On June 30, the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University (HURI) announced that Serhii Plokhii, a renowned historian of Ukrainian and Eastern European history, is stepping down from his position as director after 12 years. Plokhii, who has lived in Ukraine for 35 years, expressed his deep gratitude for the role he has played in the Institute’s mission to advance knowledge about Ukraine and the broader region. His farewell message highlighted both the challenges of recent years, including the complexities of the war in Ukraine, and the opportunities provided by institutions like HURI to contribute to scholarly understanding.
Founded in 1973 through the support of the Ukrainian-American community, HURI has been the leading academic institution in the United States dedicated to the study of Ukraine and its history, culture, and politics. Under Plokhii’s leadership, the Institute saw significant growth, including the launch of the Temerty Contemporary Ukraine Program in 2019. This initiative became a central point in HURI’s academic response to the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in 2022. The program focuses on contemporary issues in Ukraine, providing a platform for research and discussion on the country’s political and societal developments.
The incoming director of HURI, Terry Martin, is a scholar of Soviet history and professor of Russian studies at Harvard. Martin will take over the leadership of the institute in the next academic year, continuing its mission of promoting research and scholarship on Ukraine. Plokhii’s tenure at HURI has marked a period of substantial contribution to academic discourse on Ukraine, with his writings and research shaping public and scholarly understanding of the country’s history and its role in Eastern Europe.
Throughout his career, Plokhii has written several influential books on Ukrainian and Eastern European history, including ‘The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine’ and ‘The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union.’ These works have brought significant recognition to his scholarship and have played a key role in educating the global audience about Ukraine’s complex history. Plokhii’s departure marks the end of a significant chapter in HURI’s history and signals a new phase of leadership for the Institute as it continues to support Ukrainian scholarly and cultural interests in the United States.