The Black Sea Whale No.3: Ideas & stories from Ukraine

The Black Sea Whale offers a unique perspective on Ukraine, a mixture of personal experiences of the war, reflections on local cultures, and broader political contexts, all beautifully illustrated by local artists. 

Although completely focused on Ukraine, the editors point out that, ‘You might find echoes of your own life in the specifics of Ukraine, in this bespoke publication for the English-speaking world, because the challenges we face are universal be they in Kyiv or London or wherever you might be reading this.’

This third issue opens with an editorial titled ‘The Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune’, ‘connecting the dots’ backwards in order to chart how the actions of a succession of American presidents built up to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Plus, the editors put an optimistic spin on America’s ‘might makes right’ strong-arm tactics, favouring a ‘right makes might’ philosophy championing a unifying framework of ethical resistance. 

Stories this issue include ‘Voices in the Ukrainian Wilderness’ by Marichka Melnyk, ‘The Memory Candle and the Light of Mace’ by Stefko Bandera, and ‘Deus ex Ucraina: The Fire’ by Oleksii Dubrov. 

On the Journal
At Work WIth Ulana Suprun: ‘What’s important for us is to highlight the writers and illustrators, and to provoke new thought and ideas in readers who may think they have nothing in common with Ukrainians.’