The Foreign Fighters Who've Gone To Ukraine

Consider This from NPR

NPR

Society & Culture, Daily News, News, News Commentary

4.2 • 6.2K Ratings

🗓️ 22 June 2022

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Two American citizens who'd traveled to Ukraine to join the fight against Russia have reportedly been captured by pro-Russian forces. The State Department says it's "closely monitoring" the situation and has urged Americans not to travel to the country, noting the risk and danger. But still, thousands of foreign fighters have journeyed there.

NPR's Ryan Lucas met some of them — a group of Americans and Brits who have formed a unit that is fighting in the east.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	4 months ago this week, Russia invaded Ukraine.
0:03.7	It was February 24th to be exact.
0:06.2	For Hana Hopeko, it feels like a lifetime ago.
0:09.2	You know, the life now after the February 24th changed a lot.
0:15.0	It seems like the previous life doesn't exist anymore.
0:19.2	Hopeko is a former member of Ukraine's parliament.
0:21.8	She and her daughter fled after Russia invaded.
0:24.6	This month she was in Washington, D.C. meeting with State Department officials.
0:27.9	My colleague Mary Louise Kelly caught up with her.
0:29.9	I like for all my nation, for millions of Ukrainians.
0:36.2	Every day we are receiving not just one, not just three, not just five.
0:43.0	Dragic news that we are losing our friends.
0:47.0	Five a day.
0:48.0	Yes.
0:49.0	Yes.
0:50.0	Yes.
0:51.0	And it's really very sad.
0:55.2	I cannot understand why the West is so reluctant to help us to win faster.
1:03.2	Last week the U.S. announced another billion dollar package of weapons ammunition and artillery
1:07.9	for Ukraine.
1:09.3	Russia is advancing in some parts of the country thanks in part to sheer numbers.
1:14.0	Ukrainian officials say they need more heavy weapons to keep up.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.