Voices from the Front Podcast

Former British diplomat Cormac Smith joins me live to discuss Russia’s latest diplomatic manoeuvres, the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, and whether America’s midterm elections have finally changed the political landscape for Ukraine.It’s been an extraordinary week, even by the standards of this war.While Russia continues bombing Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure ahead of winter, Russian representatives are being welcomed into the White House, Jared Kushner is recycling arguments that sound remarkably familiar to anyone who follows Kremlin propaganda, and the Trump administration is once again selling the prospect of peace.But what has Russia actually conceded? Absolutely nothing of substance.Cormac and I examine the humanitarian evacuation from Russian-occupied Oleshky, the competing claims of credit involving Melania Trump and the Vatican, and how an operation that undoubtedly saved Ukrainian lives has also become a political and propaganda opportunity.We discuss reports of Russian forces consolidating positions during the humanitarian pause, the extraordinary scenes at the White House, and the uncomfortable reality that Moscow continues committing atrocities while Washington celebrates diplomatic progress.Then there’s America’s midterm reckoning.The Democrats’ electoral success has raised hopes that Trump may finally face meaningful political scrutiny. But Cormac, drawing on his diplomatic experience, warns that a weakened president is not necessarily a restrained president, particularly when it comes to foreign policy.Can the incoming Congress force tougher sanctions? Will Trump’s envoys continue pursuing economic opportunities with Moscow? And could the period before January prove particularly dangerous for Ukraine?We also tackle something that concerns us both: the failure of Western governments and much of the media to communicate the true scale of the Russian threat, from Mariupol and Bucha to the latest attacks on Dnipro, how quickly does the world forget?Cormac delivers some characteristically colourful assessments of Kushner, Witkoff and Trump’s diplomacy, while I bring the conversation back to what is happening here in Ukraine, where Russian attacks are already threatening the energy supplies millions depend upon this winter.One of the strongest points from our conversation:“Our money and guns today, or our daughters and sons tomorrow.” — Cormac SmithThis isn’t simply about Ukraine surviving another winter, but about whether Europe and America finally recognise the consequences of allowing Russia to dictate the terms of peace.An outspoken, occasionally heated, but important conversation about diplomacy, accountability and what comes next.🇺🇦 Voices From The Front | reporting from Ukraine, where the consequences of political decisions are measured in human lives.Thank you PJ Schuster, Sheryl, Leslie in CA, Wendy Shelley, Tom Prorok, 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

LIVE FROM UKRAINE & A RECORD LIVE TURNOUT, OVER 150 PEOPLEIn this new and approved format, I was joined by my good friend and fellow journalist Chris Sampson of The Wire Tap, reporting from Kyiv, for a frank, unfiltered discussion about the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, Russia’s mounting battlefield losses, and the political decisions being made thousands of miles away in Washington.After another brutal night of Russian ballistic missile and drone attacks on Dnipro & Ukraine, I share my firsthand experience of the strikes, including footage I captured of an attack on our energy infrastructure. With power and water supplies disrupted, the reality of Russia’s campaign against Ukrainian civilians is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.We discuss the recent Dnipro railway station massacre, the UN’s findings on Russian war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the uncomfortable balance journalists must strike between showing the world what is happening and protecting operational security.But there is another side to this war that receives far less attention.Russia has suffered staggering reported personnel losses over September and October, while Ukraine continues to innovate on the battlefield. We examine the growing pressure on Moscow’s manpower, its recruitment of foreign fighters, and the increasingly questionable claims coming from Russian military commanders.With the US midterm elections upon us, Chris and I also turn our attention to Washington. What could a change in Congress mean for Ukraine? Is the Trump administration genuinely pursuing peace, or are its decisions providing Putin with the breathing space he desperately needs?We also discuss Starlink restrictions, Russian propaganda, the dangers of political misinformation, and why replacing President Zelenskyy would do nothing to change the fundamental reason Ukrainians are fighting.Ukrainians are not fighting for a president, they are fighting for their homes, their families, and their country’s survival.🇺🇦 Subscribe to Voices From The Front for independent reporting, eyewitness accounts and analysis from Ukraine. Paid subscriptions help support our journalism, travel and ongoing reporting from the ground.Please watch, share and restack, Ukraine cannot afford to be forgotten.Thank you John Mahoney, Stuart Cohen, HoldingTheLine(HTL), Barbara Shields, Thomas Day, 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

As Americans head to the polls for the midterm elections, Russia has launched another devastating wave of missile and drone attacks against Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure.I dropped in live from Dnipro to join Dean Blundell and Ken Harbaugh, bringing an eyewitness account of what has been happening here over the past 24 hours.The attacks began around 3 a.m. I witnessed and filmed successive ballistic missile strikes against our energy infrastructure, followed by jet-powered drones, some of that footage has had to be redacted for operational security reasons.After nearly two weeks of repeated attacks, power cuts and water shortages, Dnipro is facing an increasingly difficult situation, and winter hasn’t even properly begun.We discussed Russia’s escalating attacks on civilians, the recent Dnipro railway station massacre, Ukrainian battlefield successes, restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield, and the consequences of Washington’s decisions for those of us living through this war.With the US midterms underway, we also examined what a change in Congress could mean for military assistance, accountability and the future of American support for Ukraine.My message remains unchanged, we do not lack evidence of Russian war crimes, we lack the political determination to turn that evidence into accountability.Many thanks to Dean and Ken for inviting me onto the programme and continuing to give Ukraine a voice, please watch, share and restack. Independent reporting from Ukraine matters, particularly when the world’s attention is elsewhere.There can be no lasting peace without justice. 🇺🇦Thank you PJ Schuster, Sandra Tuttle, Ms. H, Gretchen Theodorakis, Sheryl, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell 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

I joined Ken Harbaugh and retired US Navy Commander Bobby Jones on Meidas Defense Week in Review, broadcasting live from Dnipro, where we are facing another weekend without reliable electricity or water following a week of relentless Russian attacks on our civilian infrastructure.Coming just 24 hours after the devastating Russian drone strike on Dnipro’s railway station, we discussed the increasingly deliberate targeting of Ukraine’s civilian population, passenger trains and energy infrastructure, and what this means as winter approaches.In this episode, we cover:* 🇺🇦 Dnipro under attack: The deadly railway station strike, Russia’s escalating drone campaign and the reality of living under bombardment.* ⚔️ The battlefield: Russia’s mounting losses, Ukrainian advances and why Putin is under increasing military pressure.* 🇺🇸 Trump, Putin and Washington: The controversial Russian diesel deals, restrictions on Starlink and Starshield, and growing concerns over American policy towards Ukraine.* 🕊️ Oleshky and humanitarian diplomacy: The proposed civilian evacuations, political PR and the danger of rehabilitating Putin’s image while Russian attacks continue.* ⚖️ War crimes and accountability: The latest UN findings, Russia’s position on the UN Security Council and why statements of solidarity are no longer enough.* 💪 Ukrainian resilience: The extraordinary determination of ordinary Ukrainians, particularly railway workers, who continue operating despite the constant threat of Russian attacks.We also discuss whether meaningful peace negotiations are remotely possible while Putin continues pursuing his objectives, and what people outside Ukraine can do to make a genuine difference.My thanks to Ken and Bobby for having me on and continuing to give Ukraine a voice.Please watch, share and support independent reporting from Ukraine. 🇺🇦There can be no lasting peace without justice.Thank you Cat: Poli-Psych, PJ Schuster, Donna Dupont, Sheryl, HoldingTheLine(HTL), and many others for tuning into my live video with The Ken Harbaugh Show and Bobby Jones! 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

Is Russia really winning in Ukraine, or is the Kremlin’s battlefield narrative beginning to unravel? And are decisions being made in Washington putting Ukrainian lives at greater risk?In this latest episode of Voices from the Front, I’m joined once again by war correspondent and author of Dogs of Mariupol, Tom Mutch, for a frank discussion about the rapidly changing situation in Ukraine, the realities of the frontline and the increasingly troubling decisions coming out of Washington.Tom has recently returned from Zaporizhzhia, where he was embedded with a Ukrainian drone unit conducting operations against Russian forces. He shares his firsthand experiences of how Ukraine is using long-range drones to threaten Russia’s southern land corridor to Crimea, and how technology is fundamentally changing the battlefield.We also examine the controversial restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield, their potential consequences for Ukraine’s drone operations and air defences, and the serious questions surrounding the White House’s involvement. With Russian missiles continuing to strike Ukrainian cities, who is responsible for decisions that could leave millions more vulnerable?We discuss:* The Starlink scandal: What happened, how restrictions affected Ukrainian military operations and why accountability matters.* Trump and the Kremlin: Russian oil sanctions relief, Washington’s increasingly hostile rhetoric towards Zelensky and the implications for Ukraine.* The real battlefield picture: Ukrainian advances around Lyman, Operation Vivaldi, Russian losses and the Kremlin’s increasingly questionable claims of success.* Tom’s Zaporizhzhia embed: An extraordinary firsthand account of Ukrainian drone teams targeting Russian logistics and supply routes towards Crimea.* The changing face of warfare: Artificial intelligence, unmanned ground vehicles, interceptor drones and the technological revolution taking place on the frontline.* Russia’s manpower problems: Mounting casualties, foreign recruitment and the possibility of another stealth mobilisation.* What comes next: Can Russia sustain its offensive operations, what does Ukraine’s improving battlefield position mean, and where could this war be heading over the coming months?We also discuss the growing distinction between the war being presented in political speeches and the one actually being fought, and why Russia’s increasingly destructive attacks against Ukrainian cities should not distract from its difficulties on the battlefield.The battlefield is not moving in only one direction, and the Kremlin is not having everything its own way.Tom’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TomAtWar The Defector - https://www.wsj.com/world/russian-defector-deadly-sabotage-campaign-a95d163c?utm_source=chatgpt.com🇺🇦 Voices from the Front, reporting and perspectives from those who know this war firsthand. If you value independent reporting from Ukraine, please consider subscribing, sharing this episode and supporting my work.Thank you John Mahoney, HoldingTheLine(HTL), Urban Hermit, 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