Ukraine, Russia and Vladimir Putin

Program Details

The Russian attack on Ukraine and the Ukrainians’ amazing resistance is one of the most extraordinary events of our lifetime. Its impact will resonate throughout the world for decades to come. For over a decade Barry has been studying Russian and Ukrainian history, travelling extensively in both countries. He is in daily contact with Ukrainian friends and follows the war closely, on a political and military level. This presentation shows wartime life in the Ukrainian City of Odessa and then moves on to a trip to Moscow to view the 70th anniversary parade of Russia’s winning of the Great Patriotic War (WWII). Barry will explain the character and history of the Russian people which has led to this criminal war, and discuss the personality of Vladimir Putin, a leader who is the ultimate symbol of Russia’s inability to deal with its turbulent past. FEE: Free for Patrons SCHEDULE: Thursday, January 30 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM FORMAT: This is an online event. A link will be emailed to participants one day before the event. PRESENTER Barry Lane, born in Regina, Saskatchewan, studied history at the Royal Military College of Canada and served as a UN Captain in Egypt. He has lived in Quebec City since 1976, speaks English and French fluently, and is conversant in Russian and Italian. Co-founder of Mendel Tours in 1984, Barry organized academic travel for major U.S. universities and museums. Specializing in British colonial and maritime history, he has lectured widely on rail trips across Canada and cruises along the St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes, and the Caribbean. In 1991, Barry received the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry prize for his children’s book Ce jour-là en Nouvelle-France. Now retired, he authored Canadian Pacific and the Golden Age of Travel, exploring the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He continues to lecture on cruises and trains.