769. Disastrous Consequences of the Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam

I’m speaking today with Yevhen Lyr, author of the novels, The God of the Steps (Євген Лір «Степовий бог») and The Flood. On June 6, 2023, the Kakhovka Dam in Russian-occupied Ukraine was destroyed, unleashing catastrophic flooding in Kherson and surrounding regions. It is widely believed to have been a deliberate act of ecocide by Russian forces. The Flood was inspired, provoked event by that act of barbarism and is a is a literary tapestry woven from real testimonies, documentary journalism, and fictional connectors. It centres on the aftermath of the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam — an event that devastated parts of southern Ukraine and submerged Kherson in water and grief. The story follows a newcomer to the city, “the Clock smith,” who listens to and collects the stories of soldiers, volunteers, survivors, and locals. ----------LINKS:https://x.com/lyryevhenhttps://store.ukrainer.net/en/product/book-flood/https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235824462-the-flood----------Yevhen Lyr Discusses 'The Flood': A Novel Inspired by Ukraine's TragedyIn this episode, we speak with Yevhen Lyr, author of 'The Flood,' a novel inspired by the catastrophic flooding following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in Russian-occupied Ukraine on June 6, 2023. We discuss the real-life testimonies, documentary journalism, and fictional elements that make up his work. Yevhen Lyr shares his personal connection to Southern Ukraine, his experiences as a volunteer and soldier, and the importance of bearing witness through literature. The narrative follows a clocksmith who collects stories from those affected by the disaster. We also touch on the challenges of translating the novel into Ukrainian, the media's response to the dam’s destruction, and the vital role of culture in countering Russian propaganda.----------CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to Yevhen Lyr and His Novel 'The Flood'00:08 Background of the Kakhovka Dam Destruction01:52 Yevhen Lyr's Personal Connection to Ukraine04:48 The Challenges of Translating 'The Flood'05:52 Bearing Witness to Man-Made Disasters15:37 The Artistic and Cultural Losses21:04 The Symbolism in 'The Flood'39:56 The Role of Ukrainian Writers in Countering Propaganda45:42 Promoting 'The Flood' and Future Plans----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------PLATFORMS:Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/siliconcurtain/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqmLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------Welcome to the Silicon Curtain podcast. Please like and subscribe if you like the content we produce. It will really help to increase the popularity of our content in YouTube’s algorithm. Our material is now being made available on popular podcasting platforms as well, such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.