Step By Step Guide To Survive The Invasion Part 2 - October 6th 2023

October 6th 2023

In this chilling episode, Ukrainian soldier Yuriy offers a harrowing glimpse into the brutal realities of surviving an invasion. From the relentless Russian targeting of civilian areas to the heartbreaking choices faced by refugees, listeners will gain invaluable insights into the resilience and determination required to endure in a world torn apart by war.

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: fightingtherussianbeast@gmail.com   
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Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

TRANSCRIPT: (Podbean app users can enjoy closed captions)

 Neither the vast distance from Russia, nor a powerful army, nor attempts by your politicians to appease Putin will save your country from war. If a deranged dictator decides to attack you, nothing will stop him. Then you will need to know what to do to survive in a new reality, the name of which is war. 

After escaping from your city and spending many hours on the road, witnessing death and destruction first hand, it may seem to you that the worst is already behind, that you and your loved ones are now hundreds of miles from the border where the invasion began, and the Russians won't reach you. But they will. We have plenty of missiles that will target exactly where refugees are fleeing- schools, stadiums, and other places where people who fled the war will be located. 

This is a common practice for Russian military, targeting civilian objects to intimidate people. Normally such actions are called terrorism, but the Russians will claim that the terrorists are not them, but ordinary peaceful people whom they are killing. They will tell stories that under the guise of refugees in schools and stadiums, mercenaries and Nazis are hiding, who are armed and dangerous, and that you deserve what is happening to you. And in the world there will be millions of people who will believe it. They will say, "oh, no one will just invade another country and kill thousands of people for no reason. Maybe the Russians are right, perhaps there are really Nazis there." 

Furthermore, among the politicians of your country, there will surely be wars who will start calling for surrender. They will say that resistance is futile, that only by surrendering to the aggressor can lives be saved. That the independence of your country and the freedom of your nation are not really that important. You will see some of these politicians in the news, they will stand next to Russian generals and talk about how the Russians are not killing civilians, even fought, but that time you will have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of your fellow citizens dead who never held a weapon. 

Get ready for your life to depend almost entirely not on your actions, but on the actions of other people. Your bank accounts may be frozen, cash will quickly run out and even if it doesn't, where is not guarantee, but you'll be able to buy anything. Hotels will already be overcrowded with refugees, stores may not be open. And you will be completely dependent on volunteers and state, if it still exists. Yes, it may actually disappear under the boots of the occupier.

Only people themselves can prevent such a development, save the state, because the army that can and should defend the country consists of ordinary people, like you. And perhaps you will also have to join the military. Even if you don't really want to, in times of war, the state does not ask who wants and who does not want to fight, who was born a pacifist or who is a real fighter, everyone will be mobilized. Even those who think they are too sick, old or weak to serve in the army, and you, most likely, will have to be involved in the military somehow. It's a great honor, but also a great challenge. Because of the intensity of the battles. Death that awaits you and the cruelty of the enemy who dreams of killing you are simply insane. Death will lie down next to you in the evening and wake up with you in the morning. And it will be very, very difficult.