Almost two years ago Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which destroyed tens of cities and killed thousands of civilians. But the war didn’t start on February 24th 2022 — it started 9 years ago. 

In November 2013, a popular uprising known as the Euromaidan revolution erupted after Ukraine’s government traded an EU agreement for closer ties with Russia. 

Two pivotal bloody nights in February 2014 changed Ukraine's future. One night protesters clashed with security forces in the streets in hopes to change course by force. The second night, European negotiators mediated peace talks in hopes to change course by peace. 

The outcome was different to what anyone could have imagined. 

Our guests:

• Jan Tombinski, then EU ambassador to Ukraine; 

• Serhiy Kibnovskyi, a retired veteran who defended the Maidan square against security forces; 

• Olexiy Haran, one of the members of the Council of Maidan, who represented the protestors; 

• Olga Salo, a Euromaidan activist who lost a friend on one of the two pivotal bloody nights. 

  
  

This episode was produced by Margaux Farran, Agatha Gorski, Katarzyna Skiba and Bilge Kotan, under the supervision of Lorraine Besse.

Photo credits : Viacheslav  Ratynskyi

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