Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 6:30 PM
2 East 79th Street  New York, NY 10075

Book signing and light reception to follow.

General admission: $25 / UIA Annual Friend: $20 / UIA Member $15

Modern wars are no longer won by tanks and missiles alone. In Ukraine, an equally consequential battle rages in the information sphere – one fought with disinformation, psychological operations, cyber warfare, and strategic messaging. In The Propaganda Manual of the Ukraine War, Thomas Kent takes readers inside this hidden front, where belief itself has become a weapon capable of shaping the war’s outcome.

His central argument moves beyond the familiar charge that Russia lies. Yes, the Kremlin runs a vast propaganda machine, suppressing dissent at home while working to influence opinion abroad. But Kent shows the information war is far larger than Russian deception alone. Russians must be convinced their country can still win. Ukrainians must keep believing they can defeat a much larger adversary. Western publics must be persuaded that backing Ukraine is worth the cost – without committing their own troops. In each case, belief is not mere commentary on the war; it is a force that shapes policy, and therefore shapes the war itself.

Drawing on extensive research, Kent examines forged websites, hacked broadcasts, manipulated algorithms, and covert influence campaigns – along with darker tactics like infrastructure strikes and Kremlin-directed violence in Western Europe, both aimed at shaping perception as much as inflicting damage. He assesses each side’s successes and failures, and offers concrete recommendations for how Western nations can better wage – and defend against – the propaganda war.

Essential for anyone following Ukraine, NATO, cyber conflict, or the future of information warfare, this book reveals the invisible battlefield where the war may ultimately be decided.

Thomas Kent is a specialist on propaganda, journalism, and the world information war. He had a long international career at The Associated Press, including as Moscow bureau chief, chief correspondent in Tehran during the 1979 Islamic revolution, and head of AP’s international service. Until 2018, he was president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, based in Prague. He now teaches at Columbia University and consults for governments, NGOs, and corporations on information operations and Russian affairs. His latest book, The Propaganda Manual of the Ukraine War was published in August by the American Foreign Policy Council, where he is the senior fellow for strategic communications.

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To have a copy of the book signed, The Propaganda Manual of the Ukraine War  will be available for purchase ($38.00) at the Ukrainian Institute of America the evening of the event.

By purchasing a book from the UIA, you are supporting its continued cultural and educational programming and the further enjoyment of its unique events by our friends and community along New York’s Museum Mile.

For further information: Please contact the Ukrainian Institute of America at (212) 288-8660 or mail@ukrainianinstitute.org.

Photo of Thomas Kent courtesy of the author. All rights reserved.

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Title: The Propaganda Manual of the Ukraine War: Information Warfare by Russia, Ukraine, and Western Nations: Lessons Learned for Future Conflicts

Author: Thomas Kent
Publisher: AFPC Press / Armin Lear Press (August 3, 2026)
Hardcover: 488 pages
ISBN-10: 1968919481
ISBN-13:  978-1968919481
tem Weight: 1.43 pounds
Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches

Gather with friends of the Institute in our historic Fifth Avenue home for a festive cocktail reception, seated dinner, distinguished honors, and silent auction, followed by a late-night celebration. This signature evening provides essential support for the cultural initiatives that make us Where the World Meets Ukraine.

Guests may attend with an individual ticket or deepen their impact through a Gala sponsorship. Sponsors receive prominent recognition, Gala entry, and exclusive benefits at select levels—while becoming integral partners in keeping Ukraine at the forefront of global discussions. Explore the sponsorship opportunities below to find the level that is right for you. 

Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM
2 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10075
Dress: Festive Ukrainian – Black tie optional

The website will be updated soon with information on program and honorees.

European Voices: Bach, Berezovskyi and Bortniansky
Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 7:00 PM 

Music at the Institute (MATI) presents an evening bringing together the music of Ukrainian composers  Maksym Berezovskyi (1745-1777) and Dmytro Bortnianskyi (1751–1825)  with the sonatas of J. S. Bach. Born in Hlukhiv, Berezovski and Bortnianski built remarkable careers in Europe’s major musical centers, becoming leading figures of Ukraine’s 18th-century musical “Golden Age.” Heard alongside Bach, their works reveal a shared mastery of counterpoint and highlight Ukraine’s deep and enduring place within the European classical tradition. 

Violinist Solomiya Ivakhiv and harpsichordist Andrew Rosenblum unite to perform a program pairing masterpieces by J.S. Bach, Maksym Berezovski and Dmytro Bortnianski. 

Honoring the memory of author and poet Yuriy Tarnawsky, a long standing and active member of the UIA. The evening is generously supported by the Tarnawsky family. 

The MATI program is a ticketed event and advance registration is requested. A light reception will follow the concert.

General Admission: $30
UIA Friends, Seniors, and Students: $25
UIA Members: $20

PROGRAM
J. S. Bach
Sonata No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014, for violin and harpsichord

Maksym Berezovskyi
Sonata in C major, for violin and piano

Dmytro Bortnianskyi
Sonata in F major, for harpsichord

J. S. Bach
Sonata No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017, for violin and harpsichord

J. S. Bach
Sonata No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019c, for violin and harpsichord

PERFORMED BY

Solomiya Ivakhiv, violin
Andrew Rosenblum, harpsichord

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Solomiya Ivakhiv, Professor of Violin and Viola and Head of Strings at the University of Connecticut, and Professor of Violin at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, was named a Merited Artist of Ukraine (2021). She is Artistic Director of Music at the Institute (MATI) in New York and the Caspian Music Festival in Vermont. Her recordings for NAXOS, Brilliant Classics, and Centaur feature both Ukrainian composers and major classical repertoire, and she is a dedicated champion of new music with numerous world premieres to her credit.

Andrew Rosenblum enjoys a multifaceted career as a pianist and harpsichordist, having performed at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and The Kennedy Center. A prize winner at the 2018 International Bach Competition Leipzig and the 2017 Prague Spring International Music Competition, he has appeared as harpsichord soloist with the Leipziger Barockorchester, Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra, Collegium 1704, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Passionate about new music and lesser-known works, he has served on the Piano Faculty of the Heifetz International Music Institute since 2015.

IN MEMORIAM 

Yuriy Tarnawsky (1934–2025), a Ukrainian-American poet, writer, linguist, translator, and scholar whose extraordinary life and work connected Ukrainian cultural heritage with the experimental artistic world of postwar New York. A cofounder of the New York Group, he published some forty volumes of poetry, fiction, drama, essays, and translations in Ukrainian and English. His work was deeply shaped by Ukrainian language and heritage, as well as by his lifelong engagement with experimentation, linguistics, and music. A trained engineer and linguist, he worked in artificial intelligence at IBM and later taught Ukrainian literature and culture at Columbia University. His literary work drew inspiration from music, including the structures of J. S. Bach, and he wrote the libretto for Ukrainian-American composer Virko Baley’s opera Not Medea. Tarnawsky was awarded Ukraine’s Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise in 2008 and was inducted into the NCE 100 Hall of Fame in 2019. His literary archive is preserved at Columbia University.