Shaun Pinner on Mariupol, Captivity, and Russian Propaganda

This episode features former British and Ukrainian military serviceman Shaun Pinner, who recounts his experience fighting in Mariupol during the initial Russian invasion and surviving months of brutal captivity. Shaun describes the intense seven-week battle that preceded his capture, the torture he endured, and the propaganda mechanisms used by Russian state media to portray him as a mercenary and terrorist. The conversation also covers the resilience of the Ukrainian society, the evolution of drone warfare, the shifting balance of power, and the role of NATO and Western support. Shaun also breaks down how misinformation targets Western audiences and why Russia invests heavily in online influence. He closes by discussing his book, Live Fight Survive, which recounts his captivity and counters the false narratives created about him while he was imprisoned.Follow Shaun on X: https://x.com/olddog100uaLive. Fight. Survive. The International Bestseller by Shaun Pinner: https://shaunpinner.com/bookCrypto Voices: Episode 192Show Sponsor: Debifi - https://debifi.com/Donations to Porkopolis Economics via BTCPay are appreciated: https://donations.porkopolis.io/Show support appreciated: donations.cryptovoices.comChapters:00:00:00 - Intro00:03:31 - Torture and Captivity in Russian Prison00:07:26 - Systemic War Crimes in Russian Military00:09:53 - Torture, False Confessions, and War Crimes00:14:14 - Russian Intelligence Recruitment and POW Treatment Disparities00:20:45 - Pokrovsk: Russia's Hollow Military Victory00:33:32 - Ukraine's Hidden Power Shift Against Russia00:35:49 - Living Under Constant Drone Attacks in Kharkiv00:40:11 - Russian Economy Collapse and Putin's Failed Goals00:43:00 - Putin's Paranoia and Oligarch Pressure00:48:48 - Republican Support for Ukraine Explained00:52:00 - NATO Spending and Modern Drone Warfare00:56:34 - Ukraine's Training Edge Over Russian Forces00:59:45 - Russia's Sanitation Crisis and Poverty01:03:58 - Decoding Russian Propaganda and Media Control01:07:04 - Russian Propaganda and Misuse of Free Speech01:10:27 - Russian Propaganda and Disinformation War01:15:11 - Ground Sources and Detecting Propaganda01:16:48 - Supporting Ukraine: Donations and Legal ActionHost: Matthew MezinskisMusic: New Friend Music newfriendmusic.com/Podcast & videosBitcoin, privacy, crypto, economics & libertyThanks for watching!#ukraine #russia #unitedstates