Europe from the ground, with Michael Andersen

Michael Andersen

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Across the continent, from Ukraine to Spain, Michael Andersen goes looking for the people and places behind the big stories — politicians and soldiers, businessmen and dissidents, artists, outsiders and ordinary people caught up in extraordinary times. Reporting, profiles and conversations from the Europe behind the headlines. twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com

Sep 30

Report from Kramatorsk - “bad things are in store, people are leaving”

My guest today is Anna Bowles. In the interview, the British writer, editor and activist talks about why she spends four months of the year in Eastern Ukraine, supporting and writing about NGOs there - the local organisations that help people survive. Right now Anna is helping with the dangerous evacuation work, 13 km from the frontlines but easily within reach of Russian glide bombs. Every day people are killed. The city used to have a population of around 200,000 - now fewer than 30,000 are left. “People know that it is just a question of time,” she says. “Strangely enough, this place seems to have been forgotten both by most international media - and, worse, also by the big international aid organisations.” If you want to support the work that Anna does in Kramatorsk, or support local aid organisations, go to Anna’s Substack page, where you can find the relevant links and get her latest updates. They are not pretty. You can also listen to this podcast on Spotify. You can listen to us on Apple. You can also listen to us on Youtube. And - you can also read this interview we did with Anna a year ago. Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe
Mar 26

Russian bombs do not stop the music in Lviv

BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN (Warning: The combination of the courage an resilience of the people in Lviv, combined with Chopin’s music - and, possibly, the fact that I myself used to live in the neighbouring street to the Organ Hall - I am afraid, turned this podcast into a bit of a love letter to Lviv. On the other hand, how could it not be?) On Tuesday afternoon, Lviv was hit by a barrage of Russian drones. All in all, 948 drones and missiles hit Ukraine, 3 people died and many more were injured. I interview the director of the Organ Hall in Lviv, a famous centre for classical music in the city, whose concert had all the windows smashed in when a bomb hit another building a few houses down. Taras Demko, Director of the Organ Hall in Lviv; damage from the Russian attack. This attack on Lviv is, of course, just yet another example of Russia committing war crimes by attacking buildings and people that have nothing to do with the war. That same resilience that Taras and his team showed in going through with the Chopin concert only a couple of hours after the attack and damage to the concert hall, is the same resilience and courage we see displayed day after day everywhere in Ukraine. If I were Mr Putin, I would listen to Ukrainians like Taras Demko - and go home. If you have read and hopefully listened this far, you must like it. So how about becoming a paid subscriber, so we can keep producing such pieces? This stuff doesn’t make itself, you know 😉 Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe
Feb 18

‘Kherson: Human Safari’ film shown at the Munich Security Conference

BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN Interview with the American writer and filmmaker Zarina Zabrisky about her visit to the Munich Security Conference, and her work filming ‘human safari’ the past three years in Kherson, where she now lives. And yes, ‘human safari’ means just what the title says: Russian soldiers armed with drones and cameras go hunting for Ukrainian civilians in order to kill or maim them. In 2025 alone, 300 people in Kherson were killed and 2,500 people were injured. Meaning that the people who remain in Kherson now have a one in twenty risk of being the victim of a drone attack this year. That is crazy. The UN has now investigated the ‘human safari’ and has denounced it as a Russian war crime, going all the way up to the Russian dictator himself. You seem to like our materials. So how about becoming a paid subscriber? This stuff doesn’t make itself, you know 😉 We at ’Two Grumpy Old Men on Ukraine’ have been following the ‘human safari’ for a long time, and on our Substack you can find several interviews and analytical articles on different aspects of it. Have a look. Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe
12/13/2025

Russia's 'Human Safari' in Ukraine

BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN Today we are talking about one of the most – out of many, many – sadistic traits of the Russian war on Ukraine and on Ukrainians. It has been dubbed ‘Human Safari’. And yes, it means just that. Russian soldiers armed with drones and cameras go hunting for Ukrainian civilians in order to kill or maim them. Putin’s goal is to make Ukraine impossible to live in. Watch Zarina Zabrisky’s documentary FOR FREE at: www.khersonhumansafari.com We have already been following the horrible situation in Kherson for a while, here are some of our previous pieces on Russia’s ‘Human Safari’ there, with analysis and heart-breaking eye witness interviews. You seem to like our pieces. That is great. So how about becoming a paid subscriber to make sure that we can keep producing them? Thank you. Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe
08/19/2025

Andreas Umland on the Trump vs Zelensky&Co meeting

BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN Today on the pod I discuss the Monday meeting in the White House with Ukraine expert Andreas Umland from the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies. * The Trump vs Zelensky&Co meeting went better-than-expected * But negotiations with Vladimir Putin will lead nowhere * Pragmatically, Umland suggests that the West focus on concrete steps that we can actually take with Ukraine right now, like sanctions, strengthening Ukraine’s defense, no-fly zones * And then look at ceasefire, security guarantees and the discussion of Ukrainian NATO membership a bit down the road… We cannot do this without you. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber, thanks. Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe
08/14/2025

“The Alaska summit should never have happened”

BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN On the pod this week, I talk Alaska summit with Volodymyr Dubovyk, professor at Odesa Mechnikov National University and Brian Bonner, who for 14 years was the editor of the Kyiv Post, and is still living in Kyiv observing Ukraine. We talk about Putin playing a clue and fact-less Trump, with an eye on the Nobel Peace Prize, or a cool property deal in Russia. None of us expect anything good from this summit. The word absurd crops up quite a lot. Oh, and I apologise in advance for my attempt at singing. Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe
08/02/2025

Do Americans still care about Ukraine?

BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN Every Summer, Brian Bonner, who for 14 years edited the Kyiv Post and has lived in Ukraine pretty much for the past three decades, goes back to see family and friends in his home land, the United States of America. Last Summer, Brian reported back to us about how the Americans look at Ukraine and the war and their own role. And I decided to repeat this exercise this year – so here are old Bonner’s impressions from the Summer of 2025 of Americans and Trump and Ukraine, baseball, higher prices, MAGA talk radio – and how it feels to be coming back to Kyiv under heavy Russian bombardment. And of course about us still waiting for Donald Trump to decide whether his policy in Ukraine will be an isolationism, or the middle of the road one of Joe Biden, or the hawkish version (give Ukraine everything it needs to win). 6 months in, we are still waiting… Do Americans still remember their president’s attack on Zelensky? Do Americans know that what their president does and decides directly costs or saves lives in Ukraine? If you’re interested, you can listen to Brian Bonner’s U.S. impressions from the summer of 2024 here Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe
07/25/2025

Zelensky shoots himself in the foot. And possibly Ukraine.

Michael and Brian discuss corruption in Ukraine - and the ‘attempts’ to fight it during the last 30 years. And why Zelensky’s political suicide with law no 12414 is so important. But shouldn’t be a surprise. Thank God for those young people. A reminder: we cannot do this without you. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. If you can’t subscribe, please share this post with your family and friends. Thank you. Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe

Across the continent, from Ukraine to Spain, Michael Andersen goes looking for the people and places behind the big stories — politicians and soldiers, businessmen and dissidents, artists, outsiders and ordinary people caught up in extraordinary times. Reporting, profiles and conversations from the Europe behind the headlines. twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com

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Michael Andersen
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2026
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31
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Explicit
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© Michael Andersen
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Europe from the ground, with Michael Andersen