Russia and Ukraine: Societies Transformed by War

This article presents an edited transcript of Anna Colin Lebedev's 21st annual Raymond Aron Lecture at the Brookings Institution. It explores the intertwined yet divergent paths of Russian and Ukrainian societies since the Soviet collapse, using the personal story of Slava, a former Soviet officer from Donbas who became a Ukrainian nationalist songwriter. The analysis highlights shared Soviet legacies in institutions and culture, but emphasizes fundamental differences: Russia as the imperial center versus Ukraine as a periphery with a more complex history. The lecture argues that the ongoing war has accelerated identity shifts and societal transformation, with individuals like Slava redefining their national allegiances. The piece contrasts the evolution of military, housing, and educational systems in both countries while underscoring the denial of Ukrainian sovereignty by the Russian state under Putin.