Ukraine: The war behind the war

乌克兰:战争背后的战争

The Documentary Podcast

2026-03-09

26 分钟
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单集简介 ...

No one wants to do Major Serhiy Laziuk’s job. He travels from house to house in Lviv, western Ukraine, bringing families news of their loved ones at the front who are killed or missing in action. ‘I tell them I have a sealed letter, that I must deliver by hand,’ he says. Then he arrives at the door to break the news. Serhiy has delivered hundreds of notifications, often three or four a day. Small wonder that Ukraine is in a military recruitment crisis, with many men of fighting age asking for exceptions, or hiding in their houses. ‘Mykola’ hasn’t been outside for a year and a half for fear of the draft. He and his wife sent their teenage son out of Ukraine in 2022 at the start of the full scale invasion. Of course they want Ukraine to win the war, they say. But the price of sacrificing father or son is too high. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.
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  • This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

  • As ever, the podcast is packed full of inspiring stories.

  • I gave her life and she saved mine.

  • We were able to forgive in that moment.

  • And words of wisdom.

  • Trust your children.

  • Let them do what they want to do.

  • Support them.

  • Dear Daughter from the BBC World Service.

  • Listen now wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

  • Dear Daughter.

  • I can't wait to see you in the next video!

  • I don't want to be a populist, I want to be a realist,

  • said the new defence minister of Ukraine, Mikhaila Fedorov,

  • in his inaugural speech to parliament in January.

  • He said that not only was the ministry in debt,

  • but two million Ukrainians were evading the draft, and 200,000 servicemen were absent without leave.

  • His message was blunt.

  • If Ukraine is to move forward,

  • it must face the reality that many men of fighting age are not joining up.