Zrození disentu - Šedesátníci a tání na Ukrajině (1956-1965) – Mokryk Radomyr (2024)

The book tells the story of a group of Ukrainian writers, poets, literary critics, and intellectuals who, during the so-called Khrushchev "thaw" in Ukraine, formed a cultural opposition to the Soviet regime and became known as the generation of the "sixtiers." The gradual revelation of historical crimes committed by the Soviet government, the understanding of the policy of Russification, and the opposition to official censorship led the sixtiers into dissent. After a brief period of relative relaxation in the early sixties, many intellectuals were persecuted and imprisoned. The book chronicles the life stories of Ukrainian intellectuals and their transformation from relatively loyal Soviet citizens to dissidents. These stories are mapped within the broader historical context of their time and the controversial Soviet "thaw." Special emphasis is placed on understanding the nationality policy in the USSR during the defined period and on Russian-Ukrainian relations. The publication sheds light on the colonial nature of these relations, which ultimately became a driving force for the emergence of Ukrainian dissent. The book is based on a compilation of interviews with key figures of the Ukrainian dissident movement and archival sources, including recently discovered files from the SBU (KGB) archive in Kyiv.