Land Of The Free

After a career as an elite tennis champ, Sergiy Stakhovsky had a pleasant life growing grapes and making highly-rated wine in Ukraine's sunny Zakarpattia region. Then Russia invaded and he returned to a new type of elite athleticism as a special forces soldier. He shares his story with American journalist Joe Lindsley, host of the "Land of the Free" podcast brought to you by Ukrainska Pravda.

Benya Stewart, an American musician from Ohio, chose to live in wartime Kyiv. Sharing a few of his wartime songs, he speaks with American journalist Joe Lindsley about playing front-line shows, the power of roots music, and life under missile attacks. All podcast platforms: https://pod.link/1712687757 Follow Ukrainska pravda: https://pravda.com.ua/eng/ https://twitter.com/pravda_eng https://bsky.a...

John Sweeney: "Being in Kyiv, being in Ukraine feels like what it would've been in London or in Britain in 1940. What's happened is that this peaceful democracy has turned out to be far more of a fighter and full of fighters. And it's an honour to tell this story." John Sweeney has an extensive background in British media, including contributions to the BBC, The Observer on Sunday, The Jewish...

Maria Mezentseva, a member of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, tells how she was one of the first to arrive in the houses of government when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. She explains why it is important not only for Ukraine to win but also for the free world to hold Russians accountable for crimes against humanity, a concept, incidentally, developed in the 1940s in the western...

“This is the most resourceful country in the world,” says Deborah Fairlamb who years ago quit her Wall Street job and moved to Ukraine, a country where she chose to raise her daughter. When Russia launched the full-scale invasion, Deborah, then as an American contractor, was forced to leave. Now, she’s back, having launched Green Flag Ventures, which aims to invest in brilliant Ukrainian tech star...

Taras Topolia has been serving as a medic on the front lines against the Russian invaders. But as lead man of the band Antytila, he's also one of Ukraine's top rock stars. He's lived in two realities in wartime: caring for the wounded in terrifying situations and also joining the likes of Bono and U2 to sing in the Kyiv Metro. With American Joe Lindsley, host of the Land of the Free podcast, Taras...

In the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian agents repeatedly attempted to intimidate Michael Poperechnyuk, entrepreneur and civil society leader, in his oft-bombed hometown of Nikopol, across from Europe's largest nuclear plant. Speaking with American journalist Joe Lindsley, Michael tells his story of resistance against Russian orchestrated corruption. A former European...

American Joe Lindsley, daily war correspondent on Chicago's WGN Radio, and Ukrainian Alina Poliakova, managing editor of the English edition of Ukrainska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth), discuss the importance of free speech and the role of a free press in Ukraine's effort to defeat the Russian invaders. Even, or especially, in wartime, Ukrainska Pravda's journalists continue to expose corruption and to...

Taras Byk's special mission is the breakup of the Russian Federation, a project that doesn't seem so far-fetched after the Prigozhin mutiny. A civil society activist and political strategist, he says that Ukraine's Maidan Revolution, in which he participated, saved not only Ukraine but also Europe. With American journalist Joe Lindsley, he discusses the importance of self-organization in Ukraine's...

In the face of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ashot Galstian traded his Kyiv bartending career for life in the Donbas war zone. Amid shelling, he rushes wounded warriors away from the front, while his friend Nastia, a popular singer-turned-medic tends to the injuries. From a family of Armenian restaurateurs, Ashot says the hospitality business prepared him for the most important guests: soldiers on...

Join us for a conversation with Ukraine's Chief Rabbi, Moshe Azman, who shares his thoughts on life in a free society amidst the backdrop of Russian attacks This distinguished Jewish leader, born in Soviet Russia, has expressed his love for Kyiv and Ukraine through his original music, a bit of which he shares with us. And he’s demonstrated that love by rescuing Ukrainians even while coming under R...