Fighting For Ukraine
Yuriy Matsarsky is a Ukranian journalist turned civilian fighter against the Russian invasion on the democratic country of Ukraine. In this podcast he brings daily updates from the frontlines of the Ukranian resistance. “As a journalist I thought, ‘You shouldn’t be involved in this. You should be watching from the sidelines.’ But the Ukrainian citizen part of me told me, ‘No, this doesn’t work anymore. You should protect your country, you should protect your loved ones, you should protect your freedom—you should protect your people.’”
Episodes
September 7th 2026
Yuriy says a long-suppressed fear now haunts him daily: what happens if Ukraine loses. As a soldier, he believes Ukraine’s disappearance would mean his death on the battlefield or execution for what he has written and said. He remembers being invited to work in London years ago but realizing he could not leave; Ukraine is his home, and he will stay, hoping the country endures.
August 24th 2026
On Ukraine’s Independence Day, Yuriy calls the celebration “nice but strange” as the country keeps fighting for freedom from the enemy in the north. He admits that he mostly says “Russians” only on the podcast; in real life and even on Ukrainian media he uses two older Ukrainian slur names - words that don’t mock appearance, but preserve lived history.
August 13th 2026
Yuriy describes the fact that Russians are erasing entire Ukrainian cities—first with mass artillery and then with heavy KAB bombs—reducing them to ash and rubble while calling it “liberation.” He describes Kharkiv being bombed daily, with deaths, ruined infrastructure, and familiar streets and parks scarred but still standing, unlike towns that now exist only as piles of debris visible on G...
August 4th 2026
Yuriy reflects on a recurring message from a friend who has served since the first days of the war: “It’s a miracle we are still standing.” He recalls his first unit that defended Kyiv in February–March 2022, noting that out of roughly 100 people, by August 2026 only seven or eight would still be serving. About half were killed, many in the first two years; others are missing in action, disch...
July 17th 2026
Yuriy recalls meeting a Kurdish sheikh in Iraq about 10 years earlier, a lifelong warrior who had fought ISIS, Al Qaeda, Saddam Hussein’s army, and rival Kurdish clans, and who said he “shot people because he couldn’t shoot an ideology.” When pressed on how such different enemies shared one ideology, the sheikh explained that the common thread was tyranny—systems that turn people into ob...
July 9th 2026
After a long absence, Yuriy returns on July 9 and explains he’s been overwhelmed by depression and insomnia while continuing his military duties amid constant bombings, personal losses, and worry for his seriously ill father far away. With sleepless nights stretching on, he began revisiting and rewriting stories from his years reporting wars and revolutions in the Middle East, shaping them into something new. Fr...
March 15th 2026
Yuriy recalls buying an olive military backpack in early 2022 despite friends insisting the Ukraine war would end soon, and now—after wearing through three and needing a fourth—he reflects bitterly on how long the war has lasted. He marks the time by his daughter turning 21 and laments missing key moments of her growing up, wishing her a life with more peace.
Send Yuriy your letter of support fightingthe...
February 20th 2026
Yuriy reflects on Ukraine’s Day of Remembrance of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, honoring protesters killed during the February 2014 shootings in Kyiv and describing them as the first victims of the Russian-Ukrainian war, driven by Kremlin pressure on Yanukovych’s regime and propaganda portraying protesters as Nazis and criminals. Recounting what he witnessed during the confrontation, he frames t...
January 21st 2026
Yuriy opens up about his prolonged absence and the challenges faced due to personal struggles with depression and caution in communication. He provides an insightful look into the difficulties Ukraine is currently facing, including severe winter conditions, escalating attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and the pervasive impact of the ongoing war on future plans. Yuriy shares a poignant narrative about the ha...
December 12th 2025
In this episode, Yuriy, a journalist-turned-soldier, reflects on his experiences with body armor during his reporting years in conflict zones such as Syria, Iraq, and Gaza. He explains his decision to forgo wearing body armor due to its cumbersome nature and the logistical challenges it presented. Reflecting on the early days of his military service during the full-scale war in his country, he discusses the diffi...
November 11th 2025
In this milestone 300th episode of Fighting For Ukraine, Ukrainian journalist-turned-soldier, now war Veteran Yuriy marks his 45th birthday on the front lines — another year lived inside the Ukraine war. What should have been a day of celebration is instead filled with reflection, grief, and quiet resilience.
Yuriy looks back on the years the war has taken — from 41 to 45 — and the many personal...
November 4th 2025
In this moving episode of Fighting For Ukraine, Ukrainian journalist-turned-soldier Yuriy reflects on life in the midst of the Ukraine war — and on the small dreams that help him and his comrades endure.
As the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine stretches far beyond the first six months, Yuriy shares how Ukrainian soldiers hold on to hope by imagining the peace that will someday come. Some plan to ride m...
October 27th 2025
Yuriy returns to his childhood apartment in Kharkiv, reflecting on memories and the stark changes brought by war. Amidst the remnants of the past, he finds solace in small comforts and prepare the space for fellow Ukrainian soldiers passing through.
Send Yuriy your letter of support fightingtherussianbeast@gmail.com
Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yu...
October 7th 2025
In the wake of increased Russian bombings targeting Ukraine, the city of Dnipro stands as a primary target. Despite the ongoing devastation and personal horror, residents persist in daily life, adapting to the continuous threat while grappling with immense fear and loss.
Send Yuriy your letter of support fightingtherussianbeast@gmail.com
Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://...
Yuriy reflects on his three and a half years in the army, recounting experiences of loss, perseverance, and the ongoing conflict that has spanned 1,300 days. He shares personal anecdotes and the emotional toll the prolonged war has taken on him and his country.
Send Yuriy your letter of support fightingtherussianbeast@gmail.com
Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy&nb...
August 22nd 2025
Yuriy returns after a long absence to discuss the uncertain future of Ukraine's war. He shares his concerns about decisions being made without Ukraine's consent, the potential humiliation in impending peace talks, and the internal divisions in Ukraine that may follow.
Send Yuriy your letter of support fightingtherussianbeast@gmail.com
Yuriy’s Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://pat...
July 28th 2025
Yuriy reflects on his experience with illness, the enduring effects of war in Ukraine, and the striking parallels between his own journey and that of his grandfather, both marked by their status as war veterans.
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://yuriym...
July 11th 2025
Yuriy reflects on the psychological toll of war, the loss of close friends, and the inescapable horrors faced in Ukraine. Amidst widespread destruction and cruelty, he delves deep into the struggle of being both an observer and an active participant in the conflict.
You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: fightingtherussianbeast@gmail.com You can help Yuriy and his...
July 3rd 2025
Yuriy recounts a harrowing experience in Cairo during the mass protests against the ruling authorities in Egypt on July 3rd, 2013. He covers the arrest of President Mohamed Morsi, the dangers faced by journalists and foreigners, and the tragic events surrounding the military dispersal of the pro-Morsi encampment at Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque.
You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support:...
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