**Даша Астафʼєва: «Якщо хочеш знати, яка людина – покажи їй оголеного себе» — Transcript & Summary | SozAI**
Source: https://sozai.app/transcript/dasha-astafyeva-show-naked-self/

Dasha Astafieva discusses her true self beyond modeling, her involvement in Ukrainian literature, and the importance of cultural responsibility during challenging times.

## Key Takeaways

- True understanding of a person goes beyond public image or appearances.
- Cultural responsibility and personal growth are crucial during times of national crisis.
- Ukrainian literature, both classic and modern, plays a vital role in preserving national identity.
- Traditions and family heritage deeply influence personal identity and values.
- Art and literature can be powerful tools for healing and uniting people.

## What the video covers

- Dasha Astafieva shares how people are often surprised by her real-life personality, which contrasts with her public image as a model and singer.
- She emphasizes the importance of personal growth and responsibility in what individuals broadcast, especially in the context of Ukraine's current situation.
- Dasha talks about her role narrating this year's radio dictation, a tradition promoting Ukrainian language and literature.
- She highlights the significance of modern Ukrainian prose and the efforts to revive forgotten literary figures through her project Underbooks.
- The conversation touches on family traditions and childhood experiences that shaped her identity.
- Dasha reflects on the impact of the full-scale invasion on cultural focus and personal priorities.
- She discusses the importance of preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage, including language and traditional crafts.
- The interview covers her passion for reading, poetry, and how literature can heal and inspire.
- Dasha also shares insights into her hobbies like cooking and fishing, revealing a multifaceted personality.
- The dialogue underscores the role of artists in shaping national identity and the need for cultural resilience.

## Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction and Personal Image
2. 02:30 Radio Dictation and Literary Traditions
3. 04:30 Modern Ukrainian Literature and Underbooks
4. 09:50 Childhood, Family Traditions, and Identity
5. 11:40 Cultural Responsibility and National Challenges
6. 15:00 Art, Literature, and Personal Hobbies

Answers

## Questions about this video

What does Dasha Astafieva say about her public image versus her real personality?

Dasha explains that people are often surprised by how different she is in real life, enjoying simple activities like cooking and fishing, which contrasts with her public image as a model and singer.

What is the significance of the radio dictation mentioned in the video?

The radio dictation is a cherished Ukrainian tradition that promotes language and literature. Dasha is honored to narrate it this year, emphasizing its role in uniting people and reflecting the country's mood.

What is the Underbooks project that Dasha Astafieva founded?

Underbooks is a book app project focused on reviving and promoting Ukrainian literature, both classic and modern, by presenting it with stylish, high-quality voices to reach new audiences.

## Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

00:00

Speaker A

What is Dasha Astafieva like? The one who undressed in those magazines? If you want to see what a person is like, show them a photo of yourself naked. I very often encounter the fact that people are simply stunned by how

00:15

Speaker A

different I am in real life. That I like to cook, that I like fishing, that I boast about my crucian carp to grown men. I want so much to do something good. There are people who haven't changed, who enjoy broadcasting what

00:31

Speaker A

they eat, what they wear, where they vacation, and how cool their apartment is. But what will that change for our country? Now is the time when each of us must work on ourselves, on our audience, and take responsibility for

00:48

Speaker A

what we broadcast. We have many examples of artists who were at the top for so many years. Where are they now?

00:56

Speaker A

How they are shaming our country right now. I also made a million mistakes, but now is the time to pay the price, now is the time to correct what you didn't do before. Hello, this is the program "At Their Core." My name is

01:09

Speaker A

Yelyzaveta Tsaryhradska, and today my guest is Dasha Astafieva. Hi. Greetings. I am very glad to see you in the studio. I was thinking, how should I even begin to introduce you? Because on one hand, everyone knows perfectly well that you are a model, a singer,

01:34

Speaker A

and an actress, but it is very important for me to note that you are the founder of the interesting project Underbooks. Actually, we will definitely talk about it. And in general, the beginning of our conversation is, of course, the topic

01:46

Speaker A

of this year's radio dictation. And I think that is just fantastic news. How do you feel about being involved in the radio dictation?

01:56

Speaker A

Well, first of all, I still don't believe it. Uh, it's one more dream that has come true, and I am incredibly happy. For me, it is a huge honor and a source of pride to narrate the radio dictation text this year, especially in

02:13

Speaker A

the company of such cool, modern, and important people. I am very happy. I am preparing, I am trying not to over-rehearse the text, because that would be a mistake; it needs to be lively on air, so it is as interesting

02:31

Speaker A

to the listeners as it is to me. And it is interesting. Oh. Oh. Do you write radio dictations yourself?

02:42

Speaker A

Usually, do you join in on this initiative? Yes, I've written it a few times, and I really like this idea of cool new traditions, even though it's not new anymore. How long has it been? Well, yes, it's been quite a while.

02:56

Speaker A

How many years has the radio dictation been running? By the way, we should, by the way, refresh this information. I don't remember. I can't say for sure.

03:03

Speaker A

I don't remember either. I've been writing it for years. For the last three years, I have been writing the radio dictation. Before that, I wasn't involved.

03:10

Speaker A

I... I have also been writing it for three years. I write and make everyone else write, too.

03:14

Speaker A

But it seems to me that it was right at the start of the full-scale invasion that this really took off even more actively. So, it turns out that for four years now, my entire feed every time is just posts, everyone posting

03:29

Speaker A

how they are actually writing, how they then analyze their mistakes, and so on and so forth. It is obvious that the topic of the radio dictation and its popularity immediately gives rise to a bunch of questions and even a bunch of

03:43

Speaker A

conflicts and discussions. And how it was read, and memes, definitely? And how they read it? Did they help, or not? Was it difficult, or not? And what about the text, are you worried that maybe you'll read it in such a way that

03:55

Speaker A

people will complain later, for instance? To be honest, my colleague, with whom we read—can we say the name?

04:04

Speaker A

I think so. Yes. With Artur Predakov. Ta-da! And with the organizers of this event and the author of the dictation, Artur Dron. Ta-da! We have already read it and gone through it a little. And this is going to be very interesting. Let me

04:29

Speaker A

make a small announcement, but the text of this year's dictation will be incredibly moving for every person, for every gender, for every profession, simply for every age. Uh-huh.

04:49

Speaker A

I think so too. I am already preparing everyone, my whole family. Get your pens out, get your sheets of paper out, summons for everyone, just like in school. What a story. And it's very hard for me not to tell my friends

05:07

Speaker A

about it, for example, Kurgan and Agregat. I really want everyone to write it, but I promise on my part that I will do everything to make all my friends write it. I think everyone will want to support it and will do it. Uh-huh.

05:24

Speaker A

I am happy, honestly. In general, speaking about radio dictations as this tradition of focusing on iconic authors, or at least those who are writing and creating right here and now, and who are generally talked about, selling, and being read. And this is very cool,

05:45

Speaker A

because for me it is also a kind of litmus test. Every year, the author of the dictation is, one way or another, a cross-section of a certain mood, of what the country is living through during the year. And regarding modern

05:58

Speaker A

Ukrainian prose, is it interesting to you, and do you read a lot of modern Ukrainian literature?

06:07

Speaker A

Of course, it is interesting to me, because I realize that in our history, in literature, everything repeats itself. The prose that we are now trying to bring to light in our book app, Underbook, was also once forgotten and hidden from its contemporaries. Why

06:28

Speaker A

are we only hearing about Sofia Yablonska today? When did you hear about her for the first time? Don't be shy, I actually feel shy about having heard of her. If I recall correctly, probably about four years ago. Me too,

06:43

Speaker A

but she is a Ukrainian woman who simply glorified our country all around the world. She made a huge contribution with her work and knowledge to world history as a whole. I want to read, be inspired, and broadcast this in our app.

07:04

Speaker A

And I do this whenever I can. Of course, we also pay a lot of attention to the classics. We want classic Ukrainian literature to sound with modern, very stylish, and high-quality voices. That's why I always emphasize, even though "niche" is a bit of a

07:25

Speaker A

buzzword now, our app is niche. By the way, I'm gifting you a one-year subscription.

07:30

Speaker A

Thank you. Thank you so much. Let's exchange numbers. Cool. I want to start from the beginning and generally from your interest in literature. Obviously, the start of the full-scale invasion changed a lot and focused our attention on what's important. And you have noted

07:48

Speaker A

several times in previous interviews that things just happened to be that way, you were outside of this context.

07:53

Speaker A

Okay. But can you remember what shaped you as a person in your childhood? You are from the Dnipropetrovsk region, actually from the former Ordzhonikidze.

08:06

Speaker A

So few people can pronounce that on the first try. That name. I practiced, but still, what was that foundation that laid the groundwork for your identity in childhood, do you remember?

08:22

Speaker A

First of all, I think it was family traditions, respecting our family history. Those songs, those stories that were told by grandmothers, our family traditions of cooking together, helping each other, working together, doing family chores. We just arrived in

08:47

Speaker A

Verkhovyna and met a lot of friends there, and they all said, "Oh, we're sitting for a bit, but we have to go make hay." And my partner asks, "What is 'make hay'?" I tell him, "If you had mowed hay at least once, you would

09:04

Speaker A

understand what it is, that people are driven to the hay fields from 4 a.m. to get everything done before sunset—turning it, drying it, stacking it." It's a whole ordeal. Yes. And I remember how we caught duckweed to feed

09:21

Speaker A

the ducks as a whole family. Mowing hay, the kids would turn it all over, then we’d cook, making vareniki together.

09:31

Speaker A

You know, it fades away when you’re living in it every day. But now, when you know you could die any day, you look back on it with such warmth. You know, I would love to be planting potatoes with my grandmother right now,

09:49

Speaker A

I wouldn't complain, I would just sit there, do it all, and sort them out.

09:55

Speaker A

Whether for the pigs or for the cellar. Are you consid

09:59

Speaker A

Oh, that, by the way, is a very trendy move to relocate out of town to a private house in a village. I'm telling you, I subscribed to the "khaty.ua" channel and am already looking at houses there.

10:11

Speaker A

So, you’re admitting that you might actually do it? I dream of restoring a little cottage and maybe Well, it would be easier, considering you have many animals and you take care of them. That would probably be more convenient.

10:24

Speaker A

My Patrick alone is worth a lot, not to mention the Jackdaw. Oh, the Jackdaw.

10:27

Speaker A

A wild bird. A jackdaw. He lives at our place in an aviary. He’s recently started catching mice. That’s one of the interesting things. Recently, he was gone for two days. He flew off. I think: "Well, that's it, he joined some

10:43

Speaker A

flock, he's coming back, and I’m going to scold him." I say: "You jerk, where have you been?" And he hands me a business card that says: "Taxi Mykola." So if any taxi driver Mykola who hung out with a jackdaw for two days is

10:57

Speaker A

watching me, greetings to you. Wow! So he didn't catch mice before? That’s only something, that’s just now. Last week he caught his first mouse and brought it. We barely managed to take it away. He was very angry. But at the same time, you

11:13

Speaker A

call for responsibility and openly say in previous interviews not to be enchanted, not to romanticize this image, and not to take wild animals.

11:24

Speaker A

And in this interview, I also want to emphasize that bringing home a wild animal is not hype for the sake of a video or a photo. You have stolen someone else's child. It so happened that we found an injured bird on the

11:39

Speaker A

road. He would have 100%been eaten by cats or dogs, or run over by a car.

11:45

Speaker A

He was little. He was little. Well, it was a fledgling . And so it happened that we are raising an imprint, a bird that grows up at home with humans. We bear full responsibility and have the means to

11:59

Speaker A

raise such a bird. He has a huge aviary in the yard. A bird simply cannot live in home conditions. And I really want to emphasize to people who pick up chicks: don't do it. A bird must fight for its own life and learn to fly. Only

12:20

Speaker A

if the bird is wounded and you know you can bring it to a hospital, that they will accept it, and you can pay for it, only in that case should you seek help and pick up a chick. Well, just like

12:35

Speaker A

caring for animals in general, not just chicks, but all animals. Right now there is just this huge trend of taking these birds home. People see how their views grow. As a socially active person, I just see it, my eyes bleed

12:55

Speaker A

from how people keep bringing them in, and how many people send me...I found a crow, I found an owl. What should I do?

13:05

Speaker A

It’s just a nightmare. Especially considering how many Russians are killing animals and how many creatures suffer from the effects of the war. And then there are our own people too. This is why I think 300 times before posting

13:18

Speaker A

about a bird. Of course, it’s interesting. People even write to me: " Where can I buy one like that?" If people, why do you talk about this, why do you articulate this? If people had lived with a bird just once, which goes to

13:30

Speaker A

the bathroom every two minutes, and had to clean all that up at home, no one would even have such a thought.

13:38

Speaker A

Well, in general, the topic of animal treatment has been very sensitive lately. And I, as a person who lives in a village, very often see quite cruel treatment of animals, which isn't considered something extraordinary.

13:52

Speaker A

Meaning, it’s just a habit. Like that same dog that’s always on a chain. That’s not a very good story. Well, I mean, it is truly repetitive and very persistent. And from what you articulate, particularly in recent conversations that are publicly

14:08

Speaker A

available, these are precisely the issues of animals, their care, general culture in treating them, and books. Do I understand correctly that these are the two main vectors for you right now, or how do you feel? I feel that I have

14:24

Speaker A

an influence on these vectors, which is why I broadcast so much about them. Also volunteering. I really want famous people to take the opportunity to support our defenders, to volunteer, to talk about social issues, to go and protect people or historical monuments

14:44

Speaker A

that are being destroyed now, and only conscious people can protect them. Uh-huh. Do you feel that you influence your audience?

14:55

Speaker A

I feel that it’s not so much that I influence them, but rather that I am an example. And for me, this is a mission.

15:01

Speaker A

I feel that it is my mission. And I only broadcast what I feel responsible for and what I feel I can handle. If I say that, say, take this dog, I am sure that this dog will be taken. And in 99%

15:18

Speaker A

of cases, these dogs are taken. I keep count, and every year I know how many little dogs we have rehomed. The latest story.

15:28

Speaker A

We found such a cool dog on the highway . He’s a carbon copy of Richard Gere.

15:32

Speaker A

I even advertised him that way. I said: "Who wants a furry Richard Gere, come and get him." Do you know where Richard Gere lives now? In Düsseldorf. He settled in well.

15:44

Speaker A

He settled in well. Well, although, of course, it’s a little sad that it’s not the best place in Ukraine. there is such an opportunity and in the fact that this happens and I can talk about it and let

15:55

Speaker A

it be for very many people who are subscribed to me. I believe that I have a lot of followers and they are all great, and they support me very strongly. I always take on what I can accomplish and I achieve it only thanks

16:11

Speaker A

to my followers. Dasha, what do you think about this added value or mission that, as it seems to me, famous people, media influencers, or celebrities ( whatever you want to call them), people who have large, broad audiences on

16:28

Speaker A

social networks, should really carry— they are seen, listened to, looked up to, perhaps, or not, but they are in the public eye. And it seems to me that recently, well, maybe with the development of social networks, say 10

16:47

Speaker A

years, I think the burden on a person who actually has an audience has changed a lot. You broadcast this, you say that it is important to you, you have a mission, you follow it, and okay , that’s understandable, those are

17:02

Speaker A

values. But there were famous, popular people before too, and it seems to me they didn't always, or not as often, or not as broadly, or not all of them broadcast such values. Do you feel that something has changed specifically in

17:18

Speaker A

your vision of yourself as a person who can do something good in recent times?

17:23

Speaker A

Or have you always been oriented towards this in principle? Well, I was sufficiently oriented, but I think that each of us was pushed very hard by the fact that we can die any day.

17:37

Speaker A

Uh-huh. I look at my stories every day, I look at my plan. I just want to do something good so much. There is, of course, a plan to post something for work.

17:49

Speaker A

Someone asks for a lot right now: " Support me, I have a premiere, we have a tour." I only support conscious people, like my friends. Kurhan&Agregat , who go on charity tours every month or two, raise millions for our

18:07

Speaker A

defenders, who are constantly volunteering, who are constantly supporting me and my fundraisers. I cannot imagine a single closed fundraiser without Andriy Bednyakov, without Oleksii Durniev, without Kurhan &Agregat, without all those on whom I pin all my hope. Therefore, well, there

18:30

Speaker A

are people who haven't changed, who enjoy broadcasting what they eat, what they wear, where they vacation, and how cool their apartment is. But how will that change our country? Our country will not change because of that. Now is

18:48

Speaker A

the time when each of us must work on ourselves, on our audience, take responsibility for what we broadcast, and for what our audience rejoices in.

19:00

Speaker A

We have many examples of artists who were at the top for so many years.

19:04

Speaker A

Where are they now? How are they disgracing our country right now? Just think about the fact that for years we loved Potaps and so on. Oleh Vynnyks.

19:16

Speaker A

Look at how many crowds they drew, how many concerts. Can you imagine how much easier it would be for all of us if these people were collecting for the army now and helping?

19:25

Speaker A

But we lived in our dreams, in our illusions, in a desire to show how coolly we live, how everything is great for us. I also made a million mistakes, but now is the time to pay, now is the

19:40

Speaker A

time to fix what you didn't do before. And if I can fix this a little bit every day with my steps and my work, then I have to do it. I do it with great pleasure. What I do, audiobooks,

19:55

Speaker A

searching for them, consulting with my new friends, colleagues, those who help us plan, those who give the go-ahead, those who praise us for doing this. For me, it is a huge honor and responsibility. Every time I find books

20:15

Speaker A

that no one has read. Right now, we are recording Olena Pchilka’s "Masquerade ," we are preparing it to be released for Christmas, because—have you read it?

20:26

Speaker A

You haven't read it. I highly recommend it to you. Olena Pchilka, who for me is very interesting, and we mentioned in a past interview, this is a new word that I love very much. She is a static figure in Ukrainian culture and

20:42

Speaker A

politics. Because, you know, yes, she preserved, collected, and searched for Ukrainian ornaments. And she is the first and almost the only person who saved them; it's thanks to her. And we can know them today, see them on vyshyvankas, see them in books, study

20:59

Speaker A

them, and multiply them. How is the cooperation with publishing houses actually, and in this market in general? How easy or hard is it? Just to go and launch an audiobook. Does it help that it’s Dasha Astafieva?

21:12

Speaker A

Actually, you have no idea how much it hurt me at the beginning, when I, you know, was used to coming everywhere and everyone loved me, everyone was inspired by me, everyone was surprised or appreciated me, how hard it was for me to come and

21:29

Speaker A

say: "Hi, I'm Dasha Astafieva, do you remember me? I want to buy the rights to a book from you." or I want us to cooperate. And people would say: "Which Dasha Astafieva?""The one who took her clothes off in those magazines." And it

21:45

Speaker A

developed quite a—I would even say— a new complex in me. But I realized that if I dwell on this, it will become a huge problem. And now, uh, I collaborate, and it’s more pleasant and organic for me to work with people

22:05

Speaker A

who understand my mission. Together with my team, I’m releasing an app that revives Ukrainian classical literature and helps keep contemporary literature afloat. And we’ve already launched a new poetry section. Uh-huh.

22:26

Speaker A

We’ve already recorded the first collection by Nadiya Hlushkova, and I will gift you a subscription. I’d be grateful.

22:34

Speaker A

Thank you. If you share your thoughts. Uh, I... I’m very interested in how this specific stereotype was formed in general, because in my circle, at least the people I told I was interviewing Dasha Astafieva today, they all said, "

22:51

Speaker A

Cool, I love this song of hers, and that song of hers." I mean, I understand that the information about the photoshoots hasn't disappeared, but still, primarily, at least in my circle , you are associated with being a singer. But at the same time, it’s

23:10

Speaker A

very important for me to talk about the values that are important to convey now , because you are a fantastically beautiful woman, and it’s very cool that you are focusing on this direction now. I find it very appealing because I

23:22

Speaker A

personally love to read. But at the same time, it seems to me that this plane of devaluation, when it comes to what you did before, even if you were a model, if you posed naked, okay, but isn’t that also about art? Or did

23:40

Speaker A

people at the time simply perceive such photographs purely as a kind of depravity, perhaps, or something licentious that doesn't fit into the paradigm of something higher, something cultural in particular? Now, it seems to me, the focus is already shifting.

23:59

Speaker A

We can talk about the human body, about the female body, as something beautiful to observe without sexualizing it. How important is it to discuss this topic now? What do you think?

24:10

Speaker A

We can discuss this topic, but I will say this: I have discussed it a million times. And a person who cannot see the beauty in my work. And photography with me, I believe it is truly art. And for

24:26

Speaker A

me, photography is a separate, elevated genre of art. Uh, it’s very pleasant that people who know me closer say, " When I see how you pose, I understand who you are." That they haven’t seen anyone who poses like that and is so

24:47

Speaker A

passionate about photography. Yes, of course, it started in times when everything in show business was decided through the bedroom. Uh, in order to promote yourself, you had to create some scandals, tell stories about sleeping with a producer. And we did

25:07

Speaker A

that. And it will be experience. And I can't say that I regret it. It's very funny for me to look back on all that now. But we lived in times when they intentionally tried to make people dumber to control them. They tried to

25:28

Speaker A

make people silent. They tried to alienate people with things that were not actually part of who they were. I very often encounter people who are just stunned by how different I am in real life, that I like to cook, I like

25:49

Speaker A

fishing, and I brag to grown men about my crucian carp. By the way, I have a friend on Instagram, Yura. A grown man, we send each other our catch every week . I send him my perch, and he says: "

26:07

Speaker A

Which region is this? Where is it biting? I say:" Yura, I'm just fishing from the shore at home in the evening.

26:15

Speaker A

Isn't it boring for you? It requires such patience. I love being bored. Fishing. Well, it's only boring if you use a fishing rod. I'm not hunting for predators. Well, that's it, you sail out, you look for spots, you

26:28

Speaker A

look for snags, you look for those drop-offs where the fish hang out. Are you serious? The whole camera crew is smiling.

26:38

Speaker A

Respect and honor. I am very happy that I have many hobbies. I love picking mushrooms, I love cooking, I love studying old Ukrainian cuisine, digging it up. We shot an entire show. Dishes based on ancient Ukrainian cuisine. I invite you

26:58

Speaker A

to watch it on YouTube. Yes, I know about it too, but cooking is not really in my sphere of interests .

27:05

Speaker A

How old are you? I apologize. 33. You'll be 40. Only then will you calm down.

27:12

Speaker A

Okay. Just something. Before the cameras turned on, we had an agreement to be on informal terms. And that's why it looks like I'm using informal address, but I'm being addressed formally. But anyway, why am I bringing up the topic of the female body and

27:27

Speaker A

this visibility at all? Because it seems to me that on one hand, we've started talking about it more, and even in this very chair, there have been many women who shared their experiences from the past and how it's appropriate

27:43

Speaker A

to articulate them now. It seems to me that despite this being a frequently discussed topic, there is still no clear vision or position. Specifically about art, and that a woman, by showing her body in photographs, does not have

28:01

Speaker A

the goal of only arousal or only provocation. It seems to me that this is not entirely obvious to the general public. I will say this, that photography is the truest litmus test.

28:16

Speaker A

That if you want to see what kind of person someone is, show them a photo of yourself naked. Some will see style in it. It looks like the style of such-and-such a photographer. Someone else will see how bad you feel in this

28:31

Speaker A

photo, how you grieve over your losses, over your, I don't know, most sincere desires.

28:38

Speaker A

Uh-huh. That is a very, very strong indicator of a person's level of spirituality and knowledge.

28:49

Speaker A

Therefore, I won't forbid myself from doing what I love. I am doing fewer photoshoots now. I still do them. I might not show those photos, I do them, but less often. It is purely due to my mental state. But with all that, a lot

29:10

Speaker A

of people are now creating high-quality , truthful content, even with nudity. And it takes huge talent to show sexuality at a time when everyone is just dying, torn apart from within.

29:32

Speaker A

Because for me, sexuality and unhappiness very often don't mix. They don't connect. To me, sexuality is a mystery, it's desire. How many people are desiring anything right now? Very few. You can ask gynecologists about this. Every second woman has a problem

29:55

Speaker A

now. Because women perceive so much through their eyes. We see so many horrors. I think it’s not even a question of desire, but of the ability to feel. I notice in myself too that a lot of sensory perception, even on a mundane

30:14

Speaker A

level, is disappearing. And on one hand , this happens because you block something in yourself, because you, for example, don't want to get too upset about something. You restrain yourself in that, and consequently, you restrain yourself in other sensations. And that

30:30

Speaker A

is also very important. Photography is such a natural thing. When you pose for a photo, you pose as what you have been watching. If you listen to pop music, if you like all sorts of things, then you pose like

30:47

Speaker A

this and that. But when you constantly look at something beautiful, at art, when you are capable of seeing it, processing it within yourself, and broadcasting it, then that is what your creativity is in general.

31:06

Speaker A

Uh-huh. Tell me, I still want to manage to talk about the Ukrainian language, because the issue of Russification of Ukrainians is quite relevant, unfortunately, even now in 2026, and perhaps even more so. I have a small example. My husband told me he was in

31:30

Speaker A

Dnipro, and he went into a store, bought something, and was signing up for some discount card. It was about a loyalty program. And they asked for his date of birth. He gave the date and said the month was "kvitien"(April).

31:45

Speaker A

And the confusion of the girl, who was, well, around 20-something, just by her looks. The person didn't know what " kvitien" was. And this, it seems to me, is very telling on different levels.

31:58

Speaker A

One could speak about the education system here, actually. Well, how can someone, having obviously finished school, not know the names of the months in Ukrainian? I mean, how is that possible? Uh, one could speak, again, about a certain bias. Or perhaps

32:13

Speaker A

it's a matter of principle. I don't want to know the Ukrainian language. Well, let's assume that can happen too.

32:19

Speaker A

It could just be a person who, well, doesn't think about it. Perhaps it isn't important to them, based on your feelings. And in particular, speaking about these stereotypical views of Ukraine, saying that, like, the east is more Russified, the west less so, and

32:34

Speaker A

the center is somewhere in between. How do you see that now? And is this actually an important issue for you? Is it a matter of principle? How do you view this story? I fought so much within myself and was so harsh about

32:50

Speaker A

the language and its speakers that now I understand, well, first and foremost, you shouldn't pressure people. Everyone will come to it. These are the languages of our country. And everyone will come to it. We need to create as

33:09

Speaker A

many sources as possible where a person can draw this knowledge and want to move toward their native language. I get really outraged, for instance, when people on social media speak about Surzhyk with such disdain. It's also our language. I grew up with Surzhyk.

33:29

Speaker A

My friends from Kurhan and Agregat communicate in Surzhyk. Verka Serduchka broadcasts her art in Surzhyk. All of this has a right to exist, but we shouldn't destroy people. I hear these stories so often, that we don't want to

33:49

Speaker A

be pressured, that the more we are pressured...And that really outrages me . But where is the line between pressure and, I don't know, nurturing or perhaps advocacy? How do you see it?

34:06

Speaker A

Well, for example, if someone addresses you in Russian at a business, you can ask them not to address you in Russian, because at the legislative level, the native language should be Ukrainian. A lot of people do communicate, but, well, perhaps I'm

34:24

Speaker A

just soft and I believe that it will get better someday. Uh-huh. Rather, the point is that if you ask, someone might actually interpret that as pressure.

34:33

Speaker A

Well, figuratively speaking. But why can't I just speak however I want, however I... I don't think that will be perceived as pressure. I think that most people should feel ashamed that, especially in public spaces, I really want people to

34:51

Speaker A

switch to it consciously. Uh-huh. And I think the primary issue here is the issue of education in our country.

35:02

Speaker A

There should be more events, more programs, more attention drawn to this. Uh-huh. Because when it comes to stealing money, we are capable of all that, we have the strength and the means, but education...Well, it's very difficult with all of this.

35:19

Speaker A

Was it hard for you to switch completely to the Ukrainian language? It wasn't hard for me because we've spoken Surzhyk in our family our whole lives. And when I started reading, the Surzhyk became the foundation. I recently ran into this online where I

35:38

Speaker A

wrote in a post: "I'm currently at a ' myropryiemstvo'(event)," and the know-it-alls swarmed in, saying, " You're a Russian sympathizer, what is that word?" People, read more books and get familiar with different Ukrainian words. That word actually exists. And I

35:59

Speaker A

find it interesting and a bit charming. Why can't I use it? Hmm, well, I'm not sure that word exists, but it needs to be checked.

36:10

Speaker A

However, I very often write in Surzhyk on my social media as well. It's a part of my everyday life.

36:18

Speaker A

But that, I think, is our character. Maybe to each other, uh, selling tickets to the "Jackal Express" and things like that. I thought you were talking about Surzhyk, that it's our character. I adore Surzhyk. And look, if Surzhyk wasn't so close to every

36:35

Speaker A

person, we wouldn't love the artists who sing in Surzhyk so much. I already named those for you, as an example, who sing, whose art is close to every single person, not every second one, to every person. It's wonderful. Give it a

36:54

Speaker A

chance. Study, read old books. Read and hear the language in old books. We are the ones making the rules now. There will be rotten comments again, uh, about geography and so on. This isn't all for nothing. We are returning to

37:14

Speaker A

our native language, and the native language is diverse. It shouldn't be, a single object or phenomenon cannot be named by just one word. It should have a million words. A language is distinguished by the fact that it evolves. I am for evolution. Anyway,

37:35

Speaker A

okay. Let's sum up. Uh, let's talk about the dictation. About the dictation. We, we can't talk about it or reveal it. I am incredibly happy that I will be conducting this dictation with a teacher. In this interview, just like

37:53

Speaker A

in the last one, I want to support all teachers. And I am very lucky because Artur Proydakov is an incredibly charismatic person. I can't imagine how he captures the students 'attention. I can't imagine.

38:09

Speaker A

Thanks to his charisma, probably, thanks to his charisma. Today I sat and listened to the interview like I was a student myself. I am very happy. And I am very happy that they chose Artur Dron as the author. He is an incredibly

38:22

Speaker A

important figure for our nation, who conveys truly right values, who has survived his own terrible experience and infuses it into his work. We must give such people a chance to leave their mark on history. We must support them. I am very happy with such a

38:42

Speaker A

conscious choice of our culture today. I don't know who from... Could you tell us, please, which books you are working on in the near future, what we will be able to see in the app, and what the team is actually

38:58

Speaker A

developing? When I say our app is niche , I argue that by the fact that our selection of literature is limited only to Ukrainian literature. We do not work with foreign literature. We focus on and support our own. And for me, this

39:22

Speaker A

is a huge responsibility and a very clear understanding that we could potentially work more, receive more funding, for example. But we do everything on our own. I understand that we simply must support Ukrainian literature.

39:43

Speaker A

Uh-huh. Also, Ukrainian writers design our book covers. I really appreciate that as well. That is where I see the magic and the niche quality. Uh, what are our two tasks? First, we have our very cool mentor, Oleksiy Rafavych. He is a

40:05

Speaker A

famous Ukrainian literary critic, author of the "Crossroads" channel. That is where I realized that we need this person on our team. And he compiles a list for us, starting from the first "Aeneid" of Ukrainian classical literature, which we are

40:24

Speaker A

slowly uploading and recording with modern voices. I invite you to listen to the Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko almanac with the participants.

40:33

Speaker A

Uh-huh. It is just like a breath of fresh air. It is a new wave of something important and sincere, something that every Ukrainian is experiencing right now. Because we all wore this out in school. And how it was

40:53

Speaker A

under duress, you were forced to learn all of it. That's my 13th year. I want you to hear it in the voices of people who admire his work. As of now, what is your favorite among the classics?

41:10

Speaker A

Perhaps something you reread, or return to from time to time? It is hard for me, very hard, because we have, well, of course, Bahrianyi.

41:21

Speaker A

Uh-huh. I really love Bahrianyi and grew to love him because I had the opportunity to listen and absorb this experience from the reader who read it.

41:36

Speaker A

I really like Vynnychenko. "Notes of the Tricky Mephistopheles." Pidmohylnyi . It is simply a treasure. He is a bearer of such beautiful Ukrainian language. And I even made it a hallmark of our app that Pidmohylnyi's short stories are read by famous Ukrainians

41:56

Speaker A

like Oleksiy Durniev, Dantes, Baidak, and we will continue recording more. I want this kind of literature, which was hidden from us all our lives and for which so much effort was put in so that Ukrainians wouldn't know it, wouldn't

42:12

Speaker A

know their own native literature. Well, that's that's a fear for me. It's a fear. I want it to be heard by those they know. Uh, you hear me there, you hear, and here they read to you. Okay.

42:27

Speaker A

And what are your plans for reading in the near future? Maybe I have something , uh, a little chair where I stack the books I'm going to read soon. So what books are those? I have I have a huge

42:41

Speaker A

haul from book, oh God, from Book Country, from Book Arsenal. Lord, I'm already done, I've been talking too much today, I'm already tired.

42:54

Speaker A

And I also want to reread this, uh, what can be recorded, we will record.

43:01

Speaker A

Uh, of course, the classics are in our queue. And when we run out of contemporary ones, I run to Oleksiy Rafalovych, and he makes up new lists for me. But I really want to focus on classical Ukrainian literature. It's

43:17

Speaker A

not there. It's not accessible in good quality. What have you read or listened to recently? Rather.

43:25

Speaker A

I don't listen to audiobooks. The format is difficult for me because I have to listen to so much for work. And for me, a chance to ground myself a little is to take a book and turn the pages, to read. And I am a consumer of

43:40

Speaker A

exactly that kind of content. This is so offensive to me. I tell my friends, and everyone says: "I like it to rustle. I don't like difficult literature that makes you cry. It's hard for me." Therefore, our task is to

44:00

Speaker A

make the audio format more accessible, more pleasant. I am already seeking out those voices. We have just opened a new format: Ukrainian poetry. We recorded the first collection by Nadiya Hlushkova. Modern Ukrainian poetry.

44:18

Speaker A

It's incredible; I invite everyone to listen to it. I want more poetry too. I want different people to read poetry, for it to be heard and known. This is generally a track format.

44:34

Speaker A

Well, poetry, it seems to me, is an even narrower audience. If we are talking about being niche, this is a niche within a niche.

44:40

Speaker A

I'm not worried about that. I really want people to devote time to poetry. I want poetry to heal and remind people that they need to stop and feel the moment. I keep telling people, I have this secret spot at home, uh, under an

45:01

Speaker A

apple tree. I sit down, there are apple and pear trees, and I sit in a chair, and that's it, no one bothers me. First of all, I'm not visible there. My bird doesn't tear the pages. Secondly, my dogs fall asleep, and I read to myself

45:17

Speaker A

and can cry if I'm sad. How do you read poetry? Do you read a collection, or do you read a poem and then the collection?

45:25

Speaker A

No, I read the collection out loud. By the way, I read, I read aloud, and it’s easier for me to perceive and understand if I’m keeping this poetry and will continue reading it. I share a lot on my TikTok, on Instagram, and on

45:40

Speaker A

my YouTube channel, where you can hear how I read. I want people—God, I don't want to upset those who love to get a kick out of a bottle, a bottle of Fragolino and the emerald sky. But I want people to stop for a little while

46:00

Speaker A

sometimes and listen to poetry. It is beautiful. Well, besides, these things can be combined, I think—the emerald sky and reading, reading poetry; they can absolutely be alternated. At the very end, to wrap up our conversation, I won't set any limits, like three or

46:19

Speaker A

five or one, but how about a recommendation of an author or a text from Dasha Astafieva for our audience?

46:27

Speaker A

I definitely recommend that all men read Pidmohylny. "The Sun Rises" is a very cool collection. "Garden of Gethsemane" should be read by every Ukrainian. I also highly recommend "The Tiger Trappers." Let’s read Lesya Ukrainka. For everyone who wants to

46:48

Speaker A

learn or recall authentic, cool Ukrainian words, Olena Pchilka, please, and the immortal Ivan Franko. " Crossroads." By the way, you’ll be able to hear "Werb" soon. And listen to poetry, both modern and classical.

47:05

Speaker A

Please, listen to poetry, get used to it. Ukrainian history. We all see how complex it is. Yes, it comes in waves.

47:15

Speaker A

Our parents lived through it; they suffered from a shortage of goods, from the inability to wear beautiful fashion . Today we suffer from a global problem , from a war that may become a world war. That is why we need to accustom

47:35

Speaker A

ourselves to painful sensations, to recalling things that are difficult to remember, but it is important. This is therapy and an adjustment for every conscious person.

47:48

Speaker A

Thank you so much for the conversation, thank you for your time, and I hope that the audio format will flourish, because it is truly a rather niche direction. People can relate to literature in very different ways. And to listening as well, but I sincerely

48:04

Speaker A

root for the success of this format. It is truly something we are missing. Thank you. Thank you very much.

48:10

Speaker A

Thank you. As for me, as always, I can only hope that we will meet with you here again next time.

Topics: Dasha Astafieva Ukrainian literature radio dictation Underbooks project Ukrainian culture personal growth cultural responsibility modern prose family traditions national identity

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