Aleksievich in Barcelona: Ukraine will win war because 'time goes against dictators'

Svetlana Aleksievich is sure Ukraine will win the war against Russia because "time goes against dictators," as she said in Barcelona three days after Vladimir Putin turned 70.

In a press conference on Monday, she said that Kyiv will inflict a "military defeat" on Moscow and praised the Ukrainian army, admitting that she thought the "war would not last long."

Yet, just a few hours before receiving the Catalonia International Prize from the Catalan president, Pere Aragonès, the journalist who won the Nobel Literature Prize in 2015 expressed "concern" at the possibility that Putin "presses the nuclear button."

According to her, the Russian leader aims to "destroy Ukraine," does not mind how many people will die because of the conflict, and may also target Poland and the Baltic states.

'Propaganda' prevents revolution in Russia

The journalist said that "ten years of propaganda" by the Kremlin is one of the reasons to understand why the escalation has ended up in a war.

For her, "if the propaganda continues," a change in Russia will not be possible.

"People in Russia has given up thinking

Svetlana Aleksievich

Journalist and writer

"The people has given up thinking," she pointed out. And meanwhile, "Russian elites are all abroad" in exile while no alternative leaders are left in the country – except for figures such as Alexey Navalny behind bars.

The author of books such as Boys in Zinc, and The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II, expressed scepticism at a possible revolution in Russia that would dethrone Putin.

Russia is not ready for a change

Svetlana Aleksievich

Journalist and writer

"It is not a country ready for a change," she said, emphasizing that unlike Belarus, Russia has not witnessed a revolution in the past few years.

The Belarusian-born writer believes that if Aleksandr Lukashenko's regime where to get involved in the war to back Russia a potential toll of thousands of deaths "would cause an explosion" of discontent and a possible revolution in Belarus – yet, she does not think the former USSR republic will get involved in the conflict.

But this is not likely to happen in Russia even with dozens of thousands of fatalities due to its size, "so it would not be the spark that would ignite the bonfire."

Hope for young people

The only hope she has is young people, given that according to her, "they do not want to join the war."

"Young people do not want to go to war, and their parents tell them that they are traitors, that they have to go to war and comply with their duty."

Aleksievich awarded by Catalan government

Aleksievich received the prestigious Catalonia International Prize, given by the Catalan government, on Monday evening.

The Catalonia International Prize has been awarded annually since 1989 to people who have contributed to developing cultural, scientific, and human values around the world through their creative work. With the award, the Catalan government wants to recognize and stimulate creators, and offer Catalans examples of the highest quality.

During her career, Alexievich has crafted her own unique genre and style of literary non-fiction writing often described as "novels of voices," based on investigative journalism and oral storytelling, to convey dramatic events in the history of the Soviet Union through the voices of ordinary people who lived through them.

On Tuesday, she will be participating in the Barcelona city council's Biennal of Thought event this year where she will be speaking about Eastern Europe.