking Russian. The characters implicitly understood Russian, but were annoyed by casual use of the language. The " banned at least 134 times" link is currently failing, but there's a copy at Internet Archive.
It’s striking how Servant of the People addressed the issue of language identity even before the full-scale war — particularly through lines like “Speak Ukrainian!” What was once seen as satirical exaggeration now feels like an early response to Russia’s hybrid cultural influence. The language issue is no longer just a matter of everyday choice — it has become political and strategic.
Thank you for your clearly written article. I found it very interesting and informative.
I stopped trusting Russia a long time ago. All these actions are nothing but pure deception and self-interest — nothing more.
Putin’s Russia is incapable of good faith even in such a small matter as conducting a prisoner of war exchange. Instead they hand over civilian convicts who are being deported after finishing their sentences. Presumably Russia doesn’t care if no one relies on a thing they ever promise.
Yes, but why tell us now? Even if they now suspect .... strategic ambiguity