A Love Letter To Kharkiv, As Russian Troops Advance

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This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis. It was first published by the author as a thread on Twitter. 

This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1406342
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Very interesting viewpoint; thanks for sharing this.

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So, in the poem, it said every other Kharkovite was a poet, every 3rd draws, every 5th a physicist, but what was every 6th? A tattle-tale? Spy? Someone who reports his neighbors to the KGB? Or did I get that all wrong?

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Thank you for this article.

I visited Kharkiv only once, in 2017. I performed a concert of American music. After the show, a Ukrainian sergeant walked up to me, handed me his shoulder rank epaulets, said “I go to the front tomorrow to fight the Russians. I wanted to hear your music before I go, and I will bring it with me. When you go, remember me.” And I do.

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Yes, стукач is informant, like someone who would report you to the KGB.

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This is a great article. Thanks so much.

I visited Kharkiv several times between 2015-2019. First as a client of a prominent software development company…and then as an executive they brought on to oversee North American business. I was amazed by the culture, energy, vibrancy of the city and the people. It was like visiting a “university city” such as Boston + Slavic culture. Several of my Kharkiv friends have now jumped in their cars and headed west. They used words like “scared”, “terrorized”, “feel like a refugee” in describing the experience. So Sad.

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Seems to me that dour thug, Mr Putin, is scared of strong happy intelligent people. He prefers those he can bully.

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Is it out of bounds insensitive to say that Vladolf Putler is a short man acting out a Napoleon complex? My apologies to anyone I may offend.

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