"Bavovna" Thunders by the Laws of History. What Can’t Ukrainians Forgive? "Nuclear" Poland to Demand Reparations, and Dog Sleds Dash Toward NATO…
Articles | 18 February, 2026 at 13:11 | 782 | Author: By Olena Zelenina, сartoon by Olexandr Sydorenko
Cartoon by Olexandr Sydorenko.
Geneva. A Hotel. Medinsky sits at a table with a mountain of archival folders before him. Budanov enters in a black suit, sits down opposite him in silence, and stares intently without blinking. Medinsky (nervously adjusting his glasses): — Kyrylo Oleksiyovych, I have prepared a 400-page briefing here. We shall begin with the Ruriks, then move smoothly to the Pechenegs, and conclude with the legitimacy of the 1913 borders...
Budanov (continuing to bore into him with his gaze): — Vladimir Rostislavovich, I have only one question for you.
Medinsky (with hope): — An historical one? Regarding our common roots?
Budanov: — No. Regarding your apartment. When you left today, did you turn off the iron?
Medinsky: — I think so... why do you ask?
Budanov (slightly smiling with one corner of his mouth): — It’s just that in three minutes, according to the schedule, you’re due for some bavovna* over there. And by the laws of history, it’s going to be louder than your speech!
Translator's Note:
Russian officials often use the word "khlopók" (a bang/pop) to downplay explosions. In Russian, the word for "cotton" is spelled the same way but pronounced differently ("khlópok"). Ukrainians ironically translated "cotton" into the Ukrainian word bavovna, making it a popular slang term for successful strikes on enemy targets.
This review of world media is written against the backdrop of the third round of negotiations between the US, Ukraine, and Russia, aimed at ending the war. The stakes are particularly high for Kyiv, which is facing pressure from Washington to agree to a deal.
Read more in the Ukrainian edition....
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