The Untold, Inspiring History Behind Mrs. Orwell That Terrifies the Kremlin

Gaslit Nation

News, Politics, Society & Culture

4.7 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 8 April 2026

⏱️ 65 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As Donald Trump holds the world hostage with his sloppy Iran War, and JD Vance campaigns for Orban, the Kremlin's weapon in Hungary, Gaslit Nation returns to a shared family history of resistance. Andrea is joined this week by the brilliant artist Maya Hayuk to break down the story behind Andrea's new graphic novel, Mrs. Orwell. Born from a decade of research into the Holodomor, Stalin's genocide famine in Ukraine, Mrs. Orwell is a monument to an unsung heroine of literature and the truth the Kremlin tried to bury.

We also cover the horrifying reality of the current front lines of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where the UNESCO heritage site of L'viv's ancient city center was bombed by Russia while the U.S. sleepwalks through yet another "war of choice." While we share the intense rage of seeing Ukrainians having to bailout Trump and Vance in Iran, we remain focused on the agency of the people. The oligarch mafia model, which relies on apathy, despair, and nihilism, is being challenged by a culture of defiance.

We end with a miraculous artifact: a 1947 Ukrainian translation of Animal Farm discovered in both Andrea and Maya's families. This book, distributed in post-WWII refugee camps, is a sign that the spirit of rebellion cannot be extinguished. We refuse to be "useful idiots" for the transnational crime network; we have each other, and we are going to build a better world from the ashes.

For our bonus episode out later this week, we take a closer look at JD and Usha Vance's trip to Hungary to serve the Kremlin, and the latest hellscape headlines. To listen, subscribe to our Patreon at the Truth-Teller level ($5/month) or higher. For more on the Ukrainian refugee camp Animal Farm, read Andrea's book Orwell and The Refugees: The Untold Story of Animal Farm, which Patreon supporters at the Truth-teller ($10/month) and up level get for free.

Your support gives us the freedom to tell the truth–thank you for making Gaslit Nation possible!

Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit

Show Notes:

Maya Hayuk's artwork: https://www.instagram.com/mayahayuk/

Join our April 13 book launch and live-taping to celebrate Mrs. Orwell. Patreon supporters get in free! https://powerhousearena.com/events/book-launch-mrs-orwell-by-andrea-chalupa-in-conversation-with-nomiki-konst/

Orwell and The Refugees: The Untold Story of Animal Farm https://www.amazon.com/Orwell-Refugees-Untold-Story-Animal-ebook/dp/B007JNKF5G

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join on Patreon
The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult. Join on Patreon
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect. Join on Patreon
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join. Join on Patreon
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group. Join on Patreon
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome to Gaslight Nation, a show about corruption America and rising autocracy worldwide, as the world waits to see if it's going to be destroyed by trust fund kid six-time bankrupt,
0:23.3	convicted felon, Russian asset, serial predator, Donald Trump in the next 48 hours in his
0:32.5	terrifying, sloppy war against Iran, holding the whole world hostage, we are going to get into all of that,
0:40.9	including J.D. and Ushah Vance's trip to Hungary to save Orban in the fight for his political life,
0:49.8	because if he loses this election, gets out of power, it's prison time for Orban.
0:55.1	It's springtime for Hitler.
0:56.4	And I want to remind everyone that Hungary, Orban's Hungary, is the Kremlin's agent in the EU.
1:04.1	There's been several investigations confirming that, including a recent one,
1:08.3	showing how Orban's government was on the phone with the Kremlin, doing everything
1:13.3	they could to weaken EU sanctions designed to try to stop Russia's genocidal invasion of Ukraine.
1:20.9	So J.D. Vance and Ushah Vance are directly serving the Kremlin by openly campaigning for Victor Orbit and Hungary.
1:29.2	That is what's going on there.
1:30.8	So we're going to discuss all this and more.
1:32.8	And we are also developing a big old episode on the women, the women who enabled Jeffrey Epstein's elite criminal cabal that is coming up for you next week based on a request by a
1:47.3	Gaslit Nation listener on Patreon. Deborah, you know who you are. So I'm very excited to bring that
1:53.4	to you. For this week, we have a special conversation with Ukrainian American artist Maya Hayuk. Her
2:00.1	paintings have such a strong signature.
2:03.1	So you have to go to the show notes and look at her Instagram and just be wowed by the beautiful
2:08.1	blossoming colors of happiness in springtime all over her artwork, which has been a defining
2:13.2	contribution to New York City's art scene for 20 plus years now. I've long time been a fan of hers.
2:19.9	Maya and I recently finally met at a party for Rosam for Ukraine. And it was a huge honor of my life.
2:26.2	And so we came together for this conversation to take stock in where we are in the world today,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Gaslit Nation, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Gaslit Nation and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.