Ukraine - Back from the War

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 21 June 2016

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, huge numbers of men have been conscripted into service on the frontline. Many are now returning home to a civilian society which has little understanding of their experiences or how the fighting has changed them. Reporter David Stern follows of a group of Ukrainian veterans as they attempt to adjust to life after the war fare. He is with Sasha, a young recruit posted to the frontline, as he experiences an emotional reunion with his family after his demobilisation. But questions remain about his ability to cope away from his unit, and the psychological impact of the fighting. As Europe’s only active conflict in a generation enters its third year, the programme will explore the unique pressures and dilemmas that a huge cross-section of Ukrainian men is facing after demobilisation.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	A pizzeria in Kyiv, but not just any pizzeria. There's something special about most of the people who work here, and about the man who owns it.
0:12.0	You protect your family, you protect your country,
0:16.0	and when you came back here, your service is finished.
0:20.0	Like most of the chefs and waiters here,
0:22.0	Leonid Astaltsza fought in the East.
0:24.9	They're war veterans. This place is even called Pizza Vetterano.
0:30.5	I'm David Stern for the BBC World Service and this is back from the war.
0:35.0	I'm finding out what's happening to the vast numbers of Ukrainian soldiers
0:40.0	home from Europe's first land war in a generation.
0:44.0	We will have very big problems with the veterans, very big.
0:48.0	And we will have more in one or two years.
0:51.0	And if you can't find a job,
0:53.5	drink, drags, fights, deaths.
0:56.5	Maybe jail.
0:59.5	It will be.
1:12.2	There are more than 220,000 soldiers who have served in Ukraine's war against Russian-backed separatists.
1:13.0	Here at this checkpoint, the enemy is just a few kilometers away.
1:18.0	Next to a bombed out cafe, soldiers stand guard.
1:22.0	Well, I'm out to wait in the street. Soldiers stand guard. That's Sasha, a young conscript.
1:26.0	He's tall and rail thin, with hooded eyes that give him a hang dog look and this is his big day he's
1:35.3	heading home for good his mates are trying to decide who should get his flack jacket
1:39.8	he served more than a year.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in -3199 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

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

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