This is Not a Drill

The Ukraine War Ep. 6: Defiance

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Episode notes

Telling the history of the war that’s reshaping the world. In Ep.6: How Ukrainian bravery and steadfastness amazed the world. These are the human stories of how a country much smaller than Russia was able to stand together under Putin’s astonishing onslaught – why a shovel is a soldier’s best friend – and how Ukrainian civilians who never thought of themselves as fighters found themselves rushing towards the front line.

Hear next week’s edition of Doomsday Watch: The Ukraine War immediately when you support the podcast on Patreon: http://www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk


• “I was terrified of dying a wasteful death… but there was pride too. We’ve learned we’re more united and braver than we thought.” – Romeo Kokriatski

• “Ironically it’s Russian’s repeated attacks on Ukraine that propelled this country’s sense of purpose and unity.” – Arthur Snell

• “Before August 2022 it was hard to convince anyone that Ukraine could win this. After September I was struggling to convince people that victory wasn’t inevitable.” – Jack Watling

• “Hopefully this war makes people around the world understand that freedom is not free.” – Olga Tokariuk


Photograph courtesy Juan Barreto


Incidental music in order of appearance:

• ‘A Quiet Night – Tyhohi Nochi’ by Natalia Tsupryk, performed by SANSARA Choir

• ‘O Lord, Hear My Prayer – Dmitry Bortniansky, performed by Kyiv Chamber Choir

• Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 9 (First Movement) performed by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

• Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 5, performed by Jason Weinberger and the WCF Symphony


‘A Quiet Night – Tyhohi Nochi’ by Natalia Tsupryk was commissioned and recorded by SANSARA choir at the Ukrainian Cathedral in London, directed by Tom Herring.

Hear the full track on SANSARA’s latest album Traces here: https://platoon.lnk.to/traces

Find out more about the project on their website here: https://www.sansarachoir.com/a-quiet-night

Follow SANSARA @SansaraChoir and on your preferred streaming platform.




Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production

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