Voices from the Front Podcast

Shaun Pinner
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🎙️ Voices from the Front | War Stories, Survival & Truth from Ukraine. A raw, unfiltered podcast exploring survival in war, and survival in life. Hosted by Shaun Pinner, British Army veteran, Ukrainian Marine, Mariupol defender, and former prisoner of war, the series delivers firsthand frontline stories from Ukraine and beyond, far from the safety of studio analysis. shaunpinner.substack.com

  1. INDEPENDANCE MATTERS | Special - Voices from the Front & The Wire Tap

    Jul 5

    INDEPENDANCE MATTERS | Special - Voices from the Front & The Wire Tap

    🎙️Voices from the Front & The Wire Tap As America marks Independence Day, we ask a much bigger question: what does independence really mean when a nation is fighting for its survival? In this special episode, Chris & myself, Shaun Pinner explore the latest developments from Ukraine, Russia and beyond, discussing why the prospect of peace appears further away than ever. From Russia’s escalating missile campaign and growing domestic pressures to the battle for Crimea, NATO, hybrid warfare and the political decisions shaping the conflict, this is an unfiltered conversation from two people living through the war. The discussion also reflects on the meaning of freedom and national independence, contrasting celebrations in the United States with Ukraine’s daily fight to defend its sovereignty. Along the way, Shaun shares insights from his latest analysis, recent public appearances, and why he believes the coming months could prove decisive for the war. Topics include: * Why peace negotiations remain unlikely in 2026. * Russia’s strategy, manpower and mounting internal pressures. * Crimea and the changing military balance. * NATO, hybrid warfare and the wider threat to Europe. * What Independence Day means from the perspective of wartime Ukraine. * Behind the scenes of Voices from the Front and upcoming reporting projects. If you value independent, frontline reporting from Ukraine, please consider subscribing and joining the conversation. Your support helps us continue bringing firsthand analysis, interviews and reporting from the people living this war every day. Thank you PJ Schuster, It’s Time 🇺🇦, James T Duffield, Ms. H, Debórah, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chris Sampson! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 9m
  2. WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE? | Diplomatic Speak with Cormac Smith, Former British Diplomat to Ukraine

    Jul 3

    WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE? | Diplomatic Speak with Cormac Smith, Former British Diplomat to Ukraine

    What really shaped Ukraine before the full-scale invasion? How has Russian propaganda evolved, and could diplomacy ever have prevented the war? In this in-depth conversation, I sit down with Cormac Smith, former British diplomat to Ukraine, to discuss the war from the perspectives of diplomacy, strategic communications and firsthand experience. Together we explore: * Why Russian propaganda remains one of the Kremlin’s most powerful weapons. * How Ukraine transformed Western understanding of information warfare. * Whether diplomacy ever had a realistic chance of preventing the invasion. * Why critical thinking is now a national security issue. * The mistakes made by Western governments before and after February 2022. * Ukraine’s extraordinary resilience and what gives us hope for the future. Drawing on years spent living and working in Ukraine, military service, diplomacy and journalism, this is a candid conversation that goes beyond the headlines to explain how information, politics and war have become inseparable. Watch the full interview above, or if you prefer to read, the complete transcript is available below. Thank you PJ Schuster, Cris Palomino, LadyHistorian, HoldingTheLine(HTL), PaulM, and many others for tuning into my live video with Cormac Smith! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe

    55 min
  3. THE LOGISTICS WAR | Where Can Russia Escalate Next?

    Jun 29

    THE LOGISTICS WAR | Where Can Russia Escalate Next?

    🎙️Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap, In this episode, Chris Sampson and myself, Shaun Pinner, examine the growing signs that Russia’s logistics network is coming under increasing pressure. From fuel shortages in occupied Crimea and disruptions to the southern corridor, to Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign and rapid drone innovation, we explore how the battlefield is changing. Drawing on firsthand experience reporting from and living in Ukraine, we discuss why the Kremlin’s increasingly contradictory messaging, and, at times, its silence, may reveal deeper strategic problems. We also examine the impact of modern drone warfare, Belarus’ role in the conflict, and why logistics, not just the front line, could determine the next phase of the war. Topics include: * Russia’s logistics and fuel crisis * Crimea and the southern supply corridor * Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign * Drone warfare and military innovation * Kremlin strategy and information warfare * Belarus and regional security * NATO, Western support, and the future of the conflict If you value independent, on-the-ground reporting from Ukraine, please consider subscribing, sharing this publication, and joining the conversation. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us live and continues to support the channel. Your comments, questions, shares, and subscriptions help independent reporting reach a wider audience. Join us every Sunday at 21:00 Kyiv time for our live edition of Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap, exclusively on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 14m
  4. THE KREMLIN CAN'T GET ITS STORY STRAIGHT | Moscow's Lid Flip, Crimea & Putin Under Pressure

    Jun 24

    THE KREMLIN CAN'T GET ITS STORY STRAIGHT | Moscow's Lid Flip, Crimea & Putin Under Pressure

    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe

    30 min
  5. MOSCOW LID JUST BLEW OFF | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap

    Jun 21

    MOSCOW LID JUST BLEW OFF | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap

    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 15m
  6. RUSSIA'S ORESHNIK THREATS | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap

    Jun 14

    RUSSIA'S ORESHNIK THREATS | Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap

    Russia is escalating. Ukraine is escalating. The weapons packages are becoming larger, more complex and increasingly capable. Yet despite the threats, missile launches and endless nuclear rhetoric, one uncomfortable reality is emerging for the Kremlin: Russia appears to be running out of options. In this week’s discussion, filmed after my interview with Ukrainian drone warfare expert Dimko, Chris Sampson and I examine why the battlefield of 2026 looks fundamentally different from the battlefield of 2022, continuing the discussion. We discuss the growing pressure on Crimea, Ukraine’s campaign against Russian logistics, the vulnerability of the southern land corridor, and why drones are transforming warfare in ways military planners around the world are only beginning to understand. As Dimko observed during our interview: “The world now realises you don’t need planes to have another 9/11.” That single statement captures a much bigger shift taking place across the battlefield. Russia still possesses enormous military power, but its ability to achieve meaningful strategic victories appears increasingly limited. Crimea remains central to the conflict, Russian logistics are under sustained pressure, and Moscow’s traditional threats no longer seem to carry the same weight they once did. Which leaves one question hanging over the war: If Russia cannot achieve its objectives, yet refuses to abandon them, where does it escalate next? Thank you It’s Time 🇺🇦, Donna Dupont, HoldingTheLine(HTL), PaulM, Debórah, and many others for tuning into our live video! Join us for our next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 20m
  7. AZOV WAS NEVER NAZIS | Live with Former U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger & Shaun Pinner, Former Azov & Ukrainian Marine

    Jun 12

    AZOV WAS NEVER NAZIS | Live with Former U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger & Shaun Pinner, Former Azov & Ukrainian Marine

    AZOV WAS NEVER NAZIS | Live with Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger & Shaun Pinner In this episode of Voices from the Front, I sit down with former U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger for a wide-ranging conversation on Ukraine, modern warfare, Russian propaganda, and one of the most persistent myths of the war: the narrative surrounding Azov. Drawing on my own experience serving with Azov in Mariupol between 2018 and 2020, we examine how a unit of roughly 2,000 personnel became the centrepiece of a Russian information campaign used to justify the invasion of Ukraine. We discuss what Azov actually was, how the reality differed from the narrative, and why that misinformation continues to influence Western audiences today. We also explore: ▪️ My journey from the British Army to Ukraine and life in Mariupol before the full-scale invasion▪️ The defence of Mariupol and my experience in Russian captivity▪️ How drone warfare has transformed the battlefield since 2022▪️ Ukraine's growing ability to strike deep inside Russia▪️ Operation Spiderweb and the future of modern warfare▪️ Why Ukraine has seized the initiative after a difficult period in 2025▪️ Crimea, the southern land corridor and the path to ending the war▪️ The Russian economy, military losses and mounting pressure on the Kremlin▪️ The view of America from Ukraine and the impact of shifting Western politics▪️ Why Ukrainians continue to demand justice, not simply peace Adam also shares his perspective on U.S. support for Ukraine, the changing nature of the conflict, and why many of the assumptions made at the start of the war have proven dramatically wrong. A candid and often personal discussion about war, resilience, propaganda, and the realities of living through Europe's largest conflict since World War II. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe

    57 min
  8. MEIDAS | Weekly Update from Ukraine w/ Ken Harbaugh

    Jun 3

    MEIDAS | Weekly Update from Ukraine w/ Ken Harbaugh

    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe

    33 min
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About

🎙️ Voices from the Front | War Stories, Survival & Truth from Ukraine. A raw, unfiltered podcast exploring survival in war, and survival in life. Hosted by Shaun Pinner, British Army veteran, Ukrainian Marine, Mariupol defender, and former prisoner of war, the series delivers firsthand frontline stories from Ukraine and beyond, far from the safety of studio analysis. shaunpinner.substack.com

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