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Sergey Faldin 🇺🇦
Sergey Faldin 🇺🇦

8.9K Followers

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What ordinary Russians are saying about mobilisation

Russia has announced a ‘partial’ mobilization, dragging 300,000 civilians into the war against Ukraine that nobody needs. — Yesterday, I woke up in my London apartment to learn that my country has announced a “partial mobilisation” in a war against a neighbouring country. Unlike seven months ago, I wasn’t the least bit surprised. But just like in the early morning of February 24th, when this war started, I…

Ukraine

4 min read

What ordinary Russians are saying about mobilisation
What ordinary Russians are saying about mobilisation
Ukraine

4 min read


Pinned

Crossing the Mexican border by foot, eight months pregnant.

“There’s no Ukraine I am used to. The Russians had destroyed it.” — In the months preceding the war, Anna’s inner circle brushed off any possibility of Russia invading Ukraine. They didn’t give it much thought as they watched the news of oligarchs sending their children abroad or witnessing the Russian embassy burn their files, causing a massive smoke. “It’s one of their…

Ukraine

11 min read

Crossing the Mexican border by foot, eight months pregnant.
Crossing the Mexican border by foot, eight months pregnant.
Ukraine

11 min read


Pinned

How Russia’s largest independent publication fights for survival after a complete block

‘The lack of freedom of speech always leads to grave political consequences.’ — In April 2021, Meduza — the most prominent Russian independent publication — was labelled a “foreign agent”, a mark that’s been used profusely by the Kremlin to disrupt the work of news organisations and independent journalists touching on sensitive political issues. This label, jokingly referred to by Sonya Groysman —…

Politics

4 min read

How Russia’s largest independent publication fights for survival after a complete block
How Russia’s largest independent publication fights for survival after a complete block
Politics

4 min read


Pinned

‘I Owe This To My Home’ — Why a 24-Year-Old Stayed in Ukraine Despite the Russian Invasion.

CHORNOMORSK, UKRAINE — When the Russian bombs started firing on February 24th, it was still before dawn in Arina’s home city, some 15 kilometers from the port-city Odesa (population 1M). The sound immediately shook Arina, her sister, and her parents out of bed. “I immediately understood what was happening. I…

Ukraine

5 min read

‘I Owe This To My Home’ — Why a 24-Year-Old Stayed in Ukraine Despite the Russian Invasion
‘I Owe This To My Home’ — Why a 24-Year-Old Stayed in Ukraine Despite the Russian Invasion
Ukraine

5 min read


Pinned

I’m Russian, My Wife Is Ukranian — Here’s How Putin’s Actions Make Me Feel

I am embarrassed. — I’ll be honest. I don’t like writing or talking about politics. Where I am from, nobody does. My generation — people born in the late 1990s — was brought up in a dictatorship country with no rights and no ability to voice our minds. We were sold the idea that…

Politics

6 min read

I’m Russian, My Wife Is Ukranian  —  Here’s How Putin’s Actions Make Me Feel
I’m Russian, My Wife Is Ukranian  —  Here’s How Putin’s Actions Make Me Feel
Politics

6 min read


May 11

Can Running Help Me Fall Back In Love With Writing?

‘If running creates a void, then writing fills it.’ — I can’t seem to write recently. Other than my newsletter and a few bits of journalism here and there — which can hardly be called ‘creative writing’ and falls more under the bracket of ‘technical writing’ or ‘reporting’ — I haven’t written anything in months. To say that it freaks…

Running

5 min read

Can Running Help Me Fall Back In Love With Writing?
Can Running Help Me Fall Back In Love With Writing?
Running

5 min read


Apr 28

Learning To Live With Shame For Your Country

To Ukrainians, I’ll always be ‘another Russian.’ Which is to say, I’ll always be the enemy. — When in the aftermath of WWII, the Red Army entered East Prussia in 1945, they committed war crimes that could easily equal those the Russian army did in Bucha. The Soviet people have been humiliated and suffered throughout the war. Mass killings and rape of German citizens ensued. What followed…

Ukraine

5 min read

Learning To Live With Shame For Your Country
Learning To Live With Shame For Your Country
Ukraine

5 min read


Apr 19

25

Growing up, I always wanted to be older. There’s a favourite photo of mine — I am 5; standing in the center of an old sports center in Podolsk (a tiny criminal city on the outskirts of Moscow); wearing my father’s black shades; holding my father’s black briefcase; pretty much…

Personal

6 min read

25
25
Personal

6 min read


Mar 30

I Lost All Hope Regarding Russia

One year into the war, it’s clear: there’s nothing to return to because my country will never be the same. — When I was leaving Russia in 2019 and decided to stop returning in 2021 — a year before the war started — I did it for personal reasons. All my childhood, I hated living in Russia. I hated the cold, the bitterness, the grey buildings, the angry people, and the…

Russia

6 min read

I Lost All Hope Regarding Russia
I Lost All Hope Regarding Russia
Russia

6 min read


Mar 17

Terrified To Look At Your Calendar? Ask Yourself This Question.

‘Who are you doing this for?’ — Lately, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed. Which is to say, I’ve been afraid of my calendar. Its colourful mosaic (yes, I am one of those people who colour-codes event types: red is for important, green is for self-education and wellbeing, blue is for work, etc.) stares at me with a stern…

Productivity

4 min read

Terrified To Look At Your Calendar? Ask Yourself This Question.
Terrified To Look At Your Calendar? Ask Yourself This Question.
Productivity

4 min read

Sergey Faldin 🇺🇦

Sergey Faldin 🇺🇦

8.9K Followers

Honest thoughts. Unpopular opinions. Not necessarily true or smart. | The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Meduza | muckrack.com/sfaldin | Subscribe: sergeys.substack.com

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