Voices from the Front Podcast

Епизоди

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  THE WAR IS GETTING WORSE FOR PUTIN TOO | Tom Mutch, Journalist & Author of The Dogs of Mariupol 10.09.2026 1ч 4мин

  A great conversation from inside Ukraine with journalist and author Tom Mutch, author of The Dogs of Mariupol.Tom and I have known each other for some years now, he first interviewed me after my release from captivity, and we’ve crossed paths in London and Kyiv ever since. So this was less an interview and more two people who know Ukraine well sitting down and comparing notes on where this war stands today.We talk about the increasingly brutal reality for civilians, Russia’s evolving “drone siege” of Ukrainian cities, the battlefield picture, Ukraine’s recent successes, Putin’s growing manpower and economic problems, foreign recruits in the Russian military, and what both of us believe could be coming this winter.We also get into Washington’s latest attempts at diplomacy, the widening gap between what is happening on the battlefield and how the war is being presented internationally, and why Russia can simultaneously be struggling militarily while making everyday life increasingly dangerous for Ukrainians.There are plenty of personal stories along the way, from Mariupol and Sloviansk to Kharkiv, Kyiv and Dnipro, and, inevitably, a few laughs despite the subject matter.One point we both come back to, Ukraine may continue to outperform expectations militarily, while life for civilians gets considerably harder.Just over an hour of candid conversation about where Ukraine is now, where Russia is struggling, and where this war could be heading next.And make sure you check out Tom’s excellent book, The Dogs of Mariupol. 🇺🇦Thank you John Mahoney, Urban Hermit, Laura K, Liz Alexander, Leslie in CA, and many others for tuning into my live video with Thomas Mutch! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  NO SAFE DISTANCE | Kyiv to the Frontlines w/ Simon Ostrovsky, Chris Sampson & Shaun Pinner 04.09.2026 1ч 6мин

  The Journalism That Helped Explain Ukraine Before the World Was WatchingThis was a special one.A huge thank you to Chris Sampson for organising our latest conversation with Simon Ostrovsky, a journalist whose work I have admired for years and who, in many ways, helped set the standard for reporting on Ukraine long before Ukraine became fashionable.For those who followed the war before February 2022, Simon needs little introduction.His groundbreaking Russian Roulette series for VICE News took viewers directly into the events unfolding across Ukraine from 2014 onwards. He didn’t sit thousands of miles away analysing somebody else’s reporting, he went there, he spoke to the people involved, he followed the evidence and, at times, put himself at considerable personal risk to tell the story.Simon was even detained by Russian-backed separatists while reporting in Sloviansk yet returned to the work.One of his most memorable investigations saw him trace Russian soldiers from their social-media posts back to Russia, exposing the reality of Moscow’s military involvement in eastern Ukraine at a time when the Kremlin was still insisting its regular forces weren’t there.That kind of journalism mattered then, and it matters even more today.As Simon puts it during our conversation, there is now an enormous amount of “low fidelity junk information” online, people reading the work of journalists, adding their own commentary and presenting it as reporting. Meanwhile, investigative journalists are travelling, finding sources, paying producers and camera crews, spending weeks on stories and doing the heavy lifting from which everyone else ultimately benefits.That’s one reason I enjoyed this conversation so much.We talk about Russia’s growing manpower problem, Simon’s recent reporting on Russians who fled to Georgia to avoid mobilisation, and what may come next as Moscow struggles to find enough men to sustain the war.We also compare that with what I have just witnessed at the other end of the pipeline: my second visit to a Ukrainian POW camp, where the demographics have changed dramatically and increasing numbers of prisoners are now coming from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and elsewhere.It leads into a fascinating discussion about Putin’s increasingly global army, foreign recruitment, exploitation, Russian citizenship, prisoners who discover Moscow has little interest in exchanging them, and the human reality behind Russia’s search for more bodies to feed into this war.But perhaps the part I enjoyed most was simply talking journalism.I actually discovered Simon’s work after arriving in Ukraine in 2018, when Aiden Aslin told me I needed to watch this journalist called Simon Ostrovsky. I found Russian Roulette and was hooked, ironically, Simon had already interviewed Aiden, and for years our paths seemed to cross without us actually meeting.So finally getting the three of us together, Simon, Chris and me, was a real pleasure.Simon is now trying to revive that same spirit of independent, on-the-ground investigative journalism through his own Substack and YouTube work, with the money he raises going back into documentaries, travel, local producers and reporting. Journalism isn’t regurgitating somebody else’s investigation from your living room, but going there, finding the story, challenging what you’re told and doing the work.Simon Ostrovsky has been doing exactly that in Ukraine for more than a decade and it was an absolute pleasure to finally sit down with him.And again, thank you to Chris for making this one happen.Related articles:Thank you Laura K, Liz Alexander, Barbara Upshaw, Christine Nobbs, Nancy Elise Pulliam, and many others for tuning into my live video with Simon Ostrovsky and Chris Sampson! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  MEIDAS DEFENCE WEEKLY | SITREP with Ken Harbaugh 02.09.2026 30мин

  In this week’s Meidas Defense Weekly Sit Rep, I join Ken Harbaugh from Ukraine to break down a war that is entering another dangerous phase.Russia is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure as winter approaches, while reports suggest Moscow is preparing another major mobilisation after September’s elections. We look at what that tells us about Putin’s growing manpower problem, Russia’s mounting losses and why the Kremlin is increasingly looking beyond its own borders for soldiers.We also discuss what Ken and I witnessed firsthand during our recent visit to a Ukrainian prisoner-of-war camp, where the changing face of Russia’s army was impossible to ignore. Prisoners from Africa, Asia and the Middle East are increasingly appearing alongside Russians, with some describing recruitment pipelines, financial incentives and circumstances that brought them from thousands of miles away to the battlefields of Ukraine.The episode also examines the stark contrast between my own experience as a Ukrainian POW in Russian captivity and the treatment of Russian prisoners held in Ukraine from food and medical care to work, recreation and the ability to refuse an interview.We also get into the rapidly changing battlefield: Russian jet drones and ballistic missiles, Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot interceptors, unmanned ground vehicles, drone warfare and Ukraine’s extraordinary ability to innovate under fire. What once took military procurement systems years can now be designed, modified and returned to Ukrainian units in days, or sometimes hours.Related Article:Thank you PJ Schuster, David Bowen, Sheryl, Laura K, Natalie Doyle, PhD, and many others for tuning into my live video with The Ken Harbaugh Show! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  MISSILES, POWs & UKRAINE’S NEXT MOVE | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap 31.08.2026 1ч 22мин

  I’ve just returned from a Ukrainian POW camp in western Ukraine, and what I saw raises some uncomfortable questions about how Russia is fighting this war.As many as one in three soldiers now being captured by Ukraine may be foreign recruits rather than Russian-born troops.Some of the men I met more than a year ago are still there.So why does Russia appear reluctant to exchange its foreign fighters? Where are these men coming from, and what does their growing presence tell us about Putin’s ability to sustain a long war?Chris and I also debate Mykhailo Fedorov, wartime elections and his warning that Ukraine could be heading towards defeat, while looking at North Korea’s expanding involvement, Belarus, Russia’s missile campaign and what Ukraine does next.Are we watching Russia struggle for manpower, or Putin quietly building the forces for years more war?And can Ukraine navigate the military and political decisions coming next without giving Moscow exactly the opening it wants?Missiles, POWs & Ukraine’s Next Move.🎥 Watch the latest Voices from the Front & The Wire Tap above.If you value independent reporting and analysis from inside Ukraine, please like, restack, share and subscribe. It genuinely helps us keep doing this work.Thank you John Mahoney, Ms. H, Thomas Day, Laura K, Elizabeth 🇨🇦, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Sampson! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  ARE WE ALREADY IN A WORLD WAR? | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap 26.08.2026 1ч 16мин

  In this week’s Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap, Chris and I unpack a week where Ukrainian politics, Russia’s mounting problems, North Korea’s expanding involvement and some very unusual diplomatic activity are beginning to collide.We start with Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day — more than four years after Russia expected its full-scale invasion to end with the rapid seizure of Kyiv, instead, the war continues, Russian losses continue to mount, and a deceptively simple question is becoming increasingly important:Who is actually winning the war of attrition?That takes us directly to Mykhailo Fedorov and the growing debate over Ukrainian elections.I supported Fedorov and sympathised with him following his dismissal. But his increasingly public criticism of the government, warning that Ukraine risks losing the war, and his push for elections raise serious questions.Ukrainians wanting elections isn’t controversial, holding them now is.How do millions of displaced Ukrainians vote? What about soldiers on the frontline or people under occupation? How do you campaign, secure polling stations and prevent Russia exploiting the process while ballistic missiles and drones are still striking Ukrainian cities?The protests following Fedorov’s dismissal were fundamentally about reform, innovation, corruption and how Ukraine fights this war — not one political personality. Calling for elections without a credible plan risks turning that reform debate into a political power struggle.Then we turn to Russia.Former Russian macroeconomist Andrei Klepach warned that Moscow was not winning the economic war of attrition. His comments resurfaced in Russian media, and shortly afterwards, he was gone.Russia also faces a growing manpower problem. We discuss reports of a potential 300,000-man mobilisation, continued recruitment from Russia’s poorer regions and battlefield losses running at roughly the equivalent of two to three battalions every day.And increasingly, Russia isn’t fighting with Russian resources alone.North Korea’s involvement is expanding: more troops, more specialists, more ballistic missiles and more manpower supporting Russia’s war economy.Ukraine has become a laboratory for modern warfare, with Russian and North Korean weapons tested against Western air defences while Ukraine races to develop drones, interceptors and new ways of striking the launchers rather than endlessly shooting down the missiles.So why is the West still treating North Korea’s direct participation as peripheral?That leads into one of the strangest developments of the week — reports surrounding a CIA visit to Moscow, amid increasing Russian hybrid activity across Europe and fears that one miscalculation could trigger something far bigger with NATO.Russia. North Korea. Iran. Foreign manpower. Foreign weapons. Foreign specialists.Are we still waiting for a wider war to begin — or are we already living through one and simply refusing to call it that?Finally, I explain why I’m in Lviv.Last year we visited a Ukrainian POW facility and met foreign fighters recruited into Russia’s military from Africa, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and elsewhere.One prisoner asked us a simple question:Could we tell his mother he was alive?She hadn’t heard from him for eight months.We called her.Now, a year later, we’re going back, to find some of those same prisoners, see how they are coping and continue investigating the international recruitment machine feeding Russia’s war.Some were deceived. Some knew exactly what they were joining. Some were professional fighters. But behind them is a much bigger story involving recruiters, money, propaganda, Russian diplomatic infrastructure and networks stretching across continents.This week: Fedorov and elections, Russia’s manpower crisis, North Korean escalation, the CIA in Moscow, the growing danger of a wider war — and the reason I’ve travelled to western Ukraine.Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap — cutting through the noise and reporting what we’re actually seeing from Ukraine.Thank you PJ Schuster, Debórah, HJD playing outside, Sue Henger, Leslie in CA, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Sampson! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  SAME WAR, TWO DIFFERENT PICTURES | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap 16.08.2026 1ч 14мин

  Tonight on Voices from the Front & The Wire Tap, Chris Sampson and I look back at another extraordinary week in Ukraine, and for once, there are some genuinely positive developments to talk about.🇺🇦 Ukraine is taking ground back, challenging the increasingly simplistic narrative that Russia is relentlessly advancing. At the same time, Ukrainian strikes are putting growing pressure on Russia’s fuel and logistics infrastructure, with the effects increasingly being felt by ordinary Russians and small businesses.🇰🇵 We also look at the rapidly expanding North Korean role in Russia’s war — troops, specialists, ammunition and ballistic missiles — and ask why the political response in the West remains so muted when regular soldiers from a foreign military are now directly supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine.We discuss the continuing ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, the shortage of interceptors, Crimea, Russia preparing for the long war, and why what is happening here is becoming increasingly difficult to describe as an isolated European conflict.We also talk about Robert Gilman’s release from Russian captivity, why seeing an obviously ill former prisoner immediately turned into a political prop left such a bitter taste, and a major personal development this week: our case against the Russian Federation has now reached the European Court of Human Rights.As always, this is our view from inside Ukraine, what we’re seeing, filming, researching and experiencing ourselves, without pretending the situation is better or worse than it actually is.A quick apology for the technical difficulties during tonight’s show. Being two hours from the front can play havoc with the Wi-Fi, and unfortunately tonight was one of those nights, I did switch back to the trusted phone. Thanks for sticking with us.Voices from the Front & The Wire Tap — Sunday from Ukraine. 🇺🇦Related Articles:Thank you PJ Schuster, Donna Dupont, Laura K, Leslie in CA, Shannon Edrie, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Sampson! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  ROCKET HIT 1KM FROM OUR HOME | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap 08.08.2026 1ч 12мин

  This week, Chris Sampson and I are back with Voices From the Front & The Wire Tap, looking at the war from where we actually sit: inside Ukraine, under the air-raid warnings, and increasingly under Russia’s expanding long-range strike campaign.The biggest issue this week is brutally simple: Interceptors.Ukraine is facing an increasingly serious shortage of the missiles needed to engage Russian ballistic attacks. We discuss what that means after a week in which Kyiv was hammered, including an attack where 27 ballistic missiles were launched and only one was intercepted. Chris and I were close to one of the impacts and ended up among the first people at the scene.And winter is coming.How does Ukraine keep the lights on, factories operating, weapons being produced and civilians protected if Russia can increasingly launch ballistic missiles into Ukrainian cities without enough interceptors available to stop them?We also look at the rapidly growing North Korean dimension of this war: ballistic missiles, crews and potentially tens of thousands more personnel supporting Russia. This is no longer peripheral assistance. It is becoming a substantial military commitment, while remarkably little attention is being paid to what it means for a war being fought in Europe.We challenge another increasingly dangerous narrative as well: that Ukraine is “winning” or that the tide has somehow decisively turned.Ukraine has achieved extraordinary successes and has managed, at considerable cost, to pull parts of this war back towards a more level playing field. But that is very different from winning. Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities are escalating, Kherson is enduring a drone siege, guided bombs continue hitting frontline regions, and civilian casualties are rising.We also get into Washington and Europe: the supposedly “killer” sanctions package, the politics surrounding American support, Patriot and PAC-3 production, and why announcements and headlines mean very little until weapons actually arrive where they are needed.Then there is the subject increasingly difficult to avoid: what exactly should we call Russia's campaign against Ukrainian civilians?We discuss Kherson, Mariupol, attacks on civilians and the growing argument over whether words such as terrorism and genocide accurately describe what Russia is doing.And throughout the episode, there is something else happening in the background: the war itself. Air-raid warnings interrupt the conversation, electronic warfare interferes with communications, and footage from recent attacks illustrates the strange reality of trying to broadcast a war while actually living inside it.This isn't a studio discussion from thousands of miles away.It's two people in Kyiv and Dnipro, talking through what we're seeing, hearing and experiencing on the ground — and why the increasingly comfortable narrative outside Ukraine often bears very little resemblance to the reality inside it.No victory laps. No false hope. Just the situation as we see it from Ukraine. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  THE INFLUENCER WAR | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap – Loomered Edition & Wildberries 26.07.2026 1ч

  This week, Chris Sampson and myself return from the frontlines with first-hand observations from Sumy, Dnipro and Mykolaiv, where Russian attacks continue to shape daily life just miles from the border.We discuss what it’s really like spending nights under drone attacks in Sumy, meeting Ukrainian defenders and international volunteers, and why the reality on the ground is often completely disconnected from the narratives dominating social media.The conversation then turns to what we’ve called the “Influencer War”. With high-profile political influencers suddenly appearing in both Ukraine and Russia, we examine why these rapid shifts in messaging matter, whether accountability should come before redemption, and how online personalities can influence public perception of the war far beyond the battlefield.We also analyse:* Russia’s apparent preparations for a wider mobilisation.* Why Ukraine’s deep strikes are increasingly targeting Russia’s logistics and war economy.* The latest developments surrounding military reforms, General Mykhailo Drapatyi and the future of Mykhailo Fedorov.* Security, operational secrecy and why careless online posts can have deadly consequences during wartime.* The growing importance of information warfare alongside the fighting itself.As always, this isn’t commentary from a studio thousands of miles away. It’s a conversation from people living and working in Ukraine, discussing the war as it unfolds around them.If you enjoy independent frontline reporting and analysis, please consider subscribing to support our work and gain access to exclusive interviews, documentaries and behind-the-scenes reporting from Ukraine.Thank you Laura K, Sue Henger, Bev Ferguson, Nancy Elise Pulliam, John Mahoney, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Sampson! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  MEIDAS DEFENCE | Weekly Update, 22JUL26 22.07.2026 28мин

  This week I joined Ken Harbaugh on the Meidas Network to discuss one of the most consequential weeks of the war in Ukraine.We examine President Zelensky’s decision to replace General Oleksandr Syrskyi with General Mykhailo Drapatyi, why the protests in Kyiv, Dnipro and across the country mattered, and what they reveal about Ukraine’s democracy in the middle of a full-scale war. I also explain why the departure of Mykhailo Fedorov has caused such concern among many Ukrainians, despite the appointment of a highly respected battlefield commander.From here in Dnipro, I also share what life is like under constant air raid alerts, why Ukraine’s campaign against Russia’s logistics network and Crimea is beginning to shift the strategic balance, and why I believe the war is increasingly being decided far beyond the trenches.We also discuss:* Why Ukrainians are cautiously optimistic for the first time in years.* The growing pressure on Russia’s logistics, fuel supplies and occupied Crimea.* The reality of living just hours from the front line.* Russia’s continued attacks on civilians in places like Kherson and why they continue to fail strategically.* Whether Western promises on sanctions and Patriot interceptor production are finally turning into action.* My own experiences as a former POW and why accountability for Russia’s treatment of prisoners remains so important.This isn’t commentary from afar. It’s an on-the-ground conversation from someone who lives in Ukraine, served in the Ukrainian Marines, survived Mariupol, and continues to report from a country still fighting for its future.As always, thank you for reading and supporting independent journalism from Ukraine. 🇺🇦Thank you Ms. H, Christine Niedzielko, Laurel Fairchild, Laura K, Bob Fleischman, and many others for tuning into my live video with The Ken Harbaugh Show! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  LIVE | with Phillips P. OBrien and Shaun Pinner 22.07.2026 32мин

  Ukraine has entered one of the most politically significant weeks since the full-scale invasion began.Following the dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, nationwide protests erupted, culminating in the appointment of General Mykhailo Drapatyi as Ukraine’s new Commander-in-Chief. But what does this change actually mean for the war, and has public pressure genuinely altered the course of events?I join Professor Phillips O’Brien and discuss why Drapatyi is widely respected inside the Armed Forces, how Ukraine is trying to move beyond Soviet-era military thinking, and whether this appointment signals a new generation of leadership built around innovation, drones and decentralised command.We also examine the uncertainty surrounding Fedorov’s future, the challenges facing Acting Defence Minister Kamara, and why the relationship between politics and military leadership has become one of the defining issues of the war.The discussion takes an unexpected turn when, during the live broadcast, a ballistic missile alert forces me to leave for shelter, a stark reminder that while Kyiv debates reforms, the war continues in real time across Ukraine.Topics covered:* Why General Mykhailo Drapatyi is seen as the right choice* The legacy of Soviet doctrine inside Ukraine’s military* Innovation, drones and the future of warfare* Did the protests force political change?* What next for Mykhailo Fedorov?* Acting Defence Minister Kamara’s immediate challenges* Russia’s logistical problems on the front line* Reporting from Ukraine during an active ballistic missile alertAs always, thank you for supporting independent journalism from inside Ukraine. 🇺🇦Thank you HoldingTheLine(HTL), Barbara Shields, Carl V Phillips, PhD, M. Layfield, Silvia Goldoni, and many others for tuning into our live video, with Phillips P. OBrien! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  UKRAINE'S POLITICAL CROSSROADS | Protests, Reform & the Fedorov Fallout 19.07.2026 1ч 7мин

  This week on Voices from the Front & The Wire Tap, I join Chris in Mykolaiv to discuss one of the most politically turbulent weeks since Russia's full-scale invasion began.We examine the growing protests across Ukraine following the dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, why so many Ukrainians see it as a self-inflicted political crisis, and what it reveals about the ongoing struggle to modernise a military still wrestling with Soviet-era command culture.Drawing on my own experience as a former Ukrainian Marine, I explain the clash between decentralised NATO-style leadership and the rigid hierarchy that still exists within parts of Ukraine’s armed forces. We also discuss General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the challenges facing military leadership during wartime, and why reform is proving just as difficult as the fighting itself.Beyond the politics, we analyze Russia’s increasingly frequent missile attacks on Kyiv, whether Moscow is attempting to exploit Ukraine’s domestic tensions, and why maintaining political unity has become almost as important as success on the battlefield.This is an honest, nuanced conversation from two people living in Ukraine—one that avoids easy answers and explores the difficult decisions shaping the country’s future as it continues to fight for its survival.Thank you Paul T. Levin, Sheryl, HoldingTheLine(HTL), PaulM, Laura K, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Sampson! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  FROM DEATH ROW TO FREEDOM… SORT OF | An Interview with Former Ukrainian Marine Brahim Saadoun 19.07.2026 25мин

  From death row in occupied Donetsk to freedom... but not quite.In this exclusive update, I sit down with my former Ukrainian Marine comrade, Brahim Saadoun, four years after we were sentenced to death by a Russian proxy court and a year after our first chats since those days. While I returned to Ukraine, Brahim remains trapped in Morocco—unable to obtain a passport, unable to travel, and still fighting for the freedom many assumed he had already won. He speaks candidly about his captivity, his forced return from Saudi Arabia, the legal battles that continue to define his life, and why he says he is effectively living in an "open-air prison."We also reflect on Mariupol, our time in captivity, the show trial that condemned us, and the dark humour that helped us survive some of the worst moments imaginable.If you work in human rights, international law, diplomacy, or believe you may be able to help, please watch and consider reaching out. Sometimes all it takes is the right person seeing the right story.Nobody should survive death row only to spend years fighting for the basic right to leave their own country.How to find Brahim - https://x.com/khattabka25?s=11&t=Iefr6NSCtS0wlCp57-JdQA This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  MEIDAS DEFENCE WEEKLY | SIT REP with Ken Harbaugh & Denver Riggleman 15.07.2026 24мин

  This week on the Meidas Defense Weekly Update, I join Ken Harbaugh and former Congressman and intelligence officer Denver Riggleman for a wide-ranging conversation on Ukraine, Russia, Iran and a geopolitical landscape that appears to be shifting by the day.From Ukraine, I give my latest assessment of the war as Russia continues its missile and drone campaign, Ukraine struggles with the shortage of ballistic missile interceptors, and Europe begins taking a greater role in providing the air-defence capabilities Ukraine desperately needs.We also look at the growing uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump, NATO and American support for Ukraine. After years of relying heavily on Washington, the question is increasingly whether Europe can—and must—take greater responsibility for its own defence and Ukraine’s survival.On the battlefield, Russia continues to absorb extraordinary manpower losses while searching further afield for replacements. I discuss what I recently witnessed among foreign fighters captured in Ukraine, why Russia’s recruitment pipeline increasingly stretches across the world, and why some of those POWs may have little prospect of being exchanged.But Putin is not stopping.Despite years of predictions about Russia’s economy collapsing or Putin suddenly disappearing, Ukraine cannot build its strategy around either happening. Moscow continues recruiting, adapting and preparing for another winter of war—and Ukraine has to prepare on the assumption that the Kremlin will keep pushing.We also turn to the bigger question: what actually happens after Putin? Russia’s war is not simply the product of one man, but of a political, security and oligarchic system built around power, money and survival. Removing Putin does not necessarily remove the system that produced him.Finally, Denver takes us through the rapidly deteriorating situation surrounding Iran, the implications for US military resources and missile stockpiles, and why growing tensions between Washington and its NATO allies could have consequences far beyond the Middle East.Thank you Lynn Thigpen 🇺🇦, Los Gatos Sin Madrid, AngWo, Scott Campbell, She Rah, and many others for tuning into my live video with Denver Riggleman and The Ken Harbaugh Show! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  INDEPENDANCE MATTERS | Special - Voices from the Front & The Wire Tap 05.07.2026 1ч 8мин

  🎙️Voices from the Front & The Wire TapAs America marks Independence Day, we ask a much bigger question: what does independence really mean when a nation is fighting for its survival?In this special episode, Chris & myself, Shaun Pinner explore the latest developments from Ukraine, Russia and beyond, discussing why the prospect of peace appears further away than ever. From Russia’s escalating missile campaign and growing domestic pressures to the battle for Crimea, NATO, hybrid warfare and the political decisions shaping the conflict, this is an unfiltered conversation from two people living through the war.The discussion also reflects on the meaning of freedom and national independence, contrasting celebrations in the United States with Ukraine’s daily fight to defend its sovereignty. Along the way, Shaun shares insights from his latest analysis, recent public appearances, and why he believes the coming months could prove decisive for the war.Topics include:* Why peace negotiations remain unlikely in 2026.* Russia’s strategy, manpower and mounting internal pressures.* Crimea and the changing military balance.* NATO, hybrid warfare and the wider threat to Europe.* What Independence Day means from the perspective of wartime Ukraine.* Behind the scenes of Voices from the Front and upcoming reporting projects.If you value independent, frontline reporting from Ukraine, please consider subscribing and joining the conversation. Your support helps us continue bringing firsthand analysis, interviews and reporting from the people living this war every day.Thank you PJ Schuster, It’s Time 🇺🇦, James T Duffield, Ms. H, Debórah, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Sampson! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE? | Diplomatic Speak with Cormac Smith, Former British Diplomat to Ukraine 03.07.2026 54мин

  What really shaped Ukraine before the full-scale invasion? How has Russian propaganda evolved, and could diplomacy ever have prevented the war?In this in-depth conversation, I sit down with Cormac Smith, former British diplomat to Ukraine, to discuss the war from the perspectives of diplomacy, strategic communications and firsthand experience.Together we explore:* Why Russian propaganda remains one of the Kremlin’s most powerful weapons.* How Ukraine transformed Western understanding of information warfare.* Whether diplomacy ever had a realistic chance of preventing the invasion.* Why critical thinking is now a national security issue.* The mistakes made by Western governments before and after February 2022.* Ukraine’s extraordinary resilience and what gives us hope for the future.Drawing on years spent living and working in Ukraine, military service, diplomacy and journalism, this is a candid conversation that goes beyond the headlines to explain how information, politics and war have become inseparable.Watch the full interview above, or if you prefer to read, the complete transcript is available below.Thank you PJ Schuster, Cris Palomino, LadyHistorian, HoldingTheLine(HTL), PaulM, and many others for tuning into my live video with Cormac Smith! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  THE LOGISTICS WAR | Where Can Russia Escalate Next? 29.06.2026 1ч 13мин

  🎙️Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap, In this episode, Chris Sampson and myself, Shaun Pinner, examine the growing signs that Russia’s logistics network is coming under increasing pressure. From fuel shortages in occupied Crimea and disruptions to the southern corridor, to Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign and rapid drone innovation, we explore how the battlefield is changing.Drawing on firsthand experience reporting from and living in Ukraine, we discuss why the Kremlin’s increasingly contradictory messaging, and, at times, its silence, may reveal deeper strategic problems. We also examine the impact of modern drone warfare, Belarus’ role in the conflict, and why logistics, not just the front line, could determine the next phase of the war.Topics include:* Russia’s logistics and fuel crisis* Crimea and the southern supply corridor* Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign* Drone warfare and military innovation* Kremlin strategy and information warfare* Belarus and regional security* NATO, Western support, and the future of the conflictIf you value independent, on-the-ground reporting from Ukraine, please consider subscribing, sharing this publication, and joining the conversation.A huge thank you to everyone who joined us live and continues to support the channel. Your comments, questions, shares, and subscriptions help independent reporting reach a wider audience.Join us every Sunday at 21:00 Kyiv time for our live edition of Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap, exclusively on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  THE KREMLIN CAN'T GET ITS STORY STRAIGHT | Moscow's Lid Flip, Crimea & Putin Under Pressure 24.06.2026 30мин

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  MOSCOW LID JUST BLEW OFF | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap 21.06.2026 1ч 15мин

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  RUSSIA'S ORESHNIK THREATS | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap 14.06.2026 1ч 20мин

  Russia is escalating.Ukraine is escalating.The weapons packages are becoming larger, more complex and increasingly capable.Yet despite the threats, missile launches and endless nuclear rhetoric, one uncomfortable reality is emerging for the Kremlin:Russia appears to be running out of options.In this week’s discussion, filmed after my interview with Ukrainian drone warfare expert Dimko, Chris Sampson and I examine why the battlefield of 2026 looks fundamentally different from the battlefield of 2022, continuing the discussion. We discuss the growing pressure on Crimea, Ukraine’s campaign against Russian logistics, the vulnerability of the southern land corridor, and why drones are transforming warfare in ways military planners around the world are only beginning to understand.As Dimko observed during our interview:“The world now realises you don’t need planes to have another 9/11.”That single statement captures a much bigger shift taking place across the battlefield.Russia still possesses enormous military power, but its ability to achieve meaningful strategic victories appears increasingly limited. Crimea remains central to the conflict, Russian logistics are under sustained pressure, and Moscow’s traditional threats no longer seem to carry the same weight they once did.Which leaves one question hanging over the war:If Russia cannot achieve its objectives, yet refuses to abandon them, where does it escalate next?Thank you It’s Time 🇺🇦, Donna Dupont, HoldingTheLine(HTL), PaulM, Debórah, and many others for tuning into our live video! Join us for our next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
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  AZOV WAS NEVER NAZIS | Live with Former U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger & Shaun Pinner, Former Azov & Ukrainian Marine 12.06.2026 57мин

  AZOV WAS NEVER NAZIS | Live with Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger & Shaun PinnerIn this episode of Voices from the Front, I sit down with former U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger for a wide-ranging conversation on Ukraine, modern warfare, Russian propaganda, and one of the most persistent myths of the war: the narrative surrounding Azov.Drawing on my own experience serving with Azov in Mariupol between 2018 and 2020, we examine how a unit of roughly 2,000 personnel became the centrepiece of a Russian information campaign used to justify the invasion of Ukraine. We discuss what Azov actually was, how the reality differed from the narrative, and why that misinformation continues to influence Western audiences today.We also explore:▪️ My journey from the British Army to Ukraine and life in Mariupol before the full-scale invasion▪️ The defence of Mariupol and my experience in Russian captivity▪️ How drone warfare has transformed the battlefield since 2022▪️ Ukraine's growing ability to strike deep inside Russia▪️ Operation Spiderweb and the future of modern warfare▪️ Why Ukraine has seized the initiative after a difficult period in 2025▪️ Crimea, the southern land corridor and the path to ending the war▪️ The Russian economy, military losses and mounting pressure on the Kremlin▪️ The view of America from Ukraine and the impact of shifting Western politics▪️ Why Ukrainians continue to demand justice, not simply peaceAdam also shares his perspective on U.S. support for Ukraine, the changing nature of the conflict, and why many of the assumptions made at the start of the war have proven dramatically wrong.A candid and often personal discussion about war, resilience, propaganda, and the realities of living through Europe's largest conflict since World War II. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe