Mikhail Bulgakov: the author on the front line of Ukraine's new 'culture war'

Day 765.

Today, in a special episode over Easter Monday, Francis visits the Bulgakov Museum in Kyiv to discuss the life and times of one of the most controversial writers in Ukraine today.

Milkail Bulgakov (1891-1940), author of The Master and Margarita, was a witness to the Ukrainian War of Independence between 1917 and 1921 – resurrecting it in his novel The White Guard – and is therefore a pivotal figure in the literary history of Ukraine, especially given his vivid depiction of Kyiv at war, as it is now.

Francis talks to researcher Maryna Sychenko about the current battle over Bulgakov's legacy, and whether he should be seen as a Russian or Ukrainian writer. Plus, she shares her own memories of the full-scale invasion.

Website for the Bulgakov Museum:

https://www.facebook.com/bulgakovmuseuminkyiv/

English tours are available.

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