image of wooden fence with Ukrainian flag colorsSince February 24, 2022, Ukraine, a country in the middle of Europe, suddenly became a major focus of the news all over the world. Although Ukraine was part of the former Soviet Union it became a sovereign and independent country in August of 1991. It was unexpectedly attacked by its neighbor, Russia, and so started the biggest war of the 21st century. One of the main reasons Russia instigated the conflict was the worry that Ukraine might join NATO, The North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

To educate yourself about the conflict and to read reliable news and interpretation please consult the following sites:

Here is a very good article on reading suggestions for understanding the soul of Ukraine.

The New York Public Library compiled a list of books available in their collections in print and electronic format on Ukrainian history. If you do not already have a NYPL membership card there is a way to obtain one online. The NYPL made a list of suggestion for organizations through which one can help Ukraine and its citizens in these hard times.

Our library has many materials on Ukraine as well. Explore the search results found in OneSearch by typing UKRAINE and then using filters to get to materials by specific format (Articles or Media, for example) or subject.

There is a neighborhood in East Village that is known as Little Ukraine where you can taste Ukrainian food, visit a museum and a couple of churches.

Maria Kiriakova

Read more from the Spring 2022 issue of Classified Information, the Library's newsletter

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