1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: You're described in the Atlantic piece that Russian soldier he 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: was stalked by the Ukrainian drone cruise and taken out, 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: was assigned a point value, and that the crews and 4 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: at this point in the war, that this is at 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: some level a video game war, in that there are 6 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:35,240 Speaker 1: points assigned for various targets and the drone operators are 7 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: competing with one another to collect points. Talk about that, well. 8 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 2: First of all, this is probably the first generation that 9 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 2: could actually wage war this way because they were brought 10 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 2: up with these with video games, right. And don't get 11 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: me wrong, the team I was with was deadly serious 12 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 2: about what they were doing. They knew they they were 13 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 2: defending their country against a country Russia that wanted to 14 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: do horrible things. And during the last trip to Ukraine, 15 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 2: I was in Hirson and the Russians still have half 16 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 2: of her son and occasionally they still hear from family 17 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 2: members on the other side about what the Russians are doing. 18 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 2: And make no mistake, their survival is at state, so 19 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 2: they're serious about what they're doing. But they're also relatively young. 20 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 2: Most of these drone pilots are in their twenties, some 21 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 2: even younger than that, and they are incredibly skilled, they 22 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 2: have quick reflexes. They have to be that close to 23 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 2: the front. I get this question from Americans all the time. 24 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: Why don't they operate their drones from another country? Like 25 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 2: people might know that when we fly a Predator, the 26 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: pilot's in Vegas, right he's back home in Nevada. They 27 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 2: have to be that close to the front because the 28 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: reaction time when you're chasing a soldier through the rubble 29 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 2: of a bombed out city, the fraction time is the 30 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 2: reaction time has to be in milliseconds. You can't wait 31 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 2: for that lag between the satellite uplink and the command 32 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 2: and the recommand. So they have to be right up 33 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: there at the front, and they have to react quickly, 34 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 2: and they have to approach the gamification with a degree 35 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 2: of seriousness that I just cannot imagine having as a 36 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: twenty two year old. But to your question about the 37 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 2: point system, that is another innovation that America, our war planners, 38 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: our Department of War. I'm going to put it in air 39 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 2: quote Steve, I think we're very slow to understand just 40 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 2: how adaptive the Ukrainians have been and they're able to 41 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: change the prioritization of targets at the front in an 42 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 2: instant It would take the American command structure, you know, 43 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: maybe weeks to actually change how their soldiers engage targets 44 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 2: because it would have to be, you know, an official order, 45 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 2: it'd have to be written up, it would have the 46 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 2: culture of that behavior, the habits would have to cascade down. 47 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 2: And in Ukraine instead, they've created, for all intensive purposes, 48 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 2: a game. They've created a point system to value different 49 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 2: kinds of different targets based on what the commanders need 50 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 2: hit that day. So if they see infantry massing for 51 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 2: a potential assault, suddenly infantrymen go to the top of 52 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 2: the point stack if they know that, you know, a 53 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 2: new shipment of rocket launchers has arrived. On making this up, 54 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 2: of course, but you get the point. Based on the 55 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 2: intel they're receiving and the threats that they're perceiving, they 56 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: change the value of the targets. It updates a website 57 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: portal that the drone units check every morning and they 58 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 2: decide what they're going to hit that day. On the 59 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 2: day I was embedded with them. Special operators Ukrainian equivalent, sorry, 60 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 2: the Russian equivalent of seals, commandos and infantry or at 61 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 2: the top of that point list, there were a couple 62 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 2: of Russian special operators special forces that crossed the river 63 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 2: on jet skis to try to get at our position. 64 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 2: That was a very valuable target that day. And the 65 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: interesting thing about this point system is it's not just 66 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 2: for vanity, although they're very proud of their and forgive me, 67 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 2: this is gruesome, but it's war, right, and I'm not 68 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 2: going to sugarcoat it. They're proud of their kills, as 69 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 2: they should be. If I get in trouble for that, 70 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 2: I'm not going to apologize. They are proud of what 71 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: they're doing, and I'm proud to be alongside them as 72 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 2: they defend their homeland. As they rack up these points. 73 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 2: Once they get enough, they can literally cash them in 74 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 2: for for things that will make life in the trench 75 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 2: or life in the bunker just a little easier. They're 76 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 2: not cashing them in for explosives or drones, but they 77 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: can cash them in for a coffee pot, right, they 78 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 2: can cash them in for a new pair of combat boots. 79 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:18,479 Speaker 2: And trying to imagine the American military approaching something that way, 80 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 2: it's inconceivable. Ukrainians are adapting in every way. They can 81 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 2: to win this war, and it is humbling to behold. 82 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: Who's winning the war can as you see it from 83 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: the front. 84 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 2: There's no doubt in my mind Ukraine is winning this war, 85 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 2: and I can put metrics to that. But let me 86 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 2: just start with the gut reaction I have in spending 87 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 2: time with Ukrainians, who, as exhausted as they are, are 88 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 2: determined to fight every day for their families and for 89 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: their homeland, as compared to the Russians who are only 90 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 2: in it for the money, who don't follow warders, where 91 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:03,159 Speaker 2: desertion is a massive problem, and where their infantry are 92 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 2: treated like animals or worse, I bet the Russians don't 93 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 2: treat their farm animals the way Russian infantry get treated 94 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 2: as human radar. I know I made that point already, 95 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 2: but I want to drive it home. They literally use 96 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 2: people to find Ukrainian gun positions and where the bodies 97 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 2: pile up, that's where the Ukrainians are. It's appalling and 98 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 2: it is a It's a culture of death. At the 99 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 2: end of the day. Russia ascribes to this meaningless view 100 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 2: of life. It is a country that exists to serve power, 101 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 2: that people exist to serve the government and Ukraine. The 102 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 2: government exists to serve the people, and you see that 103 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,039 Speaker 2: in the lengths they go to to try to protect 104 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 2: human life, whether it's in a premie ward in Kiev 105 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 2: or at the front Ukraine. Well they'll where they will 106 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 2: give a kilometer of territory to shave Ukrainian lives and 107 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 2: killed ten thousand Russians in the process. 108 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: Ken, of course, you are unable to tell us where 109 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: you are. For everyone joined. Ken is at the front, 110 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: in harm's way this evening in Ukraine, where it's seven 111 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: forty seven pm. Last question I have for you is 112 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: if you would just take us inside your journey to 113 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: the front from entering Ukraine from the cities, the degree 114 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: of normalcy that exists, or maybe better yet, what exists 115 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: in Ukraine as normal or far from the front, in 116 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: this adjusted reality in wartime. But take us through the 117 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: journey to the to the front, in the change in demeanor, 118 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: in weariness, in resolve, in defiance. What take us take 119 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: us inside that that journey across Ukraine to the spot 120 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: you're in right now. 121 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a great question and one no one has 122 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 2: asked me before. And I will describe my last trip 123 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 2: to the Front. But I'll actually relate something from from 124 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 2: earlier this trip because I think it. I think it 125 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: helps set the atmosphere. I had to go when I 126 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 2: first got to Kiev on this trip, I had to 127 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: go to the military supply store to get plates. They're 128 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 2: tough to travel with, they're heavy, uh, and my my 129 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 2: usual set of plates was borrowed by somebody else, so 130 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 2: I had to get new plates for the vest. Right 131 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 2: behind me, I think, yep, and these. While I was 132 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 2: at this military store getting those level three plates for 133 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 2: the VEST, I would guess half a dozen Ukrainian soldiers 134 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 2: with either one or both legs missing or an amputated 135 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 2: arm came in to get supplies for their next tour 136 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 2: at the front, and all of them have an exception. 137 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 2: If you are hurt that way in Ukraine, you have 138 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 2: a get out of jail free card. You have a 139 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 2: pass to spend the rest of your days with your 140 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,959 Speaker 2: family doing whatever you want. And so many of these 141 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 2: guys choose to go back to fight because they know 142 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 2: that their family survival depends on what happens at the front. 143 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 2: In terms of getting to the front, it is kind 144 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 2: of a surreal experience. I mean, the first moment that 145 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 2: most people realize that there is something serious going on 146 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 2: in Ukraine is when you get to Poland and it 147 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 2: is reinforced that you cannot fly into Ukraine. The only 148 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 2: planes flying over Ukraine are Russian and Ukrainian helicopters and jets. 149 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 2: You do not want to fly in a commercial aircraft 150 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 2: over Ukraine, so you either have to walk, drive, or 151 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 2: take a train. And I've done all three. The last 152 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 2: time was on a train crossing the border to Kiev, 153 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 2: and then you on the last trip, I drove down 154 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 2: south and the checkpoints get progressively denser and closer together, denser, 155 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 2: meeting more serious, more soldiers there. And when I finally 156 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 2: joined up with the drone unit, we did it outside 157 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 2: within artillery range, but outside of FPV range or effective 158 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 2: FPV range. But that's it's not far before you get 159 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,359 Speaker 2: within FPV range. And while we were brief. 160 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: For the for the people listening, ken FPV, you yeah. 161 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 2: FPV are those first person few drones that are the 162 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 2: most effective killers at the front now responsible for the 163 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 2: vast majority of casualties. Those are the drones that are 164 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 2: piloted remotely and that actually feed a drone's eye view 165 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 2: to the pilot, so they see what the Dronese is 166 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 2: and they are Kamikazi drones, suicide drones. So they fly 167 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 2: into the target and you were literally looking through that 168 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: drone camera seeing your target, which might be a human 169 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 2: being's face. Get closer and closer and closer into the screen. 170 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 2: Got static. We linked up with this drone crew under 171 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 2: the awning of a bombed out gas station, brief the 172 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 2: mission with nothing but a red pen light to illuminate 173 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:51,079 Speaker 2: the map, and then drove through blacked out and ruined 174 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 2: city streets at a speed I wouldn't feel comfortable, you know, 175 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 2: driving on I ninety five, taking curves on two wheels, 176 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 2: because that's when you're most vulnerable. The Russians are doing 177 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 2: what the Ukrainians are doing as well, looking for any 178 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 2: movement in that area, and they see that vehicle moving. 179 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 2: And then you get to the warren of bombed out 180 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 2: buildings and overgrowth and you know, in some cases tunnels, 181 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 2: and you have seconds to get out of the vehicle, 182 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 2: get in the hole and hide. And I remember the 183 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 2: commander of the Ukrainian crew saying when we pull up, 184 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 2: don't grab anything, don't grab your bag, don't just get 185 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 2: inside will take care of the rest. And it literally 186 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 2: took them a few seconds to unload their gear and 187 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 2: get in the hole. And that actually wasn't the tensest 188 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 2: moment of that twenty hour mission. It was the X 189 00:12:55,160 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 2: fill thet when you're leaving after you've done your shift, 190 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 2: because the assumption is that that entire time, the Russian 191 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 2: drone pilots are trying to pinpoint your location and waiting 192 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 2: to see movement, waiting to see you emerge. And that 193 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 2: was the first time I really thought the guys were scared. 194 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 2: Even when the Russians camera panned over our position and 195 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 2: we saw it because we had tapped into their drone feed, 196 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 2: they didn't stop their usual banter. But for that X Phil, 197 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 2: you can just feel it. There's something in the air, 198 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: like all joking stopped. We made it from the hide 199 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 2: into the truck in a matter of seconds, and sure enough, 200 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 2: within probably five or ten seconds of speeding away, the 201 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,559 Speaker 2: drone detector went off. It starts screaming that there is 202 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 2: a Russian attack drone approaching. And we passed a smoking 203 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 2: wreck of a vehicle on our way out that had 204 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:04,839 Speaker 2: been hit recently, but that you know, really drove home 205 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 2: the point that we were in a war zone. 206 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: I'm Steve Schmidt. This is the warning. I invite you 207 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: to join this community, where I promise to be honest, 208 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: blunt and direct about what is happening in this country. 209 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: America is in crisis. Follow and subscribe to this channel 210 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: and on substack. Thank you.