Valentina Kosiyeva, a 93-year-old Russian woman Brooks interviewed during the 1991 attempted coup, had experienced every catastrophe of Soviet history (nearly executed under Stalin, husbands sent to Gulag, sons killed in WWII, internal exile) yet was defending democratic Russia at the moment of crisis, exemplifying resilience and commitment to ideals despite extreme suffering.
factualpending
Speaker
David BrooksEvidence Quote
“I met a woman who was handing out sandwiches to the democratic protesters to defend Russian democracy. She was 93 years old. Her name was Valentina Kosiyeva... Every bad thing that happened in Soviet history happened to her.”
Source
How America Recovers from All This | Yale Conversations with David Brooks | Yale University— Yale Jackson School of Global AffairsCreated: 8/12/2026, 6:23:19 PM
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