Shaun Pinner on Mariupol, Captivity, and Russian Propaganda

<p>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. </p><p>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.</p><p>Follow Shaun on X: https://x.com/olddog100ua</p><p>Live. 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 - Intro</p><p>00:03:31 - Torture and Captivity in Russian Prison</p><p>00:07:26 - Systemic War Crimes in Russian Military</p><p>00:09:53 - Torture, False Confessions, and War Crimes</p><p>00:14:14 - Russian Intelligence Recruitment and POW Treatment Disparities</p><p>00:20:45 - Pokrovsk: Russia&#39;s Hollow Military Victory</p><p>00:33:32 - Ukraine&#39;s Hidden Power Shift Against Russia</p><p>00:35:49 - Living Under Constant Drone Attacks in Kharkiv</p><p>00:40:11 - Russian Economy Collapse and Putin&#39;s Failed Goals</p><p>00:43:00 - Putin&#39;s Paranoia and Oligarch Pressure</p><p>00:48:48 - Republican Support for Ukraine Explained</p><p>00:52:00 - NATO Spending and Modern Drone Warfare</p><p>00:56:34 - Ukraine&#39;s Training Edge Over Russian Forces</p><p>00:59:45 - Russia&#39;s Sanitation Crisis and Poverty</p><p>01:03:58 - Decoding Russian Propaganda and Media Control</p><p>01:07:04 - Russian Propaganda and Misuse of Free Speech</p><p>01:10:27 - Russian Propaganda and Disinformation War</p><p>01:15:11 - Ground Sources and Detecting Propaganda</p><p>01:16:48 - Supporting Ukraine: Donations and Legal ActionHost: Matthew MezinskisMusic: New Friend Music newfriendmusic.com/Podcast &amp; videosBitcoin, privacy, crypto, economics &amp; libertyThanks for watching!#ukraine #russia #unitedstates </p>