James Verini — The Theater
War correspondent James Verini discusses his reporting on atrocities in Ukraine — and what it means to bear witness to crimes that may never be prosecuted.
Why we picked this
Verini spent years embedded with US forces in Afghanistan for his first book — this one brings the same moral rigor to Ukraine, at a moment when attention to the war is fading and documentation is urgently needed.
James Verini’s The Theater draws on years of reporting from Ukraine to document the atrocities of the Russian invasion — the destruction of civilian infrastructure, the targeting of cultural sites, the evidence of war crimes that may never reach a courtroom. Verini, a contributing writer for National Geographic and The New York Times Magazine, is one of the most serious war correspondents working today, known for extended immersive reporting rather than parachute journalism.
His first book, They Will Have to Die Now, followed US and Iraqi forces in the battle for Mosul and was praised for its combination of granular reporting and moral intelligence. The Theater brings that same approach to a conflict that has receded from Western media attention even as its consequences continue to compound.
This Wharf event is an opportunity to hear from someone who has spent sustained time in Ukraine beyond the initial invasion coverage. For anyone who wants to understand what is actually happening — rather than what fits a news cycle — Verini’s testimony-grounded reporting offers something rare.