February 14th 2025

Yuriy provides a powerful reminder of the enduring importance of dignity, freedom, and resistance against oppression. We delve into historical parallels and current threats, reinforcing the necessity of standing with Ukraine against tyranny and occupation.

Here is a link to the substack article he mentioned in this episode: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/p/middle-eastern-tortuga 

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

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Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

It is February 14. 

Today, I just want to remind you what a deal in which dignity, freedom, and human lives are measured in dollars is a very bad deal because there are things more variable than dollars. 

Let me remind you that the war will not end as long as there is even a single inch of occupied land in Ukraine. Because even if the guns fall silent, the torture chambers and concentration camps will not disappear. And every day, just like now, people will be tortured and murdered there. So, leaving towns and villages under occupation while saying what the most important thing is to prevent people from dying is hypocrisy and a lie. People will continue to die.  

It is strange but it has to be repeated in the 21st century. But I will remind you anyway: Nazis are scum, occupation is a crime, and appeasement of an aggressor never works. "Blessed are the peacemakers said Jesus," but he did not mean those who give the aggressor everything they desire and when, call it peace. 

The other day, my brother in arms said that the West is now in the same position as Ukraine was during the Balkan Wars of 1990s. Back then we were all going about our lives, not even thinking that one day, we too could face a siege like Sarajevo or mass executions like in Srebenica. Right now, you are not thinking about it, but the threat of war escalating is very real.

I will finish today on a somewhat solemn note, but forgive me for that. Before the start of Second World War, Winston Churchill said that a nation that chooses shame over war will get both shame and war. Do not choose shame. Stand with Ukraine. Stand for freedom and dignity.  

February 7th 2025

Yuriy reflects on the decline of global moral values and the impact on war-torn regions like Ukraine and Gaza. He shares poignant personal stories, urging listeners to support the fight for freedom and dignity.

Here is a link to the substack article he mentioned in this episode: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/p/middle-eastern-tortuga 

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy  

Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

Is February 7th. 

It's a little strange to think about it now, but I remember very well with times when politicians, intellectuals, and even big business representatives emphasized with human life and dignity were the main value. That freedom was at treasure, that had to be preserved and for which one could sacrifice a lot. Those times are long gone now politicians are looking for an understanding with scoundrels and murderers advising Ukraine to give Putin its territories so that he can show his people at least something as proof of victory and seriously discussing the possibility of stopping military aid so that the war can end as soon as possible. 

We live in an era of cowards and sellouts, people who are willing to sell freedom and dignity to anyone who is willing to buy them. We stand on the shoulders of the giants who defeated Nazism and destroyed the insane and senseless evil empire called the USSR, and these giants are ashamed of how we have distorted the world we built. Human life is no longer the main value. People no longer mean anything their opinion can no longer be taken into account if you are rich and powerful enough. 

And this is exactly what we are seeing now in the Gaza Strip, which is probably the most cursed and terrible place on Earth. I've been there many times as a reporter, I had friends there, I knew how scary it could be during the bombing. I almost stayed there forever after Hamas accused me of spying for Israel. But you know what the main impression of Gaza is? People there are humiliated and intimidated, they have no hope for anything good. The blockade, endless wars, and the dictatorship of the Hamas facts have deprived them of their freedom and dignity.

And now rich people from wealthy, powerful countries are deciding what to do with these Gazans, coming up with plans that would have seemed completely detached from reality a few years ago, but now can easily be implemented.  I have written a new text about this on Substack. There will be a link to it in the episode description where some of my photos there. They show a terrible Gaza ruled by cruel people, but which was home to many. There is a photo with a girl on the street. I don't know who she's or where she's from, I just took it this photo by accident. But every day I think about her, about whatever she is alive or not crippled. I think about her parents and about millions of other people, first of all, here in Ukraine. We must somehow hold on until the time when Freedom and Dignity become the main values again. 

And while we are holding on, read my text and if you like, send me a few dollars. Thank you.  

January 24th 2025

Yuriy delves into the upcoming presidential elections in Belarus and the oppressive regime of Alexander Lukashenko. He explores the impact of his 30-year rule and the international implications of his policies.

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy  

Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

It is January 24. 

If you think the American elections weren't enough, well in just a couple of days you are in for another one. This Sunday, Belarus will be electing its president. Most likely you have not heard anything about it, even in Ukraine, where the common border with Belarus is almost a thousand miles long few people know about it. Why? Because these are elections with a predetermined outcome.  Everyone already knows who the president will be, even if no one votes for him. Under any circumstances, Alexander Lukashenko will remain the ahead of a state. 

This mentally ill man and he truly is ill, having undergone treatment in the 1980s without success has helped Belarus hostage for 30 years and plans to secure another five year term.  He's a true maniac, willing to do anything to clink, to power. What's more, he despises the country he governs. He has no respect for Belarusian history, culture, or language. To give you an idea, there is no complete version of the Belarusian constitution in the national language. It exists only in Russian. The country's official symbols are not the national flag and code of arms, but slightly modified Soviet ones. 

All talented artists, writers and musicians have either been exiled from Belarus or are behind bars. Today as it was in the USSR, creativity is only allowed with state's permission and under its control. Lukashenko uses violence to stay in power, killing and torturing war who seek freedom and democracy. He's been doing this for 30 years and plans to continue. 

Despite all these many in Ukraine. Just a few years ago, considered Belarus an ideal state and Lukashenko the best leader. Why this happened and what it led to, I won't explain here better yet, I'll give you a link to my substack. I recently published a piece there about Belarus. If you find it interesting, please share it and if you are not interested, you can check my other articles. There is one about Christmas in the Middle East, another about the founder of World's First anarchist republic one about Bethlehem and much more. 

Writing this pieces is incredibly important to me, not only to stay connected to my main profession, but also because your donations for them literally keep me going. If you enjoy my stories, you can always support me and also you can follow me on Blue Sky, all links in the description. 

By the way, Belarus is not a foreign land to me. My last name likely has a Belarusian roots. I've worked there, narrowly avoided  ending up in one of the Lukashenko's prisons and have plenty of stories to share about Belarus. If you are interested, let me know and I'll dedicate an entire episode to this topic because the Lukashenko regime is really a sleeping monster filled with hatred towards democracy,  obsessed with a Soviet past, and now armed with Russian nuclear bombs. And this monster is right in the center of Europe.  

January 17th 2025

Yuriy describes through the brutal realities faced by the Ukrainian territorial defense forces. He details the unwavering spirit of everyday people standing up to defend their homeland.

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

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Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

It is January 17. 

Over the past year, Russians have killed dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war. This year, they continue to execute people who surrender. We do this openly knowing that were being recorded by Ukrainian reconnaissance drones, and often they film this acts themselves and post them online. They take pride in killing wars who lay down their arms. They want everyone. To see how brutal they are, how deeply they hate territorial defense fighters. Because it is people from territorial defense whom Russians kill in the first place. 

Why such hatred specifically for the territorial defense forces? Why are my comrades and I at maximum risk? What infuriates work so much about us? From the very start of the full scale invasion, Russian propaganda portrayed the territorial defense as a gathering of fanatics who voluntarily joined the military solely to kill Russians. For years propagandists spread tales that only crazed sadists served in the territorial defense. People who lined up to join the Army just to get weapons and finally kill Russians. 

They took one real fact- we really did stand in lines for hours during the first day of a war and built a myth around it depicted territorial defense members as savages, whose sole purpose in life is to kill Russians. In reality, the territorial defense now includes not just volunteers; many were mobilized after the volunteer numbers became insufficient. None of us would have taken arms to kill Russians if they had not invaded our land with weapons and the intent to destroy our country. Killing invaders has become a way of life for thousands of very different people, not just war and the Territorial Defense. 

You know, it's a very strange story. The Territorial Defense began as  groups of people protecting their towns or neighborhoods with a vast majority having no real military experience before the full scale war. Now, the territorial defense fights on the hottest front lines, often hundreds of miles from their homes. They fight fiercely and bravely. And it is us, once entirely civilian people, who invaders have joined into the most relentless enemies. 

The killing of prisoners of war is a horrific crime, a sign of inhumanity of true monsters. But in this war, there is no crime the Russians have not committed. I am proud to stand on the side of good, proud to be among those who fight with blood thirsty, senseless heart, risking our lives every day. Eternal glory to those who have fallen at the hands of the scum that invaded our land and let it be a reminder two wars who torture and kill prisoners- we will find you. Every last one of you.  

January 6th 2024

Yuriy breaks down the recent military and political upheavals in Syria, revealing the broader implications for Putin's Russia and the global stage. Delving deep from the frontlines, Yuriy uncovers the hidden narratives and draws strategic insights on striking back against aggression.

Check out Yuriy's latest blog on his substack here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-153574207 

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy  

Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

It is January 6th. 

What is happening in Syria right now is not just the collapse of the Assad regime: it is also a loud and resound and defeat for Putin's Russia. You can't even imagine how significant this defeat is. Unfortunately, Western politicians don't fully grasp this.  Otherwise, we would draw proper conclusions from this failure.

Let's start with the fact that during the early years of Syrian civil war, Moscow did not offer much help to Assad. Most of the assistance was limited to miserable food supplies sent as humanitarian aid to Syrians. I remember seeing firsthand in 2012 how bags of gray, cheapest Russian pasta delivered with great pomp to Latakia airport were discarded by the roadside. When I asked locals why they treated the aid  that way, they replied, "We won't reject help when it's offered, but we can't eat this stuff. Have you seen this pasta? Even our dogs won't touch that garbage." 

Putin turned his attention to Syria only after starting the war against Ukraine in 2014, that's when Russia got involved in a foreign war. From the outset, Putin pursued several objectives in Syria: trying to find common ground with the West, which was already fighting ISIS there, supporting the kindred dictatorship of Assad and testing weapons and military tactics for later use against Ukraine. For years, Syria became the top topic of Russian propaganda. It was declared Russia's closest ally. TV broadcasts proclaimed Syria as the birthplace of orthodox Christianity, emphasizing the need to protect it from Islamists. Instead of pasta bullets, missiles and mercenaries were sent to Latakia and Damascus. 

Here I need to pose and remind you that the only way this podcast is monetized is through your donations. It's tough without them. Please check the episode description for all the necessary details on how to support me. Thank you. 

Back to Syria. Russia poured tens of billions of dollars into the conflict. These funds were spent on weapons, infrastructure, propaganda, and even Russian language textbooks, which suddenly became mandatory in Syrian schools. Enormous sums were spent on the war that was supposed to be Putin's triumph. He even visited Syria himself boasting about how he had won and how everything would now be wonderful. 

In return for these billions, the Russians secured from Assad the continued operation of a Soviet era level base in Tartus. This base became the primary supply hub for Russian allies and mercenaries in Libya, the Central African Republic, and our countries of region. And now, all of this has suddenly vanished. Assad, Russia's best friend, is gone. A country so significant for Christianity has been surrendered. Russia is on the verge of losing its basis, and billions have been wasted for nothing.

And what does Putin do? Nothing. His propaganda machine simply blames Iran, claims that the Syrians did something wrong, or insists that the Russian operation there ended long ago. There's been no nuclear escalation, no mass mobilization, nothing. Their main ally has simply been abandoned it. And this is precisely how Russia will abandon occupied parts of Ukraine. Propaganda  will spin the narrative, but it was actually a victory, not a defeat, that all objectives were achieved and everything is fine. 

What's happening in Syria demonstrates to the entire world that Putin will abandon everything and everyone, relinquish any conquests if he's hit hard enough. Don't fear Putin. Strike him. He must lose.   

January 2nd 2024

Yuriy reflects on the bleak reality of a new year amidst ongoing war and the absence of miracles. He describes the unrelenting horrors of conflict and the hope for the warmth of spring.

Check out Yuriy's latest blog on his substack here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-153574207 

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy  

Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

It's January 2nd. 

Here comes the new year. Congratulations. A new year, but the same old war. It's just as it was. The insane deranged horde of murderers and rapists hasn't gone anywhere. Hasn't disappeared, hasn't retreated to where stinking holes in their vile country. There's been no Christmas Miracle, no New Year's miracle. There are no miracles at all. We were all lied to. There can be no miracles in the world where the governments of peaceful countries can calmly watch for years as Russian maniacs kill Ukrainian children and women every day. There can be no miracles in the world, that still hasn't found a way to deal with a monster in the Kremlin and instead trades with him and makes deals.

There are no miracles. New year is just a day to change the calendar. Christmas means even less. Supposedly, it was the day when the Savior was born, but Russian theier paint his face on their uniforms, and this Savior doesn't object. They decorate their planes with his icons, planes that bomb schools, and maternity wards, and he forgives them. They lie to the whole world, claiming they kill thousands of people and destroy entire cities in his name. And what about him? What does the savior do? Who is his saving? 

When the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz was liberated, an inscription was found on one of its walls left by a Jewish prisoner who perished there: "if there is a God, he will have to beg me for forgiveness." 

You know what's changed since when? Not much. The Nazis today, aren't Germans, they're Russians. The concentration camps aren't in Nazi occupied Poland, but in Russian occupied Eastern Ukraine. The letter Z has replaced with swastika. That's the only difference. And here we are with this stupid new year, with its empty, never fulfilled hopes for something better.

Well, maybe there is one benefit to this New Year. It means the first month of winter is over. The spring is closer, but we only need to hold on for two more months until the warmth begins. Spring is always easier. When it's warm, when you are not soak it in cold rain and you are not shivering in a damp basement during a shelling. Spring will be better. The main thing is to make it until when.

December 24th 2024

Yuriy recounts his tense experience during the 2010 Kyrgyzstan Revolution, where he was mistaken for an Al-Qaeda member. A simple act involving vodka cleared his name and granted him freedom...

Check out Yuriy's latest blog on his substack here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-153574207 

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy  

Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

  It is December 24th.

I hope you enjoyed my story about Madame President in Kyrgystan. I have plenty of other stories from my past life and I'm happy to share them with you. It helps me distract myself from our rather grim present, and it might help you  understand me better. Today, I'll tell you more about the same trip during which I met President Rosa Otunbayeva. This one is a story about Al-Qaeda. 

During the 2010 Revolution in Kyrgyzstan, some of the main events took place in a city called Osh. It was a hometown of a president who had been ousted by the Revolution and most of his inner circle. They tried to consolidate where power there, but they failed due to a fierce resistance of the people. I was in the local regional government building when it was stormed by protestors. The building was defended by supporters of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. They formed a human chain armed with sticks, rebar, and stones, facing a massive crowd building similar weapons. 

About a half a mile away, a unit of local police, about a hundred officers, stood in the grove. We did not intervene but simply observed the brawl. Fortunately, it ended rather quickly and without significant bloodshed. The former president's supporters fled when they realized they were vastly numbered. Only when did the police approach the building. Their major bummed a cigarette off me- I still smoked back then- and complained about how the world was seeing Kyrgyz people at their worst: arm ed with sticks and stones. The police lined up along the facade of a government building while a rally of a victorious crowd began in the square in front of it. 

I watched the scene unfold, standing among the crowd. The weather was beautiful. People were happy, the only eye sore was the massive Lenin monument around which the pro-democracy rally took place. A relic of Soviet times. There are still thousands of such Lenin statues across the post-Soviet space. 

In the middle of the crowd, two young Kyrgyz men in suits approached me. One whispered that they were from the local branch of main security service- the National Security Committee -and discretely showed me his ID near waist level so our wouldn't see the ever carefully moved his jacket aside to reveal a pistol underneath. The first one will likely asked me to follow them and warned what it was in my best interest to comply. 

We left the crowd and walked through nearly deserted streets. Most residents were either at the square or hiding at home fearing further street battles. After about 10 minutes, we arrived at the police station and entered it. It was just as empty. My two escorts led me to a back room where a middle aged civilian man sat looking visibly nervous.

Now with all three of them, they began questioning me. They were convinced I was one of the instigators of the revolution in the city. They asked who had sent me and even answered, we without question: Al-Qaeda. Their propaganda had been spreading the narrative for weeks, that Al-Qaeda was behind the unrest, trying to turn kirstan into caliphate. And there I was, obviously not a local, with a long beard wearing cargo pants, which are popular among journalists and jihadists alike. Naturally were decided, I was a terrorist. 

I started explaining that I was a reporter, merely observing events and that I had nothing to do with Al-Qaeda. At this, the men in the room pulled out a bottle of vodka and the plastic cup from his drawer. He poured about half the cup and handed it to me. Here, Bin Laden "Prove you are not an Islamist", he said, fully aware that Muslims are strictly forbidden from drinking alcohol.  

Kyrgystan is almost entirely a Muslim country, yet I often saw vodka there. It freely sold, consumed at celebration and casually, while those who don't drink are regarded as very religious. I drank with vodka and asked if I could have some more. The three of them burst into laughter and told me I'd proven I was not a jihadist and was free to go. 

So that's my Christmas story for you. If you enjoyed it, feel free to send me your regards using the details in the episode description.

December 20th 2024

Yuriy recounts the chaos of the 2010 Kyrgyzstan revolution, culminating in a surprising interview with the interim president. Dressed in a dusty pair of cargo pants and a T-shirt featuring a stoned frog, our hero makes an unexpected impression that you won't want to miss.

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

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Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

  It is December 20. 

Let me tell you the promised story about the Kyrgyz president and the stoned frog. It happened in 2010. That year in April, there was a revolution in Kyrgyzstan corruption in power, poverty among the people, interethnic and inter-regional conflicts- all of these had been building up for a long time and finally exploded. I was sent there to cover the events. I remember arriving in the capital, Bishkek, just as the revolutionaries were seizing the large presidential administration building. The staff had set fire to a pile of documents in the basement and the tons of burning and paper filled everything with smoke. 

The then president fled quickly to his homeland in southern Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is divided in half by the Tien Shan mountain range. People from the south often don't get along well with those from the north and vice versa. The geography kept them separated and politicians often exploited this division for their own benefit, pitting people from different regions against each other. Long story short, after the revolution triumphed in the capital, the events shifted to the south where the ousted president was trying to consolidate power with the help of local elites and actual mafias. Naturally, I went there too. 

Those were very tense weeks. I came under fire several times, was arrested by local security services on suspicion of collaborating with Al-Qaeda and the house I initially stayed in was burned to the ground. In short, it was the kind of real field journalism that makes the profession worth pursuing. 

While I was running around the south the new interim government was established in the capital. A journalist friend of mine from Bishkek called to say that the new interim president just appointed by Parliament, wanted to give her first interview to my media outlet. At the time, I worked for an outlet, highly respected in Central Asia. I found a driver willing to take me to Bishkek, and off we went. The president's office agreed the interview would be the next day. That gave me time to recover a bit, wash my clothes and prepare questions. 

But just as I checked into my hotel- I still remember its name, 'Dostuk' which means friendship in Kyrgyz- they called me to say plans had changed. Madame President Rosato BWA expected me in an hour.  The hotel was 40 minute walk from the interview location, leaving me almost no time. After several weeks in the fields, I had no clean clothes left. Well, almost none. The only clean item was a T-shirt I'd randomly packed. Someone had given it to me as a gift. I'd never have bought it myself. It featured the word 'Amsterdam' and a stoned frog holding a joint. With no other options. I put it on. 

I thought I might buy something more appropriate on the way, but every shop was either looted or boarded up. So I arrived at the president office wearing the frog t-shirt and dusty cargo pants. The sophisticated and elegant woman tried her best to hide any surprise at my appearance, but trust me, it was nearly impossible not to be surprised. So I laid my cards on the table immediately, explaining what I had just arrived from the south an hour earlier after spending a lot of time observing events that nearly turned into a civil war. I told her I had no opportunity to find more appropriate clothing. 

We've went out of the way the interview began. But for the first hour it was not me asking the questions, instead, Madame President was asking me about what had been happening in the south. By then the stoned frog didn't bother her anymore.

December 11th 2024

Yuriy recounts his extraordinary encounter with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad during a journalistic assignment in the early days of the Syrian war. He provides a vivid portrayal of Assad's unexpected demeanor and reflects on the dictator's troubled background and eventual downfall.

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy  

Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

It is December 11, 

Friends, I apologize for my long silence- it's just what with the onset of winter, I fell ill and it was incredibly difficult for me to write or even speak. Besides, I had almost no free time. But now is right moment to tell you a story I've been meaning to share. 

I've already mentioned it, but working as a journalist gave me the opportunity to visit places I had only dreamed of: the fort in Gaza, where Napoleon stayed during his Egyptian campaign; the Temple City of Lalish in Iraq, sacred to all Yazidis. As a journalist, I also got to meet my favorite musician, the legendary Chicago Bluesman, Lurrie Bell, and many other fascinating people.

And I also happened to meet the Syrian dictator, Bashar al-Assad. As it turned out, meeting with him was not all that difficult. It was 2012, the war in Syria was just beginning, and he was as open to the press as possible. At that time, I was working in the Middle East and decided to take a chance by sending a West for an interview to the Syrian Ministry of Information- and they approved it. 

There were a few unexpected challenges though. For instance, I did not own a suit and had to borrow one from a foreign colleague. A government official I coordinated the interview with, lent me a tie, and even the shoes werent mine. I borrowed those too, so I showed up entirely dressed in our people's clothes. The only time I looked worse was when I unexpectedly found myself transported from the trenches directly to the office of Kyrgyzstan president. I was wearing dirty cargo pants with knee pads and t-shirt featuring a frog smoking a massive joint. If you are interested, I'll tell you that story separately some day, but for now, back to al-Assad.

We met at his residence in Damascus. I was escorted there under the watchful eye of local intelligence agents after a thorough search. The residence, which I assume is one of many, was built in a European style. You know, a small mansion like the ones you'd find in Berlin or Vienna. Al-Assad himself, opened the door. He spoke English fluently- much better than I do. But that was not, what struck me most. 

What truly surprised me, that this bloody tyrant, a man who mercilessly ordered the killing and torture of unarmed people was, a total hen pecked man. Along with us in the residence was his media consultant, Luna al-Shibl, whom I already knew as the person who had approved my interview request. Everyone around referred to her exclusively as 'Madame Luna.' 

As we talked, she wandered around the room, sat at Assad's computer, and gave him advice in Arabic. At times it seemed as though he was waiting for her instructions. He did not look very confident overall. When he spoke slogans -ranting about global terrorism, how he was the sole defender against it and similar nonsense- he seemed to come alive. He probably even believed his own propaganda. But when the conversation shifted to other topics, he wilted and his already small chin seemed to disappear entirely. 

He struck me as a confused man who did not belong in his position. Don't get me wrong- I'm not defending him in any way. Not at all. He's a criminal who has killed countless people and nearly destroyed his own country, and at the same time, he was insecure and it was obvious that his parents did not care much for him. It was his brother, Basil, who was supposed to become president. Basil was chosen by his father, president Hafez al-Assad, as the sole successor to the throne. But Basil died in a car accident , and Hafez began molding Bashar into the new dictator. 

I think his extreme cruelty partly stems from his need to prove to everyone that he was worthy of the seat he was placed in, that he was a genuine Middle Eastern despot who did not care about human lives. And the end of his reign as a dictator is fitting.

I congratulate with Syrian people on the downfall of a horrific dictatorship. And I remind you, if you like what I'm doing, you can support me and my family. All the details are in the episode description. Thank you.

December 5th 2024

Yuriy uncovers a deeply personal chapter of his family history. He talks about how his grandfather, caught in the clutches of Nazi slavery during World War II, displayed astounding bravery in his quest for freedom — a legacy that fuels Yuriy's fight for Ukraine's independence today.

You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: [email protected]   

Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy  

Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat 

Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/ 

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)  

 It is December five. 

I am the grandson of a slave. My grandfather, after whom I was named was a slave. A real one. He was born a freeman. Not in the modern sense. Of course, Ukraine was when occupied by the Bolsheviks, and people had almost no rights. When my grandfather was a very young man, second World War began. Very soon he was drafted into the Red Army and sent to the front.

After a few months, he was captured by the Germans. At first, he was held in a prisoner's camp, but later he was sent to work at a factory in Germany. That was when he became a slave. The Third Reich was built by slaves- people stripped of rights, forced to work under inhumane conditions, beaten, killed at any moment and left with no chance of freedom had the Nazis won with war. There were millions of such slaves: Jewish and Roma people, Soviet prisoners, homosexuals, and anti-fascists. All of them worked day and night waiting for a horrific death by starvation, beatings, or complete physical exhaustion. 

But my grandfather was young, intelligent, and brave, realizing he had no chance of surviving in slavery. He decided to escape and he succeeded. A miracle, but miracles do happen from time to time. 

After same time, he rejoined the Soviet army, but for many years he hid the fact, but he had been a prisoner of war and forced into slavery. Do you know why he kept it in a secret? Because Soviet soldiers were forbidden to surrender. Surrender was a crime. If anyone had found about his past as a slave, he would have become a slave again- not at the Nazi factory, but in a Soviet gulag. The Soviet Union to real reli on the forces labor of millions.  

My grandfather was a slave and risked becoming one again. But he lived to see Ukraine liberated from the Russians to see independence, to see freedom, but the Russians love the gulag: they are deeply annoyed that we no longer want to be slaves, that we refuse to accept it. 

If someone asks me what we are fighting for, I can honestly say that I fight so that my grandchildren, unlike me, will never be able to say their grandfather was a slave.