Back to the USSR: Russia and Ukraine

<p>As border tensions continue to build, our Russia editor looks back to the fall of the Soviet Union to explain why Russia has <a href="https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2021/12/18/why-russia-has-never-accepted-ukrainian-independence?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">never accepted</a> Ukraine’s independence. Eating out has only become more expensive through the decades, yet the diners keep coming; we examine the long history and <a href="https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2021/12/18/an-economic-history-of-restaurants?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economics of restaurants</a>. And our staff <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/12/11/the-best-books-of-2021?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">picks</a> for 2021’s best books.</p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>