William Fleeson is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. He’s a graduate of Columbia and Georgetown universities, and has spent a year reporting from Ukraine since the start of the war in 2022. Follow him on Substack at Travel for Real: Places, Books, Strong Feelings.
Forty years after the Chernobyl disaster, the meltdown’s hidden toll and the Soviet government’s secrecy helped fuel public distrust—and a growing demand for truth that reshaped an empire. WORLD’s William Fleeson reports.
William Fleeson | In southeast Ukraine, soldiers struggle to hold the line—and maintain morale
William Fleeson | The vestiges of communism still plague Moldova 35 years after the Soviet Union’s collapse
TRENDING | Younger travelers prioritize experiences over traditional sightseeing
IN THE NEWS | Internal political dysfunction complicates progress toward peace in Ukraine
Security guarantees and land rights remain sticking points for both sides
William Fleeson | Disdain for Western democracy solidifies a new autocratic coalition
In war-torn Ukraine, one couple responds to Russia’s persecution by adopting children and planting churches
William Fleeson | Inside the Russian campaign to purge Christians from occupied Ukrainian territory
William Fleeson | Massive, youth-led rallies show cracks in country’s wartime unity
