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Hello and welcome to Battleground with me, Patrick Bishop.

I'm flying solo today. Saul is taking a well-earned break with his family in the Shatland Islands. So instead of the normal format, this podcast is

essentially an extended chat with someone listeners will know well. That is journalist, environmentalist,

wild bear expert, pilot, and all-round philosopher adventurer, Julius Strauss,

whose reporting from Ukraine and thoughts on the conflict have added so much to this show.

Julius, of course, has his own outlets, his regular blog on Substack, back from the front, which is full of brilliant stuff,

and he and his partner, Kim Rejek, are now also contributing to an innovative media outlet

called Newsphere.

We'll be talking about his recent visit to frontline areas and also, of course, our diplomatic

developments in Alaska and Washington. Great to have you back on the show again, Julius. Thanks, Patrick. You've oversawed me a little bit, but I'll take the compliment. Thank you. Not a bit of it, not a bit of it. Well, the last time we heard from you, it was just a little while ago when you and Kim and our friend, the young Hungarian journalist, Bi Giori, were in Kramatosk,

one of the cities in the fortress belt of Donetsk that we've been hearing so much about in recent

weeks, one that Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to hand over to him without his men having to fight

for it. So brilliant stuff from Krammatorsk.

The three of you painted a very compelling picture of life and the town,

...