Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has been in the focus of world attention. Is now the hour for experts on Ukraine to be recognized and heard? The war has made many people aware of how little they actually know about this country and its history. To fill this knowledge gap or to deepen existing knowledge, we recommend the volume "Die heutige Ukraine und ihre sowjetischen Wurzeln” (Today's Ukraine and its Soviet Roots), published in 2021. This anthology, edited by Stephan Rindlisbacher and Dimitri Tolkatsch, opens a new door to topics that contribute to a better understanding of today's Ukraine and its position in the post-Soviet world.
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While Ukraine's independence in 1991 marked a period of political, social, and economic upheaval, the country cannot and should not be viewed independently of its Soviet past, as some structures, borders and aspects of socialization have survived into the present. The transformations of 1991 have been reflected in different ways in different regions and milieus, and the Ukrainian state itself, not least in its institutions, has its roots in the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. Thus, the contributions to this volume also take up very different, specific topics relating to contemporary Ukrainian history, the effects of which are still relevant today. A range of subjects are explored, from regions to transformations to the politicization of history: Stephan Rindlisbacher provides information on the territory of Ukraine, while Svetlana Boltovska looks at the social transformation of Poland through the nuclear economy,  and Kyrylo Tkachenko's first contribution deals with the 
Донбасс
rus. Донбасс, ukr. Донбас, deu. Donbass, deu. Donezbecken, deu. Donbas
 in the 20th and 21st centuries, a region that is playing a key role in the current crisis. In his second essay, Tkachenko raises the question: who are the winners of the market economy? Denys Gorbach analyzes post-Stalinist labor relations and political apathy and Marina Shcherbakova looks at Judaica exhibitions in museums in Soviet Ukraine, while Yuri Radchenko analyzes the politicization of the history of the Ukrainian auxiliary police during the Holocaust. Matthew Wehovsky's contribution examines the role of the Cossack Uprising and the "Wild East" in film. Maps and a glossary provide additional information.
Beyond a simple national history, this volume helps to show Ukraine in all its complexity and to trace its developments as a post-Soviet state. It provides fascinating and relevant insights into this multifaceted country and its history, which are of interest not only because of the current war.