“Zelensky, Ukraine & Intelligence” – with Simon Shuster

SpyCast

Summary

Simon Shuster (X, Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine. Simon is a senior correspondent at TIME.

What You’ll Learn

Intelligence

• Zelenskyy’s career pre-Presidency
• Reactions to the 2022 Russian invasion
• Ukrainian public opinion of Zelenskyy
• Zelenskyy’s relationship with Ukrainian intelligence

Reflections

• Contagious courage
• Leadership styles, techniques, and unique skills

And much, much more …

Quotes of the Week

“In researching [Zelenskyy’s] transformations as a person from comedian to politician to wartime leader, I also thought a lot about what qualities have remained consistent in him. And one of them for sure is this kind of, “go get ‘em” confidence … He just has this abiding confidence in his own ability to think on his feet, to not lose his balance, to just go into a new and unfamiliar space or a set of challenges and wing it, so to say.” – Simon Schuster

Resources

SURFACE SKIM

*Spotlight Resource*

• The Showman : Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky, Simon Shuster (William Morrow, 2024)

*SpyCasts*

• David Petraeus on Ukraine & Intelligence with the former CIA Director & 4* General (2023)
• Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East vs. West with Calder Walton (2023)
• Ukraine & the Alliance with NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence David Cattler (2023)
• Ukraine & Intelligence: One Year On with Shane Harris (2023)

*Beginner Resources*

• What to know about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, I. Pereira & P. Reevell, ABC News (2022) [Short article]
• A Brief History of Modern Ukraine, BBC, YouTube (2022) [3 min. video]
• Ukraine conflict: Simple visual guide to the Russian invasion, BBC (2022) [Short article]

DEEPER DIVE

Books

• Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine's War of Independence, Y. Trofimov (Penguin Press, 2024)
• Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine, D. Petraeus & A. Roberts (Harper, 2023)
• The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine, S. Plokhy (Basic Books, 2021)

Primary Sources

• All Intelligence Agencies of Our Partners are Informed of the Current Threats and Prospects – Address by the President (2024)
• Freedom must always prevail when challenged – speech by the President of Ukraine at the National Defense University of the United States (2023)
• Address by the President: Ukrainians are a symbol of invincibility (2022)
• Address by the President to Ukrainians at the end of the first day of Russia's attacks (2022)
• Constitution of Ukraine (1996)
• Act of Declaration of the Independence of Ukraine (1991)
• Act of Proclamation of Ukrainian Statehood (1941)
• Ukrainian Proclamation of Independence (1917)

*Wildcard Resource*

• As Simon mentioned in this episode, President Zelenskyy won the Ukrainian version of one of Erin’s favorite shows, Dancing With The Stars, in 2006.
• Watch some of his winning dances with partner Olena Shoptenko here.

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