Fighting For Ukraine
Yuriy Matsarsky is a Ukranian journalist turned civilian fighter against the Russian invasion on the democratic country of Ukraine. In this podcast he brings daily updates from the frontlines of the Ukranian resistance. “As a journalist I thought, ‘You shouldn’t be involved in this. You should be watching from the sidelines.’ But the Ukrainian citizen part of me told me, ‘No, this doesn’t work anymore. You should protect your country, you should protect your loved ones, you should protect your freedom—you should protect your people.’”
Yuriy Matsarsky
Yuriy is a Ukranian journalist based in Kyiv who has spent most of his professional media career covering warzones. Now he finds himself in one and the battle is his. Yuriy has put down his journalist pen and picked up a rifle to protect his country against the Russian invasion.
“I want Ukraine to be prosperous, to be a happy country, my people all around me to be happy. Putin is following in the steps of Hitler right now. Every day, with every bombing, with every rocket fire, it’s more and more and more dead Ukrainians. More dead Ukrainians.
“This fight is not only for us. We are fighting for the whole world. I really, really love the United States, and the United States people. We love the same music, we love the same books, we love our kids in the same way. Please help us.”
Episodes
Mar 26, 2022
Mar 26, 2022
1 min
March 26th 2022
Yuriy has left his station in Kyiv for a new posting where he won't be able to send episodes for a few days. This will be the new norm for now. Producer Stevie lets you know how you can support Yuriy and his family and when we might expect an update.
Mar 25, 2022
Mar 25, 2022
3 min
March 25th 2022
Yuriy's describes his transportation options for hosting and guiding journalists around Kyiv with his signature dry sense of humour and descriptive story-telling nature. They might not be fancy, but get him from A to B.
Mar 24, 2022
Mar 24, 2022
59 min
March 24th 2022
Yuriy and producer Stevie joined Podbean the podcast platform host to talk about Yuriy's story and how this podcast came about only 2 weeks ago.
This live-streamed interview is available to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCJ_FPCsxFM
Mar 24, 2022
Mar 24, 2022
3 min
March 24th 2022
The war in Ukraine has been raging for 4 weeks - thanks to the will of the Ukranian people for holding off the Russian attack. Yuriy seems more used to his role as a civilian turned military man. He reflects on when he was a journalist dealing with civilians in the army in war-torn countries, how annoyed he used to get with them when they wouldn't allow him to photograph or film things for safety reasons and how he now sees their side.
Mar 23, 2022
Mar 23, 2022
1 min
Yuriy Matsarsky, Ukranian journalist turned civilian fighter explains his decision to trade in his Press helmet and join the fight to stop the invasion of his homeland.
This podcast is a series of daily audio diaries where Yuriy brings stories from the front line of the war in Ukraine. Yuriy will continue to post daily as long as he is able and safe to do so.
Mar 23, 2022
Mar 23, 2022
3 min
March 23rd 2022
Yuriy didn't sleep well last night. And it wasn't the usual bombs and shelling that woke him up. He was thinking about the road that led to this war. How the rest of the world allowed Russia's President to go unpunished in 2014 and how he has become so emboldened since then as to think he could take an independent country as his own.
Mar 22, 2022
Mar 22, 2022
3 min
March 22nd 2022
Yuriy attends a wedding of one of the men in his platoon. By now after a global pandemic we are used to virtual weddings, but one with the bride and groom being married from separate locations via Skype due to a war is somewhat unique and when it ends, it ends not with fireworks, but with a bombing. Still, Yuriy and the wedding guests look forward to the day when they can celebrate properly when the war is over.
Mar 21, 2022
Mar 21, 2022
3 min
March 21st 2022
A chance encounter on some abandoned meat during a patrol leads to an impromptu BBQ reminding Yuriy of fond summer memories.
Mar 20, 2022
Mar 20, 2022
3 min
March 20th 2022
The Russians are getting tired and looking like they might lose this war. Remaining Ukranians are indignant in the face of Russian soldiers. Yuriy reflects on why the Russians are not winning the war and any remaining Russian sympathy will die out following this invasion.
Mar 19, 2022
Mar 19, 2022
3 min
March 19th 2022
Putin may be giving orders but ordinary Russians are firing the rockets. Yuriy thinks about the justifications Russian soldiers are telling themselves and their families while they are committing war crimes on Ukrainians.