0:00

Hello and welcome to storytelling podcast week.

0:03

This is pod beans, head of events norma jean Belenky and I'm here to tell you a little bit about today's interview.

0:09

It's a replay of a livestream interview we conducted last week with journalist and podcaster Starsky and producer Stevie,

0:16

man's Yuri and Stevie have been working on a podcast called Fighting for Ukraine where Yuri shares his experience on the ground as a member of the Territorial Defense army in Ukraine,

0:26

fighting for their freedom steve is based in new york and they both spoke about what it was like to create this body of work and Yuri really shared what his experience has been like on the ground,

0:37

the day to day what his hopes are and so much more.

0:41

When we reached out to Yuri, we originally had wanted to schedule this interview in april and he mentioned he's in an active war zone and he doesn't know what's going to happen.

0:49

After we conducted this interview with Yuri, he had to leave Kiev and won't be back or publishing episodes until possibly later this week at the earliest.

0:58

So we wish harry all the best and you'll be able to find the link for fighting for Ukraine as well as the go Fund me campaign to support your e in the show notes for this episode.

1:09

Thank you again for joining us, storytelling podcast week is brought to you by Pod Bean where a podcast hosting and monetization platform and home to over 600,000 podcasts.

1:18

Thank you for joining us for this very special episode.

1:20

We're glad you're here. Hello everyone.

1:24

Hello and welcome to this special storytelling podcast week live interview today for everyone joining us here live and for the replay.

1:33

We're joined today by your email, Starsky and Stevie Man's.

1:36

Yuri is a Ukrainian journalist based in Kiev who has spent the majority of his career covering war zones and has teamed up with Stevie Man's,

1:44

a podcast consultant and producer based out of the U.

1:46

S. To create the podcast fighting for Ukraine that documents Yuri's daily experience on the front lines of the war in Ukraine.

1:53

And they've been gracious, gracious enough to join us live here today to speak about your experience on the front lines and documenting the situation and realities on the ground.

2:02

So hello and welcome remote.

2:05

Starsky and Stevie Man's. Hello and thank you very much for thank you very much for interesting in our first thank you very much for for for all you have done for Ukraine to help out us in our fight.

2:18

Thank you. Okay, Absolutely.

2:21

And so yuri, for for those of us watching around the world.

2:24

Tell us a little bit about what's happening for you right now.

2:28

Uh right now I'm I'm serving as a soldier as a private soldier in a territorial defense units almost a month ago tomorrow.

2:38

It will be, you know, the month I decided to join.

2:42

It was the second day of the war. I volunteered to join the territorial defense units.

2:47

It's a part of the Ukrainian armed force.

2:50

Uh, it's meant by people who are who you're the civilians,

2:56

you know, who have, who have no military experience or have been in the army years ago.

3:03

So there are no real profit profit serviceman in these units were men,

3:10

not only by men and women, uh,

3:13

live with peaceful background. So a month ago,

3:17

a month ago I was a journalist, but now for almost a month,

3:22

a month without one day, I'm a soldier in this.

3:25

In this unit. We have some kind of training we have,

3:28

you know, I've already got my my uniform first a couple of weeks,

3:32

I was, you know, I was reading all the civilian we don't have,

3:36

we don't need to, there is no,

3:38

you know any order to be a uniform of not any order to wear um military boots.

3:45

We have only one order is to to have our rifle service with us.

3:49

Now I have in my rifle with me and my uniform with me and our platoon,

3:56

our platoon is already uh involved in a,

4:01

in a standoff with the Russians in one of the Cuban suburbs.

4:06

So we have some kind of authorization.

4:10

So one of our comrades is MS Guardian streets of Kiev and at the same time our our comrades is serving on the,

4:21

on the front lines protecting the professional serviceman from,

4:26

you know, from the attacks from the rear and uh,

4:30

from the flanks. So very soon it would be also my turn to go to the suburb.

4:36

It would be my turn to to face uh uh to face Russian directly,

4:42

wow, okay. And it it sounds like your unit like you mentioned people in in your unit had different jobs a month ago.

4:51

I mean your journalists, what are some of the other jobs that the people in your direct unit are previously?

4:58

Did I can tell you, First of all,

5:01

I joined the territorial defense units.

5:05

The with with my colleague we have before the war we have had our own daily radio show.

5:12

So we worked together for a couple of years and we both joined all defense units.

5:20

We both volunteered to go to the army.

5:23

We also have in our unit of a guy who is one of most famous Ukrainian playwrights of modern times.

5:31

We have some kind of very interesting story about him,

5:34

one of the largest United States magazine,

5:38

I don't remember was it new york or something like that because you know it was three weeks ago or something like that.

5:45

We discovered that he's this guy,

5:48

the writer we played right, he's serving as a private and one of the platoons.

5:53

So this guy, this guy guys guys from this uh from this magazine called us to the phone and said to us,

6:01

we really want to to talk to Marx,

6:03

can you please manage uh we can have a guy who is working for us and Kiev and he really wants to uh to meet with max and to make an interview with him to make some photos of him.

6:16

Can you please bring Marks to to this guy to talk to to us?

6:20

And I came to two marks. I told him you know,

6:24

you know the guys from new york at all uh trying to to to to find you,

6:29

we want to make an interview with you. We want to make some kind of huge article about your experience.

6:34

He's writing right now. He's writing some kind of script for fair to script about our platoon,

6:42

this guy. So he was he was standing he was guarding you know the doors,

6:48

the gates of our platoon. And he said,

6:50

oh, I don't know if I can go because you know,

6:53

I need to to stay here. I need to guide our com our comrades.

6:57

I need to to protect them. So maybe after my after my duty,

7:02

maybe after that I can I can go to talk to someone who are you know,

7:06

who came from from the United States to talk with me.

7:09

So we have this kind of guy in a in a neighboring platoon.

7:13

The platoon uh positions with which which had the position close to us.

7:19

We have for example, the guy who was the counselor of the one of the ministers over over Ukrainian government.

7:27

And he's very clown.

7:30

The clown guy who was a clown. Uh and he was a clown.

7:34

He's he's from a circus family.

7:36

So his parents. Yeah,

7:39

yeah, yeah. We have uh,

7:42

we have a young girl who was uh biologist in the peacetime.

7:49

Um, we have a girl who was a makeup artist before the war.

7:54

Uh, we have in our platoon,

7:57

the guy who was a millionaire,

7:59

he's a businessman. He was a millionaire,

8:01

real millionaire with the millions of dollars,

8:04

you know, so a lot of people from,

8:07

from very different, you know, background and we've we've very different origins.

8:14

So we have Ukrainians, we have Russians in our platoon.

8:18

We have some crimean tartars in our platoon with people from different religious backgrounds,

8:26

you know, from that. That's some kind,

8:29

you know, of, of Ukrainian miniature.

8:31

But that's because, you know, hundreds of hundreds of thousands,

8:37

tens of thousands, at least. People volunteered to join territorial defense units.

8:44

That's incredible. So it really sounds like it's such uh,

8:47

an array of people from,

8:50

you know, the the span of what a society has,

8:53

right? Like a someone who works in the civil government,

8:57

you're a journalist, a playwright, a makeup artist,

8:59

a professional clown from a circus.

9:01

Like it's really, it's really kind of a mixed,

9:04

a really mixed group in your platoon.

9:06

And I think that really is representative of how the Ukrainian people have come together in this moment to fight for Ukraine.

9:15

Um, and and many people are saying that the Ukrainian people have truly risen to the historic moment in defending your country,

9:21

you know in so many ways.

9:24

So as the Ukrainian,

9:27

what are you most proud of as a Ukrainian?

9:30

You see, first of all, of course I'm proud of my people I'm proud of you know of all these you know all these internal borders disappeared immediately right after the war.

9:43

There is no any any you know any sports,

9:46

any any fights because of you know political views.

9:51

There is no any differences in religion,

9:54

there is no right now there is not any differences even in language.

9:58

It's you know, it's really painful question,

10:01

I'm so sorry, it's really painful question in Ukraine for for for a long time and the question of the language question now it's gone or you know,

10:10

we have as as I told you already we became some kind you know of not even one family,

10:17

we became one huge military unit.

10:20

Yeah, well called Ukraine men,

10:24

women older, younger,

10:26

we all of us became we became 11 huge military unit.

10:31

Yeah, no, I'm hearing that it's it's wow,

10:36

you know, I think when people see what's on the news,

10:38

it it doesn't really capture all the time,

10:41

the the human aspect of it and how people's lives which were so full,

10:46

you know, even a month ago with pedestrian things right of the day to day that everyone really has come together for one purpose and with one mission and that's to defend the country.

10:56

So it's really incredible.

10:59

And just also for for people who may be listening and that don't have context.

11:03

In the past you mentioned, there was like a language question of maybe which language people are using?

11:08

What are the languages that people are using on the ground?

11:10

The of course we have only one,

11:13

only one language,

11:16

which is state languages, Ukrainian language,

11:18

but historically,

11:20

a lot of people in, uh, eastern part of Ukraine and central parts of Ukraine,

11:26

historical, historical, but a lot of Russian speaking persons,

11:29

you know, and uh,

11:33

the presence of Russian speaking persons,

11:36

uh, Russia used as excuse for,

11:40

you know, for intruding in our local affairs in our in our deals.

11:47

So for a long time, you know,

11:49

it was some kind of, we have before,

11:52

we have a lot of pro Russian politicians in Ukraine.

11:56

For pro Russian parties, of course,

11:58

we're in such a, you know,

12:00

of decline right now. But no one cares what kind of language do you speak right now.

12:06

No one, no one cares if you are,

12:09

you know, if you are talking Russian or Ukrainian,

12:11

because because we have much more important things right now to do,

12:17

we have much, much more,

12:20

um, you know, much more difficult,

12:22

much more bloody things to do right now,

12:26

and to argue about what language do you need to use or what language you don't need to use.

12:33

Yes, absolutely. And thank you so much for providing that context.

12:36

I think people outside of the immediate region don't understand a lot of the nuances culturally that have been a large part of the country,

12:45

you know, as a whole and in its history,

12:48

in terms of in terms of people who aren't in Ukraine,

12:52

what do you wish everyone outside of Ukraine to know about what's going on?

12:59

I would like to say to you,

13:02

but you know, we are facing we are facing real genocide.

13:06

We are facing real genocide. Like it was,

13:08

you know, I can compare it to the genocide of Bosnian people during the war after the collapse of Yugoslavia.

13:16

I've been in in Sarajevo, maybe some of our listeners and viewers also been where survivor is the capital of uh Bosnia and Herzegovina.

13:28

And in the center of this obviously it's one of the most beautiful cities all over the world.

13:34

Believe me, it's it's really,

13:36

really beautiful city and every every park,

13:42

every green early in this beautiful city is full of of graves,

13:49

you know people are literally walking,

13:52

you know kids are literally running,

13:55

couples are literally kissing each other on the graveyard,

14:00

you know because everywhere is graves,

14:02

it's because we survived for almost four years was on the siege.

14:11

So with people who lived where they don't have access to any graveyards to any real graveyards to barry way beloved ones to barry way Children with parents.

14:23

So we we just we just dig graves where we found someplace too too too too too too,

14:31

by the way we loved ones. So exactly the same is now happening in a few citizen towns of Ukraine as exactly the same is right now while they're talking to you,

14:43

is happening for example, in a couple,

14:47

it's a city in Donbas Donbas region.

14:51

It's close to its own shore of a soft C and it's now it's destroyed by Russian rockets and Russian bombs.

15:00

It's almost completely destroyed.

15:03

And you know, just today,

15:06

I saw, I saw a picture,

15:09

you know, over note of some of the family members.

15:13

two other family members, No,

15:16

from from apple. This person wrote by hand,

15:20

you know, it's it's it's a person wrote uh,

15:25

when mama died at the beginning of March,

15:28

I couldn't find the place to Barak.

15:31

You're except for uh,

15:34

for our kids playground near the school.

15:38

And afterwards, you know,

15:40

after all these words, we was a scheme where to find of a grape right?

15:48

You you can you imagine it.

15:50

So these people who are telling you and telling us what we're come here to protect us from some kind of some kind of nazis or something like this.

16:02

We are killing civilians, people right now.

16:04

So civilians in Ukraine.

16:07

When it was in in Sarajevo to all the people said,

16:11

oh, it's it's it's impossible to see it really was terrible,

16:16

horrible story. But you know,

16:19

it's this story is repeating right now because,

16:23

well, well don't, you know, don't teach this lesson very carefully and we are facing the same way trying,

16:31

you know, we're trying to erase Ukraine and Ukrainians,

16:34

they don't want us to exist at all.

16:38

So, you know, as Putin wrote in his mad bloody articles,

16:42

but there is no such a thing like Ukrainian nation,

16:46

there is no such a thing like Ukrainians in his eyes and in the eyes of a bloody majority of Russians,

16:54

we are not real. You know, we're not real nation.

16:57

We are not real people. We are some kind of misguided Russians who need to be to be returned under Russian rule or destroyed.

17:10

Yeah. And I think being in the West,

17:13

I think we've heard some of that from that side.

17:15

And it's definitely something where, you know,

17:18

being in Ukraine on the ground while that's happening and not even being able to bury your dead is as you mentioned,

17:26

really, a human rights. Um,

17:29

yeah, it's really a moment, you mentioned also being in Sarajevo for the conflict that happened there and being a journalist on the ground.

17:38

So, in terms of seeing a similar situation in your own home country.

17:45

Um, and this question, I mean,

17:47

please answer how, how, how you feel. But has it provided you any additional insight or skills in terms of being able to communicate what's going on.

17:59

You know, I've been in survival after the war.

18:02

I've been in Sarajevo after decades decades.

18:07

Yeah, it was a decade after the war.

18:09

But I've been at our wars. I've been in Syria.

18:12

I've been in Iraq and Kyrgyzstan in Gaza Strip.

18:15

And of course I have some kind of experience working in such a,

18:19

such a condition. And I wanted to tell you what,

18:22

you know, I've been in Iraq and Mosul,

18:25

you're in offensive on this Mosul.

18:29

Wild Mosul was in the hands of ISIS.

18:32

So it was, you know, a little bit like World War because very different nations were in advanced capturing and the free liberating Mosul from um from ISIS,

18:47

we were guys from United States, we were local courts and their apps were you guys even from Canada from New Zealand.

18:54

So all the world were fighting against the ISIS.

18:57

And of course ISIS was also multinational forces in Mosul.

19:03

And when this offensive began,

19:08

uh I was I was with one of the platoon of the courts who were advancing uh right on the highway.

19:17

We were advancing through the highway to Mosul.

19:22

So when it was clearly but offensive is is now,

19:27

you know, it's it begins, its it began and it's clear that the fighting will,

19:33

you know, for Mosul will start soon.

19:36

IsIS let I think not with all but a lot of civilians left Mosul and suburbs of Mosul.

19:46

So I saw thousands of refugees who managed to flee Mosul.

19:54

And he's in the surroundings.

19:58

Russians, Russians are doing not the same.

20:03

We're doing the opposite. We are using civilians.

20:08

First of all, as you know,

20:11

it's some kind of uh living shield.

20:14

And we also, you know,

20:17

we are making some cities where we are targeting civilian districts.

20:23

We're targeting they are targeting schools.

20:28

Were targeting hospitals, including maternal maternity hospitals.

20:32

Uh, two weeks ago, two weeks ago,

20:35

a friend of mine from Kharkiv,

20:38

who was a historian previous previous time,

20:42

he said to me what for only two weeks of war,

20:48

Russia destroyed more buildings,

20:51

civilian buildings in Kharkiv for only two weeks more when Nazis destroyed during the whole Second World War.

21:00

And now it was two weeks ago.

21:03

Two weeks later. Right now,

21:05

the number of over destroyed buildings in Kharkiv doubled,

21:09

you see. So for a month of the war,

21:12

we destroyed twice more buildings in Kharkiv when Nazis did during the whole Second World war.

21:20

You know, my my my parents lived on the constant rocket fire and constant artillery shells in Kharkiv for more than when a week since the war began.

21:33

You know, we we spent a week without without electricity without water without anything and under constant fire.

21:42

So we don't have any opportunity even to leave the flat and to go to subway station where uh,

21:49

where shelter was located,

21:53

wow, okay. So it's definitely it's definitely different with the targeting of civilians on the ground.

21:58

I'll just re introduce you briefly, um,

22:00

for everyone who's joined live and watching the replay.

22:04

We're joined here today by your remote, Starsky and Stevie man.

22:08

Syria's Ukrainian journalist based in Kiev,

22:10

who spent the majority of his career covering war zones and has teamed up with Stevie Man's a podcast consultant and producer out of the U.

22:17

S. To create the podcast, fighting for Ukraine.

22:20

And that documents Yuri's daily experience on the front lines of the war in Ukraine.

22:24

So they're joined here today for this special livestream for storytelling podcast week.

22:28

I want to pivot a little bit and talk a little bit about fighting for Ukraine because you've been able to document the on the ground experience that you've had Um from March nine,

22:39

you know, from very early in what's been going on and to share daily with people around the world in the form of a podcast about what's been going on.

22:49

So, um and this question,

22:51

steve, I'd love if you if you jumped in as well,

22:54

um okay, you know,

22:58

what was the providing for Ukraine,

23:00

the podcast? Like, you know,

23:04

in such short notice, you know, creating um a show and and honestly,

23:10

I think of it almost like a like a a living narrative as as you know,

23:16

as you are sharing daily what's been going on.

23:21

Um what was, I mean, what was the impetus to create a podcast from from what's going on on the ground and how did it all come together so quickly?

23:32

Yeah. Oh yeah,

23:36

Stevie, let's start with you and then and then you jump in.

23:40

So you already sent an email um I think it was actually March 9 to a group of audio producers and consultants and said,

23:48

hello, my name is yuri only two weeks ago. I was a journalist but now I'm defending the army in Ukraine from Russian aggression.

23:54

I'm open for interviews, commentaries and I'm happy to collaborate to report on what's going on in Ukraine currently.

23:59

Excuse me? He said I have a notebook and recorder and I really want to record and write things all around me every day to be published for a western audience.

24:09

And as a podcast producer, I looked at that and said this is a daily podcast,

24:13

this is what it can be. And I responded to your e probably within about an hour of him sending it and said,

24:19

I think this is a podcast, do you want to do it? And he was so receptive and I'm so grateful for the trust that he put in me to go,

24:26

yeah, okay, go, go, go for this.

24:28

And I we suggested a couple of names. I came up with the cover and you really just said,

24:32

yeah, that's great. He sent me the first episode and we managed to have it published and up on Apple within about six hours of this initial conversation,

24:41

which I think, you know, if anyone's produced and published a podcast to get it up on Apple within six hours.

24:46

That's a that's a feat. It is. Yeah,

24:49

absolutely, absolutely. And um for those of you who are joining us live,

24:53

this is actually, I think the first time you two are connecting on video chat,

24:56

is that correct? Yeah.

24:58

It is, yeah, wow.

25:01

Yeah, incredible. And I think it's something where as you know,

25:05

being on the other side of the world,

25:08

it can be something where we all want to help or give back and and the way that you know you were able to contribute was really to work with yuri on this podcast.

25:17

So incredible.

25:19

Um and and your how did it come together from urine?

25:23

I mean how did the, you reached out to a group of podcast producers in new york.

25:28

But how did the idea to format your experience in a podcast come together for for a week of my life?

25:35

I've been just a soldier. You know, I don't have for for for a whole week,

25:39

I don't have any any experience and working as a journalist and talking to my foreign colleagues.

25:45

It was before um some of our commanders discovered within his platoon,

25:51

he have guys who had been a journalist,

25:54

you know, so my first my first weekend in the army was normal week,

25:59

I was manning the, you know the checkpoints,

26:01

I was pattern invested, but sudden suddenly our local commander ran to me with a huge white huge white eyes opened and he was pale,

26:13

you know, as a, as a, as a paper and he said,

26:16

what what did you done, what have you done? Said,

26:18

I don't know, we wanted to see in the headquarters.

26:20

So he took me to headquarters and we discovered with some of our commanders and headquarters.

26:26

He was my listener while I was you know,

26:29

radio anchor and he said, oh you have here we have here uh my favorite my favorite radio anchors Yulia and Pablo.

26:39

I want you to to to be in touch with foreign journalists who comes to to Ukraine who comes to give uh to cover what's going on in here.

26:48

So please guys, we have a lot of requests from uh from from people from different european,

26:57

american and so on countries from from journalists from these countries.

27:01

So please be in contact with them.

27:03

And if you wish to please find new ways to tell the truth about what's going on.

27:09

Find the new persons who will will tell the world about our fight,

27:15

who will tell the world about our problems,

27:17

our needs and so on. So I wrote a message to a friend of mine,

27:22

she's really a nice friend of mine. She's leaving.

27:25

She's a refugee from Russia.

27:28

She was bishop. She she left Russia alone a long ago.

27:32

She lives in the United States and she's living in uh in Arizona State's as and as I know she's also,

27:40

you know, some kind of huge person in a podcast business.

27:46

Uh I wrote a message uh asking cure what can be done in such a way,

27:52

what what should I do to,

27:54

to tell the story of our fight to tell the story of our freedom fight to white white Western audience.

28:04

So she, she somehow managed to include me in,

28:11

in this um in this journalist and podcasters um letter or I don't know for,

28:18

I don't know how to call it. And uh she said to me,

28:21

you need to write down all all you can do for,

28:25

for Western journalists and for people who are doing podcasts,

28:29

uh introduce yourself and um left some context,

28:34

how we teach people,

28:36

can can talk, contact you. So I made all of it and you know,

28:40

I think in an hour or even less than an hour,

28:43

Stephen wrote me and said,

28:45

oh we are ready to, to do,

28:47

we are ready to, to do a podcast review.

28:50

We have some kind of uh team to,

28:54

to work for, for you. So that's how all this started.

28:58

Fantastic, wow. And you know,

29:01

the podcast episodes which we'll get into in a minute,

29:06

you know, really cover a real breath of experience right from barbecues to weddings,

29:13

to going out on patrol. And I think when people think about being in an active conflict,

29:19

they don't, you know that the picture of um the full spectrum of your experience isn't always um top of mind and so for you to share the real daily aspects of it um has been just incredible for people to be able to know what it's like on the ground and,

29:38

and to, to hear your experience, it's,

29:40

it's really been incredible and the fact that it came together so quickly,

29:44

I think sometimes when, when the message is important and when it's meant to be shared,

29:50

everything just kind of snaps into place.

29:53

Um and it sounds like from, from both of you,

29:55

that that's pretty much what happened, you know, from the production standpoint and You know,

30:00

getting on apple in six hours, which I mean with pod bean,

30:03

we host many, many podcasts, like over 600,000 podcasts,

30:06

you know, and we tell people it can take, you know,

30:09

up to a week to be approved by apple to get on Apple podcasts.

30:13

It can, it can take some time. Um,

30:15

and you know, just to, to have that vision and to really be,

30:21

I think, I think there is a vulnerability also with what you're sharing because it's,

30:24

it's not always, this is the catchy headline,

30:27

you know, this is, it's not always,

30:29

you know, this is what the news is telling you.

30:31

It's, it's it's this is my exact experience,

30:35

right? Like you're, you're sharing exactly what's going on for you on the ground and yes,

30:39

you're including the important parts of what's been going on,

30:43

but you're also including the, the,

30:46

the entire, I want to say like the,

30:49

like the roundness of your experience like that you fully filled it out,

30:53

I think for a lot of people um maybe yeah,

30:57

I just want to jump in there because I really think that it speaks to how good a journalist that yuri is,

31:03

the way that he's able to tell these stories in three minutes.

31:07

Yeah. I mean I I remember he he gave me the first one and I did not know what to expect when I said,

31:11

hey, Yuri, I'll do this for you. And he sent me over the first file and it was such a beautiful story telling of why he joined the territorial defense army in Ukraine and why he wanted to do this and why he wanted to defend his country and cast aside his life is a journalism to defend Ukraine.

31:27

And it very clearly,

31:29

I think, you know, when I saw his request, I thought this is of historical significance,

31:34

what you're doing. I don't never been done before and the way that he is able to tell stories in such a succinct and rich way really speaks to how good he is,

31:43

what he does. Yes,

31:45

absolutely. So yuri,

31:47

please know, you know that for for those of us that aren't there,

31:51

it's something where we really, you know, we really see the or you know,

31:55

hear the full picture of the experience that that you're in and that you're having,

32:00

you know, it's not it's not a front line,

32:03

it's it's a very complete picture.

32:05

Um and you've spoken on,

32:07

I want to talk a little bit about the episodes now because you've spoken about a real breath of subjects,

32:13

right? You know, from a literal wedding.

32:16

Yeah.

32:18

And you mentioned and you and you mentioned quite a few times going out on patrol.

32:22

So um you know beforehand you were a journalist.

32:26

Um and we were around military but weren't,

32:29

you know directly in in a unit and now you're part of the Territorial Defense army.

32:34

So what does an average patrol look like for you?

32:37

Um Today's episode is dedicated to,

32:42

to to, you know, to working as a as the opposite guy because for years I've been in the Middle East and Central Asia with a guy who you know,

32:50

who was trying to to do something that guys on the checkpoints prohibited me to do.

32:55

But now I'm the guy, you know, who who prohibits something to foreign journalists to do on the on the checkpoints.

33:02

Yeah, we are working on the checkpoints,

33:04

we are working on the petals. Um you see,

33:07

we have, even in Kiev we have a lot of you when I'm you know,

33:13

when I'm telling that uh that Russia is worse when ISIS,

33:17

uh I can also tell that Russia uses,

33:22

you know, methods of ISIS.

33:24

So ISIS had sleeping cells all around Western water and not Eastern world and even in europe,

33:32

maybe in new Zealand and Australia and so on.

33:35

So Russia also made before we wore the huge net of sleeping cells in the Ukrainian cities.

33:45

So uh the main mission of people from total defense units who are working inside,

33:52

who are serving inside Kiev is to find detect and fight these saboteurs with people from this person's from sleeping cells of Russian Gangsters.

34:05

So the main mission is to check cars,

34:10

to check pedestrians, to look at papers,

34:14

to talk to them and trying to trying to detect if we're nervous,

34:21

if we're trying to hide something,

34:23

if we're spoke not,

34:26

if we're speaking not. So um local uh if not not a local accent or using some kind of uh um not Ukrainian words or so we need to check and detect all the potential and real saboteurs and to uh to give them to uh to counter intelligence services.

34:52

Of course, time after time it is you're not fighting corruption on the checkpoints or right on the streets.

35:01

Sometimes people uh call us 2 to 1 of our headquarters or to another of our waters call us and tell all.

35:12

We think that in our house or close to our house where as some kind of um enemy activity or we or we think that our neighbors who you know,

35:25

who moved to this flat to flat close to us only weeks before the war.

35:31

We think that we are Russian spies please come here and uh and find out.

35:37

So a lot of people in territorial defense units are literally going,

35:41

you know, door to door uh speaking to people arresting with people who have for example,

35:50

some kind of, you know of uh not so well documents or who have forged documents.

35:59

So this is, you know, everyday activity to to fight of and to find the shortage and to fight the Russian spies,

36:07

Russian saboteurs inside Ukrainian citizen towns,

36:12

wow, okay. And and and that's daily.

36:16

Is that right? Yeah,

36:18

it's daily. Of course. It's all around the clock that people are doing this war work all around the clock.

36:25

I told you that we are tens of thousands people in territorial defense units,

36:29

tens of thousands in every city in every town,

36:34

in every region where a lot of such people.

36:37

Right. Are you, are you at the checkpoint?

36:40

I mean daily for you personally, is that is that more where you're stationed?

36:47

Uh I've worked,

36:50

I've worked, you know, as a fixer as a guide for uh,

36:54

for a foreign journalist for what's happening.

36:58

Yeah, yeah, yeah. For a part of the day and I'm a part of the day,

37:02

I'm on the positions with my comrades from our platoon.

37:06

Uh, you know,

37:08

uh one of the reasons I started to do podcasts,

37:13

it's first of all, I cannot make any pictures or videos.

37:17

You know, because we can't we can't do anything which can disclose our positions to Yeah,

37:24

yeah. So I can't make photos I can't make videos.

37:28

I can, you know, I can only tell about what's going on around me.

37:33

So that's why I started to to making podcasts.

37:35

That's why I decided to do it in such a way,

37:39

you know, even now I can't talk to you from our positions.

37:43

Even now I was I'm gonna leave,

37:46

you know, I need to to leave my positions.

37:49

I came to my former radio station.

37:52

It's in the state of you know, if it's in the state of evacuation now,

37:57

I'm sitting in a studio which I was working for a few years in the studio,

38:02

but now it's almost empty.

38:05

I can show you the student here,

38:07

where are some people still inside of this?

38:10

You know, this radio station, We are working all around the clock day by day,

38:15

some of the girls with whom I worked here during the peace time.

38:20

It was not so long ago,

38:22

but now we are evacuating for for another part of Ukraine.

38:27

So I can I can show you this and this is the radio station where you work.

38:35

This is one of of our students inside this radio station.

38:42

And how does it feel? I mean, what's the feeling being in that space somewhere you went daily to work at your job.

38:50

You know what what is the feeling that you get being in the same space,

38:53

but having so many things removed and knowing that you're,

38:57

you know, you don't know when you're gonna come back. You know,

39:00

I, I left my home uh a month ago and since when I've never been at my,

39:08

at my place. Uh, it's on our,

39:12

it's on our Bangkok with me pro river.

39:15

So it's not so easy to get where for me while I'm in the army,

39:19

but this um, this radio station is really close for from our positions.

39:24

So, uh,

39:26

so for me, it's almost like I'm at home,

39:29

you know, it's almost like, you know,

39:31

like returning for for four times before the war,

39:36

like returning in the times and the peaceful and calm times.

39:40

So yeah, when I'm here,

39:43

I'm, I'm feeling myself almost almost at home,

39:46

not really at combat almost at home. Right?

39:49

So there's that sense of familiarity because this is even even in this situation when is everything,

39:56

you know, is, you know, is moving, everything is sending in other parts of Ukraine.

40:01

Everything is, you know, re mount and so absolutely.

40:06

And I think it's something where that sense of comfort is that sense of familiarity is,

40:11

is so comforting. Um, and it it sounded like,

40:14

and you know, when we were preparing for the interview,

40:17

I didn't want to ask any specifics because of security concerns.

40:20

Um, and I love what you said about,

40:22

um, as a podcast, you know, there's no visuals.

40:25

Um, I think I saw a Tiktok about somebody accidentally revealing a location for the army and that became a target because of that kind of thing.

40:33

So it's definitely something that is a risk.

40:37

Um, So I think it's, it's it's such an important aspect that you mentioned about specifically the podcast.

40:43

And then when you mentioned the familiarity and how and how comforting that is um,

40:48

that you can't be at your house now. But it sounds like maybe some of the other people,

40:53

you know, that are serving in the Territorial Defense Army are able to stay in their houses at night.

41:00

Um, and no,

41:02

no, we should spend nights only in barracks.

41:05

But if someone is,

41:08

you know, is living close to his barracks,

41:10

someone is close living to his position. He can,

41:13

from time to time, he can sometimes get,

41:17

you know, get the permission to go where uh,

41:21

to to wash his clothes to take a shower,

41:25

to change clothes. But, but we've,

41:28

um, we've, uh,

41:30

option but he will take some of his of his commerce with him.

41:34

So you can't go, you know, alone.

41:36

You need to, you need to, to help your colleagues,

41:39

You need to help your comrades to also to take shower to wash my clothes and so on.

41:45

Right. Absolutely. And in terms of,

41:48

of seeking out things that are familiar.

41:50

Um, is there anything else that people you know have been finding comfort in that have um,

41:57

that have joined the Territorial Defense Army,

42:00

anything that's familiar that has brought comfort that you've noticed within your unit or the army in general.

42:08

Yeah. You know for for this month I've been sleeping and sleeping back right on the floor and I can't remember I can't remember the times when I was sleeping in the bed you know.

42:20

And uh I can't I can barely remember you know hardly remember the times before before the army.

42:29

So I can tell that people all around me were becoming my my friends were becoming almost my family.

42:37

So we of course we are trying to help each other.

42:41

Of course we are trying you know to comfort each hour of course we are talking about nice things.

42:48

We are joking on each other. We are you know we are trying to to to to to to make some kind you know of keep your spirits up.

42:58

Yeah you almost you know almost home atmosphere.

43:02

Uh it's really really hard to me to to explain its uh for people outside you know this world.

43:12

I can't explain it in a in a in a simple world in the simple words but in a few words.

43:19

And uh the longer story I I can tell you also because I think it takes me about a couple of hours to try even to try to explain what's going but trust me,

43:32

yeah. Uh everything is all right.

43:34

Everything is you know is is great inside the territorial defense units.

43:40

Everything is great inside police units and army units and everyone is ready and to to to protect the country to to defend our freedom.

43:51

And we are I told you we are,

43:53

you know, just like one family, it's it's true.

43:55

It's not, you know, it's it's not like, you know,

43:57

some kind of figure of speech.

44:00

It's true. It's really it's really, wow.

44:04

Well, I'm gonna reintroduce you for everyone joining us here live and for the replay.

44:09

We're joined today by your email, Starsky and Studio man's,

44:12

Yuri is a Ukrainian journalist based in Kiev who spent the majority of his career covering war zones and has teamed up with Stevie Man's a podcast consultant and producer based out of the U.

44:21

S. To create the podcast fighting for Ukraine,

44:24

the documents, daily experience on the front lines of the war in Ukraine.

44:28

And we do have a chat here.

44:30

So if anybody does have any questions for Yuri and for Stevie,

44:33

drop them in. Um and I want to talk a little bit more about,

44:37

you know, when when you started the podcast,

44:40

it was really to share the daily experience that you're having on the ground.

44:45

And as the episodes have continued to come out,

44:48

it seems that there is um not necessarily like a specific threat or narrative,

44:54

but it really documents your experience.

44:57

Um And I think this question is for both of you,

45:01

um what is your hope for the work sharing?

45:06

Hopefully when there is peace in Ukraine for documenting what's happening and and your experience on the ground.

45:14

Um because it is so unique uh,

45:17

to be candid, it's it's such a unique um way of sharing your experience with the world.

45:23

Um, have any intention for sharing the work.

45:27

Um, and and how it will be,

45:29

um, maybe not perceived in future,

45:32

but how it will, will document what's going on for the future.

45:36

So, yuri, let's start with you and then we'll jump in with Stevie.

45:40

Oh, for sure.

45:42

I will make some kind, you know, of hiatus in the next few days because I wouldn't wouldn't be able to to write and I wouldn't be able to have even my phone with me.

45:53

But I really want to continue after my returning to give,

45:58

after my returning to my barracks. I really want to continue this work because I think it's really necessary to try to to explain people in the west of what's going on in the Ukrainian reality.

46:10

Uh first of all,

46:12

we need we still need your aid.

46:16

First of all, we still need, you know,

46:18

the help from the western countries from Western governments and from Western from Western people.

46:25

This is, it was, you know,

46:27

this was my main uh my main goal to my life when I'm starting with podcasts to to explain people what's going on and to make people wish to help us even more because,

46:42

you know, we are still under they are a threat from the Russian Federation were still targeting Ukrainian citizens towns were still killing civilians every day in dozens.

46:56

So I really hope that in a not a constant future.

47:01

Really hope that maybe in a next week or in a few days,

47:06

I can tell you a story about when you anti rocket systems or when you are american or european plains,

47:15

which is coming two Ukrainian Army to protect the skies and to protect to defend people in Kharkiv and in some in her son and so on.

47:28

We will not use these these weapons for,

47:31

you know, for targeting Russian civilians,

47:35

Russian cities or Russian regions.

47:38

We only needed to protect our civilians.

47:41

So, uh, I think,

47:43

I think I'll continue to cover the stories about what's going on in Ukraine even after our victory.

47:52

Because, you know, the victory is only,

47:55

I think it would only the beginning of total rebuilding of Ukraine because we have such losses right now,

48:08

we have, we have such damages right now.

48:10

We have, you know, minefields,

48:13

uh, I think we can compare,

48:17

uh, it's with Belgium,

48:19

the territory of minefields in Ukraine.

48:21

It's it's like Belgium or even,

48:24

you know, larger than Belgium. So I think it will last for maybe for months.

48:32

But I think it can last for years.

48:38

Yes, absolutely. I think,

48:40

you know, with the conflict and the nature of it um,

48:45

being, you know, so violent and so intense.

48:49

Um, I think also when you mentioned Kharkiv and how in two weeks there was more bombing,

48:53

um, then the entire, it it's hard,

48:58

it's not, it wasn't in the Kharkiv.

49:02

Right, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

49:04

And that earlier, um, just the,

49:06

just the sheer volume of it, yeah,

49:09

it's definitely something where um,

49:11

so much has changed in such a short period of time.

49:14

Um, Stevie, I want to direct this question to you as well.

49:17

Um, because being, you know,

49:19

across the world in the United States and and seeing the experience that you're having on the ground documented as it as it creates almost a body of work.

49:30

Um, yeah,

49:35

I think the significance of what you're doing can't be understated.

49:40

I remember when I was at school and I was learning history and you know,

49:44

you're seeing all these black and white photos of World War Two and World War One and you're like,

49:48

you know when you're when you're that age, you're wondering how on earth it is relevant for you.

49:52

And I think what yuri is doing is making history real.

49:56

He's making it human, he's making a connection with somebody and podcasting is such an intimate way to make that connection.

50:02

You're hearing stories from Yuri a real person.

50:06

You're hearing not only his stories, but those of the people that are around him,

50:10

you're hearing about his daughter's birthday,

50:12

that he missed your hearing about the plea of an old lady who experienced World War Two and who is probably going to,

50:18

she, you know, she she will see out her life in the next few years.

50:23

She she came into it with the Nazis bombing and she's seeing it out with the Russians bombing.

50:29

You're hearing about a wedding this week,

50:32

you're hearing all of these really human stories and I really hope one that it helps people to connect with the conflict.

50:39

And I think conflicts around the world can,

50:43

can feel far away. And I think this is a way of for people to really connect to it and to really get involved with the politics of something that is not near.

50:51

But yuri reminds us every day that this is near this might be in Ukraine,

50:56

but the political ramifications and the geopolitical ramifications of this are far reaching and it does affect everyone.

51:03

Um so I certainly hope that people find a way to connect to that as well as the historical significance of it for years to come.

51:12

Yes, absolutely, absolutely.

51:15

And I think, you know what you mentioned,

51:18

it's it's it's definitely something where we're watching world history unfolds very quickly and in near real time,

51:24

you know, your when we were coordinating this interview,

51:28

um you know, it was uh we were originally going to schedule it further in the future and we realized like this is so imminent and such a time right now,

51:38

that is, you know, so the landscape is changing so quickly uh that it's important to document things as they happen as soon as they happen,

51:50

that kind of thing. Um and the way that you've done it is just incredible.

51:53

So, thank you again for sharing this work.

51:57

Um I wanna I want to ask one more question,

52:02

but before I do, I will mention you've created a Go fund me crowd funding campaign and we'll post the link here in the comments.

52:10

It's in the description for both the Youtube live and the link in description of the event.

52:14

So, if you want to support your knees, go fund me crowdfunding campaign,

52:17

that's the link is directly there. Um and we've had podcasters ask us how they can support.

52:24

So, um what are the different ways that people can support you and the people of Ukraine?

52:30

Um what do people on the ground need?

52:33

And um as you know, we're coming from a community of podcasters.

52:37

Is there anything specific that that podcasters can do?

52:42

I think the main thing the podcasters with journalists when producers can do is to talk as more as as much as possible about what's going on in Ukraine to find people from Ukraine who can tell their stories,

52:55

Find people who can describe what's going on every day in Ukraine.

53:00

It's really important for, you know, for um for for us in here?

53:05

And I think it's really different for all the people in the free world because,

53:09

you know, it's not just a war of Russia against Ukraine.

53:13

It's a war against, you know, it's a war against democracy.

53:16

it's a war against freedom.

53:18

So this is, you know, this is our common all for common war.

53:23

We can, you know, stay inside one from an hour.

53:26

So it's really, really important for people who are,

53:31

you know, involved in such a think as podcasting or journalism to understand it and to make our people understand it.

53:38

It's not, you know, the war about surviving of Ukraine,

53:43

it's a war about surviving the democracy and the freedom,

53:47

at least in europe. Absolutely,

53:52

absolutely. And I think it's something where podcasters as a community we can share,

53:57

we can speak about what's going on,

54:00

we can share your podcast um specifically,

54:03

so I think it's it's it's that's a great answer honestly.

54:06

Um and if I may just add there,

54:09

I would, you know, a huge thank you to Jordan Harbinger who interviewed me last week and has been really helpful about promoting Yuri's work,

54:15

the podcast and and helping with the go fund me as well.

54:19

You know, people like Jordan's to to get him to to highlight the podcast and feature it has been wonderful.

54:24

And likewise with with other podcasters as well,

54:26

thank you very much. And we really appreciate spreading the message.

54:30

Absolutely. I think, you know,

54:32

this is such a this work is um so important in the way that you're sharing the full spectrum of your experience.

54:41

Um so generally generously with us,

54:44

thank you so much. Um and it's something where I think as more and more people hear about what's going on on the ground.

54:53

I think it really adds a human element.

54:56

Because when we see things on the news, um,

54:58

you know, it's definitely different then when you hear someone's voice about what specifically going on for them,

55:06

um, you know, being in a wedding in on the front lines,

55:10

you know, or missing your daughter's birthday because those are very human experiences.

55:18

Um, and I think there is a general um lack of humanity sometimes in the way that we describe conflict and war.

55:25

So I think that your perspective is so unique and important.

55:29

Um, I'll just ask our last question and then um,

55:32

I'll read a couple of comments and then I'll read our outro.

55:35

So our last question is,

55:38

what are you both hopeful for? Yuri?

55:41

I think maybe in terms of what's going on in Ukraine and the peaceful future that you envision?

55:48

Yeah, what are you hopeful for? I hope for returning evolve occupied territories.

55:54

I hope that very soon the war would be over and we can return to our civilian professions.

56:02

We can continue to do what we are used to do.

56:06

I really hope to see all my family again in Ukraine.

56:10

And I really wanted to hug my daughter.

56:13

I've so I saw her last time more than a month ago.

56:17

She's a refugee my parents as a refugees.

56:20

I want over refugees to come back.

56:23

Where are you know, where more than 10 for 10 millions were more than 10 millions of Ukrainians left way homes.

56:31

Almost half of these people uh,

56:34

right now in the foreign countries,

56:36

just like my daughter and like my parents,

56:39

more than half of all the Children in Ukraine left way houses,

56:44

you know, more than half of all the Children's of all the nation,

56:48

you know, left warehouses. It must be stopped.

56:51

You know, So, I really want all these people to come back to our homeland and to build our prosperous,

57:00

rich and happy, happy Ukraine.

57:06

Absolutely, Absolutely.

57:08

Well, thank you so much. I mean, I think for everybody out there,

57:12

you know, I think many people have seen the footage of people leaving the country,

57:16

you know, and evacuating and from my understanding,

57:20

I believe that Ukrainian men who are of adult age weren't permitted to leave.

57:25

Is that correct? No. Where people,

57:27

you know, over people over over men who can serve in the army are not permitted to live only women kids.

57:38

Um, and uh, elderly men can leave Ukraine.

57:43

So, you know, the largest part of the hugest part of over refugees is women and kids.

57:51

Right? Absolutely. And you know,

57:54

just hearing that you just, you know,

57:56

that the overall landscape of the population has drastically changed.

58:00

So I think to be together again and to be whole in that way.

58:03

Um, and the way that, you've expressed it is is so important because when we think about demographics of a society,

58:11

no matter where we're coming from, to have specific demographics leave in that way,

58:16

um must really just change,

58:19

first of all, you know, from a population standpoint,

58:22

there's less people, but also there's less Children.

58:25

Um Absolutely.

58:28

Um well we do have a couple of comments. Um One from Sandy is excellent use of podcasting to share powerful,

58:35

important stories. And your e your reports have been sobering and impactful Stevie.

58:41

You are wonderful to be a lifeline to bring these stories to the rest of the world.

58:45

So I think a lot of us out there are really appreciative for the work that you're doing.

58:49

Um and we're so grateful you're able to join us here today.

58:53

Um I'll just read our brief outro for everyone who has joined us here live and if you're joining for the replay,

58:58

we're here today with your mom, Starsky and Stevie man's.

59:01

Your is Ukrainian journalist based in Kiev who spent the majority of his career covering war zones and has teamed up with Stevie man's podcast consultant and producer based out of the U.

59:11

S. To create the podcast fighting for Ukraine,

59:14

that document series, daily experience on the front lines of the war in Ukraine.

59:19

Thank you so much for joining us today. We are so grateful that you could share your story and speak about um the podcast fighting for Ukraine and the experience that you've been able to share here with us today um,

59:31

for everyone who's joined us. Thank you again for joining storytelling podcast week And brought to you by Pod Bean where podcast hosting and monetization platform and home to over 600,000 podcasts.

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So if you'd like to start your own podcast, you can go to pod bean dot com today.

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Um, and if you'd like to support your e um,

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either by listening and sharing to fighting for Ukraine or donating to his Go fund me.

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All of those links are in the notes of the live stream here and the recording whether you're watching the Youtube or via linkedin.

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So thank you all so much for joining us here today and we wish you well.

1:00:05

Thank you again. Absolutely.

1:00:09

Thank you, Stevie.