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The Story

The British man rescuing Ukrainians from Putin’s war

The Story

The Times

News, Investigative Reporting, Long-form Audio, Current Affairs, In-depth Journalism, Daily News, Audio Storytelling, Daily News Podcast, Global News, Politics, Uk News, News Analysis, Exclusive Interviews

3.91.6K Ratings

🗓️ 19 December 2022

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

British volunteer Dave Young has rescued over 800 Ukrainians from the war's frontline, as well as losing his right eye to shrapnel. Anthony Loyd and filmmaker Federica De Caria join Dave in the city of Bakhmut, the epicentre of the bloodiest attritional battle of winter, as he embarks on dangerous rescue work – and considers what drives him to keep going.

Watch Anthony Loyd and Federica De Caria's film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X32e2YF9phE

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.  

Guest: Anthony Loyd, Senior Foreign Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.


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Transcript

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0:00.0

Before we begin, this episode contains strong language.

0:14.0

Over 70,000 people used to live in this city.

0:21.5

In the east of Ukraine, in the city of Bakhmut, is an area known as Zabakhmutka.

0:28.6

It's the center of the bloodiest, atritional battle of the winter.

0:34.4

Many have been killed, and many have fled.

0:39.1

Now, there are fewer than 2,000 people left, still eking out a bleak existence in the city.

0:47.6

You're in Zabakhmutka. Sorry, nothing goes there.

0:51.4

Ambulances don't go there. Far service doesn't go there. Soldiers fight, they don't help,

0:55.9

they have no time. So this is real no man's land. You live up here, you're on your own.

1:02.8

Unless you meet Dave Young. Well, hopefully not completely on your own,

1:08.5

somebody to volunteer or turn up with the car and take you out.

1:12.9

You're listening to stories of our times, from the times and the Sunday times.

1:18.1

I'm Manvin Rana.

1:26.5

Today, Dave, the British man rescuing civilians from Putin's war.

1:49.8

I'm Anthony Lloyd, I'm a special correspondent for the Times,

1:52.8

and I've just come back from Ukraine, I think it's my seventh assignment this year.

1:58.4

You and our colleague, Federica Dacaria, who's a filmmaker with the Times, you've just been

2:05.2

on the front line, really. You just arrived back in the country and we're talking to you.

2:10.6

What's it like covering the war right now compared to what it's been like on your previous

2:15.6

visits? It's a pretty depressing experience, and there's a quantum leap in difference,

2:22.4

between being in Britain and reading about the war and going there and seeing it for oneself.

2:29.8

This war is sort of a clash of civilizations, and Britain has rightly thrown the weight of

...

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