The segment centers on an interview with George Mamsurov, a Russian former soldier and current journalist, offering a Russian perspective on the ongoing war in Ukraine. The hosts clarify that Mamsurov is not a government spokesperson and that the channel seeks to provide multiple viewpoints—Ukrainian, Russian, European, and American—to help audiences understand the complexity of the conflict.

Key Points:

Technical Setup & Interview Context:

The interview experienced delays due to translator coordination.

Gary conducted the bulk of the interview after initial scheduling conflicts.

Purpose of the Segment:

To showcase the Russian side’s thinking about the war, particularly through the eyes of someone on the ground.

Aims to balance this with upcoming interviews from Ukrainian perspectives.

On Understanding Ukrainian Motivation:

Mamsurov admits he doesn’t fully understand some Ukrainian actions or motivations, illustrating the disconnect in perspective.

Drone Warfare as a Game-Changer:

Mamsurov describes the war in 2022 and today as “two different wars.”

Identifies five to six milestones in how warfare evolved—drones being the most important.

Notes the rise of optical fiber-controlled drones and their dominance on the battlefield.

80% of Modern Warfare (per Mamsurov) now involves:

FPV (First-Person View) drones

Kamikaze drones

Surveillance drones

Russia’s Drone Production Surge:

Early in the war, neither side fully grasped drone warfare’s potential.

Russia lagged behind initially but now mass-produces drones, giving them superior drone numbers, if not variety.

Ukraine had a head start, partially due to lessons from the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan war, using drones like the Bayraktar.

Impact on the Front Lines:

Early in the war, journalists like Mamsurov didn’t even watch the skies.

Today, that has drastically changed—being exposed, even briefly, is potentially lethal due to drones.

Drones have made every movement deadly, even something as basic as leaving a trench.

Strategic Impact:

Drones now offer a cheap way to destroy high-value targets (e.g., tanks).

Enable harassment of supply lines without endangering troops or expending costly artillery.

Overall, the interview underscores how drone technology has revolutionized the battlefield, and how both sides—especially Russia—have evolved their approach dramatically since the war’s onset. The segment emphasizes the value of hearing from diverse voices to truly grasp the layered, shifting nature of this war.

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