POV: You Explain Why Kyiv ≠ Kiev for the 847th Time This Trip

05/23/25 • 60 min

What do staring down Russians in airports, being mistaken for Russian speakers, and discovering Lithuania's obsession with herbal liquors have in common? This episode.This week, Masha and Yulia share their wild travel adventures outside Ukraine's war bubble. From Yulia's anti-disinformation fellowship in Vilnius to awkward encounters with Putin-defending Russians living comfortably abroad, they break down the culture shock of leaving a war zone.They also dive into why Europeans still can't spell Kyiv correctly, the trauma of hotel staff assuming you speak Russian after seeing your Ukrainian passport, and how Lithuanian military takes disinformation seriously (but maybe not seriously enough).Plus: 17-hour solo drives thanks to the "brotherly" nation, making new friends through mutual Russian-bashing, Soviet architectural remnants, and why asking your American neighbors for sugar will get you three-headed stares.🎯 New episodes every week where we unmask the headlines, the hypocrisy, and ourselves — one existential laugh at a time.——🧭 Find us here:Masha Yulia ——🍺 Buy Luki Gin hereUSE CODE unmasking10 for a 10% discount

Previous Episode

How to Dress for a Missile Strike & Other Ukrainian Life Hacks

What do peace talks, the Pope, Eurovision, and the fear of sleeping naked in wartime Ukraine have in common? This episode.This week, Masha and Yulia break down the absurdity of so-called “peace talks” between Russia and Ukraine, the strange rise of a Pope with a suspicious backstory, and why religious institutions should maybe... sit this one out.They also share how working in media during war affects their day-to-day, from debating which side of Kyiv might be safer from missile strikes to bringing your camera home “in case you survive the attack.”Plus: naked rescue nightmares, Eurovision controversies, Hungarian spies, and the Soviet Union literally falling from space.🎧 New episodes every week where we unmask the headlines, the hypocrisy, and ourselves — one existential laugh at a time.——🧭 Find us here:Masha Yulia

🍺 Buy Luki Gin here

USE CODE unmasking10 for a 10% discount ——00:00 – Your weekly dose of chaos + Intro 01:00 – Istanbul: where peace talks go to die05:00 – When Bob became Pope (yes, that Bob)10:00 – Jesus said don't kill... unless?17:00 – Living that missile alert lifestyle22:00 – Death preferences: a casual discussion26:00 – Wardrobe tips for sudden strikes27:30 – Soviet space junk: the gift that keeps on giving29:00 – Hungary took 'watching' too literally36:00 – Eurovision: where politics meet sparkles44:00 – Lithuania tea & other cliffhangers