The Wild West of Eastern Europe

Ukraine is the new West Berlin of Eastern Europe. The annexation of Crimea and the Russian invasion of the Donets Basin (Donbas) forced the Ukrainian nation to change. In 2013, it was still a post-Soviet country with a divided identity. Today, it is an outpost of Europe which has been holding back the onslaught of the Russian army for several years now. The Wild West of Eastern Europe by Pavlo Kazarin is a book about how such a transformation has become possible. In 2022, the Ukrainian version of this volume was named “Book of the Year” by BBC Ukraine in the category of “Essay Writing”.



Pavlo Kazarin is a Ukrainian journalist, TV as well as radio presenter, and opinion maker. Born and raised in Simferopol on Crimea, he moved to Kyiv in 2014, after the annexation of the peninsula. In his writings, Pavlo explores the identity and evolution of post-colonial societies. After the start of the full-scale war 2022, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Currently, he is a Sergeant in a company operating combat drones.