The Duran Podcast - Russian confidence grows with Avdeyevka capture w/ Patrick Lancaster

Episode Date: February 22, 2024

Russian confidence grows with Avdeyevka capture w/ Patrick Lancaster

All right, Alexander, we are joined with the one and only Patrick Lancaster to talk about what is happening in Ukraine. And we will probably focus on Avdefka, to everyone that is watching this video. You can follow Patrick's work on YouTube and on Rumble. I will have those links in the description box down below, as well as a pinned comment. Definitely follow Patrick and all the great work that he is doing. in the region. Alexander, let's talk with Patrick about what is going on in Ukraine and what is happening in Avdefka. Indeed, that is indeed, because of course Patrick is there. Patrick is on site, and I believe you've just been to Avdefka, Patrick. Is that correct? And of course, you know this area

really well. Let me start by saying definitely appreciate you guys having me as usual. It's a pleasure to be here. I appreciate the help getting the word out to the world what's really happening here. Now, I just literally, moments ago, came back from near of Dievka, not actually in the city itself, but a refugee center that has been set up by Russian forces to assist the refugees coming from of Dievka, the ones that were still in the city during the whole battle. And I literally just spoke to several of them, just an hour before were in the city itself, which is actually starting to heat up a bit more.

For the first few days after Russia took control, it got a little bit quiet, as I understand, in the city itself, because Ukraine was retreating. But now the information I'm getting is Ukraine's kind of stopped retreating there and firing back at the city with pretty good amounts of ammunition. That's what the refugees told me. So I spoke to many of those about the situation in Evdivka and of course I've been covering the events this week here in Danyetsk. Right. Tell us about what's happened in Avdegovka. What are these people saying? I mean, it's incredible to me listening to you that there were people, civilians, still in Avdavka, throughout this war and throughout this fighting because my impression is especially over the last couple of weeks

the fighting was of unbelievable intensity and we had yet the day before yesterday the russian defense minister shoygo so that they carried out the russians were carrying out around 460 bomb strikes air strikes on avdyevka a day which seems incredible again an incredible number in a relatively small space. So what are these people saying about that? How do they describe it? How did they feel about the way the battle happened? Well, they said the battle was just hell, as they put it. But one thing that was overwhelmingly common with all of the refugees that I spoke to, as they said, they had been waiting on Russia to come. And they're happy to be on this side of the line now.

They said, many were said they've been waiting for 10 years for Russia to come to Vdivka. And there's still many refugees in, or people residents in Vdivka now that haven't been evacuated or had the chance to evacuate. or some of them, one family member of a person I spoke to today, she had to leave her family member there because he wanted to not leave his city and stay and help in the rebuilding, in the immediate, the immediate, the immediate, the situation there, even though he wasn't a soldier himself, just someone, a resident that wanted to stay and do what he could to help with the situation.

But these people, one woman said that, I asked her, okay, is it a good thing or bad thing that Russia controls Vdivka now? She says it's a great thing because Vdivka has always been Russia and should always be Russia. And I spoke to them about the referendum that took place in 2014, just like here in Danyetsk and the other parts of Dunbos, to break away from Ukraine. And they said they had the referendum. They voted to break away, but Ukraine would not let them. Ukraine was, as they put it, unfortunately, able to maintain control of Diyushka.

But, you know, they see things are changing now and they're looking forward. Obviously, many of them have lost everything they have. But I even saw some people with animals, dogs and cats being evacuated, helped by Russian forces. This center was just basically a center set up that was made to assist these refugees in anything they might need. Just a place to rest. There was beds, a place to take care of any document situation that might be needed, call their families. And I mean, several people was with them as they were calling their families and telling them they were still alive for the first time in months. So it seems Russian forces are doing what they can to help these people move on,

because obviously all of them can't stay in what is left of DIVCA now, unfortunately. But as I said, it seems there's still intense fighting going on in and around of Divka. I haven't myself made it into the city yet. I'm hoping in the next two days to make it in, but as you can understand, this is the hottest point. part of the war and the most intense area. So it's, it's, even though I've been here for so long, it's still a little bit of a challenge to make sure you do everything safe and do it the right way. But people are getting out. Soldiers are going in. And there's no question that this is a point is as far as it seems to me. Right now is a point that Russia is putting it into.

high gear. I mean, this is a huge win for them taking Abdivka. And even today, there is a village not far from Mereinca in the southern parts of Danyetsk that has just this afternoon been taking control of reports say by Russian forces. It's called Pabeda, or victory is what the village is called near Mereinca. And reports just in the last 45 minutes, are coming out that Russia has taken control of that village. And through the grapevine, I'm hearing that Russia is pushing harder in many other directions. I've been told that Russia is taking territory in the Zaporosia area and other areas. And there's even talk of a new serious offensive or push to the north.

I think only time will tell if Russia decides to push hard in the Harkov direction. But it seems like this might be a turning point, you could say, in the war. Russia's been, I don't want to say, sleeping, but obviously we know things have been going very slowly, a lot slower than has been expected before. But things seem to be changing this week. Everything is going in a little bit in fast forward to compare how it was. was in the last months and weeks. I mean, you've been to the area around Avdavka before.

You came under fire, I see to remember, there at an earlier stage in the war. I seem to remember you telling us what an incredibly heavily fortified position it was. So, I mean, when you say that it's a big victory for them, I mean, they've broken this very difficult, fortified position. Have you been able to speak to any of the soldiers? How did they feel about what's happening? Well, yes, as far as the fortified area in and around of Divka, this was really a fortress, you could call it,

because Ukrainian forces had eight years from 2014 until 2020 to fortified their positions in and around of Divka with literally concrete. I mean, it's not like a lot of the other positions and new positions who are made of wood and dirt. I mean, these positions in and around of Divka poured concrete, I mean, literal, concrete bunkers. And Russia has taken control of all of these.

And it literally made the distance between the center of Danyetsk, used to be about 8 to 12 kilometers to Ukrainian territory. Now it's about 20 to 25 kilometers from the center of Danyetsk to Ukrainian territory. Now, unfortunately, with these Western supplied weapons, Ukraine can still hit the center of Danyetsk like they've been doing every day this week. As you could imagine somewhat of revenge, you could say, for Russia taking of Divka.

Just last night, I went to the main hospital in Center Dignettes. It's the name of it, Kalinina, and a rocket had hit the, thank goodness, it was the laboratory department, and particularly the ultrasound room. And I say, thank goodness, because in this area, there's no sick people laying all night and, you know, it was basically an empty department in the evening, just a few nurses. Unfortunately, one was injured, but I believe she's going to make it. And the, no other people were injured, so that's great. But this rocket purportedly, and as I understand, and what I could observe myself,

it seems to be a Czech Republic-supplied. vampire rockets. Now these are 122 millimeters which are the same as the Soviet made Grad rockets, but a little bit different a little heavier and a longer range, over 40 kilometer

range. And that's why they're able to hit the center because of these Western supplied weapons. And then just day before yesterday, in the morning, a 155 millimeter Western supplied

artillery shell hit a crosswalk in the center of Danyetsk. And I was there just after it happened. Unfortunately, it killed two people, injured five. And it was on this crosswalk right next to a pizza parlor. And a pizza parlor and a crosswalk took most of the damage. And behind that was the Minister of Education's building. I mean, Minister of Education, is that really something that should be targeted? Just like should a pizza parlor or a crosswalk be targeted?

targeted, no. And there was also a kindergarten. Luckily now, in Dignettes, it's all distance learning, so there was no one at the kindergarten, but it was hit as well. And then just as I had come back from filming the crosswalk where unfortunately the people lost their lives, I just got back to this apartment here and heard two huge explosions. It looked out my window and just saw black smoke rising. So I threw my armor back on and ran to the smoke and found two craters of a high mars rockets, United States supplied high mars rockets that hits just on the edges of the building of the city library. I mean, just literally on both sides missed hitting the building by inches.

And, you know, Haimars are very precision. You don't miss it by that much, but there's no question that these were aimed at the city library. And in my reports, I filmed through the library, no military round. I mean, there's just civilian targets

being hammered by Ukraine using Western supplied weapons. It just, Western tax dollars, killing in Maine, people on the streets of Donets, literally on the streets. I filmed a dead woman who was dead on the street right in the middle of a crosswalk because of the tax, the U.S. tax dollars that are given to Ukraine to kill the civilians here in Donetsk. I mean, this is absolutely terrible.

It's been going on for, what, eight years now, nine years. And on May 26th, it'll be 10 years. 10 years. I mean, the thing is, it is savage and brutal, but it also seems somehow pointless. I mean, you know, what does Ukraine think? We've discussed this many times. What is Ukraine? Why is Ukraine doing this? It makes very little sense to me from a military, I mean, I can't see any military logic in this at all. I mean, to all intents and purposes, it's a war crime. So why do they do it? Why does the West let them do it? Why does the West go on supplying weapons that enable them to do it?

Patrick, I think this is a rhetorical question because it's the kind of question we can only get an answer to from people like Zelensky and Zoluzni and Zyrski and Western leaders. But, I mean, it's still a question that always is there for me. I mean, do they want to see these people killed? What is the purpose of killing, especially at this time, point in the world? I think the better people to answer that question is the locals that live under it, and that's what I asked them. I asked them the same thing, because they tell me, there's no military targets near here. And I say, okay, if there's no military targets, why is Ukraine firing here?

And they say it's to terrorize them and to kill them. they say this whole story of that Ukraine and Kiev gives to the West about trying to protect its people is just not the truth. They just want the land. They don't want the people here. They want the land. This is the words of the locals, not my words. What about the soldiers? I asked him about the soldiers. Were you able to speak to any Russian soldiers or are they under very strict orders not to talk about this operation? you. I mean, yeah, there's, I haven't had a chance this week to get to the front since the taking of Avdivka, but I've offline talked to a few soldiers, and you can tell the morale is

definitely up. I mean, this is just such a symbolic and strategic win for them with Vdivka. I mean, and they view this as a change in the tide and not even really tied. I mean, Ukraine wasn't winning before, but now it's like they feel like they've been given the go-head from Putin or Moscow or however you want to say it to move. And that's what seems to be happening, is the push is on. Right. And what about, I mean, we're getting all these reports in the West about massive Russian losses in capturing Avdavka.

Have you heard anything, any sign of that? Are the hospitals in Dornet City full of injured or dying Russian soldiers? Have you heard any rumors to this effect? I asked this question because it doesn't seem to be consistent with what I'm hearing from the battle lines. But, you know, have you any information about that? Well, I could say all the time, you know, you know, it's a lot of. war. So there is injured soldiers and civilians that you do see occasionally. But I can say in the last

weeks, I see no difference in, than how it had been before. No extreme increase just from my eyes, seeing things on the street. I mean, every once in a while, you'll see a military ambulance or something like that, but no difference, just the norm still. And the day before yesterday, I was in the main hospital, the main trauma hospital here in Dunnets, interviewing the head of surgery and the deputy director of the trauma hospital about the injuries from that day. And going through the hospital and speaking with him, I saw no remnants of military soldiers at all. Can I tell me about the Moodin Dornetsk. Obviously, there's still being belt bombed. They're still being shelled. I'm sure they know that simply capturing Avdavka itself is not going to mean the shelling and the bombing ends.

But was there a sense of elation? Was there a sense of relief? You said that the Ukrainians were only 12 kilometers away. Now they're further. How did they feel about this? People in Donnet City feel about this? Well, I think at first, last weekend, early this week, there was a little bit of hope of a relief

because before a lot of the shelling on the city has been coming from Avdivka as we know. So people were really hoping that that would mean the center of Denez would not be on their shelling anymore. But it seems like Ukraine kind of made it a point

to use these longer range weapons just to say, uh-uh, we can still hit you in the center. Don't get too excited. And so I think that kind of brought down a little bit of the morale of the people. And that's what Ukraine wanted to do. So in that sense, they somewhat succeeded.

They had to kill some civilians and hit a library with United States-supplied rockets. But, you know, if that's what they were going for, it might have been a little bit of a, you know, a plus for them as far as terrorizing the civilians. But all it really did is now, instead of coming from the direction of Divka, it's a little bit over to the west. And we can see that in my report from last night. I used a compass to show exactly the direction from the Kalinina Hospital at 273 degrees. And that's where they're firing from now. And as far as the...

There was one woman that I met at the crosswalk where the people were killed and so many were injured. She said that she wishes she could take up a weapon and fight the Ukrainians herself. Because they've been living under this for 10 years. How much can they live under it? They just want it to be over. They want Ukraine to stop killing their families. What about the civilians from Mavdavdha themselves? I mean, they must have had very, very close contact with the Ukrainian movement.

military who was there around them? I mean, what were there, did they discuss at all their interactions with the Ukrainian military? I mean, the Ukrainians are shelling Donet city. And at the same time, there are, you know, these people around them. Were people afraid of them? How did the Ukrainians act towards them? Well, I can say all of the people I met, they weren't very positive for the Ukrainian forces. And one particular, said that at one point, Ukrainian forces came to a building where people were in the shelter, in the basement underneath, counted the people, and then as soon as they left several hours later, something like this, the building was heavily hit with shells, and many people

lost their lives. And they blamed it on the Ukrainians for doing that. Another said how they were aware of a situation where Ukrainian forces executed several civilians. Now, this is not my words. This is coming from the people that were at Devka this morning. And all this will be on my reports in the next day or so. So people can watch and think for themselves what they want to look at and what they don't want to hear. Did they tell you anything about the battle and about what happened at the end? I mean, we're getting all these reports, even the US media is now covering them,

that the Ukrainians, that the morale collapsed and that the Ukrainians fled, that it was a disorganized and chaotic retreat from Afderifka. Is this, have you heard the civilians discuss this? Did it look to them like a organized withdrawal or a chaotic one? or is this something that as civilians, they're not really in a position to comment about? Well, honestly, they were just, we tried to get it into that more,

but they were just so, they said they were just so scared and hiding. You know, and this is what I've seen. I've been in so many villages, towns and cities that had just taken, been changed hands. And most of the time, these civilians, they're sitting in a basement somewhere, and then they get a knock on the door,

and they're not sure which side it is. And they just have to open a door and hope it's not someone that's going to shoot them. So it's hard for them to tell. I mean, you know Donets, you know Avdaevka, you've been to this area as well. I mean, could people in Donnest City hear the battle? I mean, it's only 12 kilometers away,

all these bombs falling, all these shelling. Was it something that people were physically, conscious of that there was this battle going on very near to Donnett city. The sound of war and shelling never stops in Danyetsk. I mean, in the last 24 hours, I've been here and I don't think five minutes have gone by and not heard explosions in the distance. So, I mean, and it's not necessarily just of Divka. I mean, it's sometimes atmospherics are a little bit better, so you even hear it farther.

But, I mean, there's constant, you know, exchanges here and there. I mean, this week, it's been very loud in Danyetsk. Yeah, and, I mean, on and off all the time. Right. I mean, Avdavka is only one place. Marinka, which we talked about a short time ago, that's also been captured. I believe I'm right in saying that the Russians captured another place called Pesky, actually about a year and a half ago.

So these places near Dornet City, they're being taken one by one by one. Which are the other places near Dornet City where the shelling comes from and which we need to be aware of? Well, to the west, directly to the west of Danyat City, that's where it's more open territory of open Ukrainian territory. I mean, Merienka, it was down in a pocket kind of to the southwest, Edivka, northwest. But the western side of Danyetsk is more open Ukrainian territory. But that's also more rural territory. so it's going to be a slow push, I believe, and possibly also they're going to try to close a cauldron, as they call it there as well. But time will tell, you know, how their military tactics play out.

But hopefully soon, shelling will stop hitting the city of Danyetsk. I mean, two years ago, almost exactly two years ago. Saturday, it'll be two years since this... operation started. I did a small video on my channel thinking that that would be the last day that Donetsk was a frontline city and boy was I wrong and so was a lot of other people. Yeah, absolutely. But we'll have to see. Time tells. Right. Now, as I said, I mean, we're not trying to second guess, but do you think the Russians will focus principally around Donetsk? I mean, they seem to have a lot of forces concentrated there now.

And are people talking about, you know, we're told that the general who was in charge was a man called Mordvitev. Do people talk about him? I mean, what are the feelings about him if they do? No, I, you know, that's kind of, you know, too many steps away from the locals here. I mean, yeah, there's a lot of soldiers around, but, I mean, this is really. really an overall game, a big game. And I mean, I see if this is a moving point or a pushing points or an assault point, things are going to be going across the line, all from Karkov to her son. And then, of course, we've got the election coming very soon. So we're going to have to

see how that goes. And also, Ukraine's theme for the last years has been to make a point on holidays, Russian holidays. Now, tomorrow's the day of the defender. It's kind of, it almost seems to me like something like a combination of the West, maybe Veterans Day, combined with Father's Day, just something like that mixed together. So unfortunately, I would expect that Ukraine is going to launch a big attack on Danyetsk in many different locations tomorrow, as they do every day, but I think that'll be, I mean, I hope not. I hope I pray I'm wrong, but I think tomorrow there's going to be some really problems in Don Yates because everybody's off work and many people are going to be

barbecuing. It's a tradition. It's almost like the first barbecue of the year for many people here. And then the day after, we've got the two-year anniversary of the operation. So the next two days might be pretty heavy here and done yes we'll have to see i'll be here to cover it if it is um we'll just go from there i've just one i've just one last question which i was going to ask you about the election i mean we're now actually drawing close i mean if you follow puttian he's clearly campaigning i mean he's going to kazan he's going to all of these places any possibility do you think that he might come to dombas um well I would think no, but he surprised us before.

I mean, I think it was last year. He went to Mediupil, just spirit of the moment. So, you know, it's a possibility, but I don't think anybody will know until after it happened, that's for sure. No, good. And do you see much sign of the election in Donbass? I mean, you know, election materials being distributed, posters, that kind of thing. Is this something that people are interested in? Everywhere.

way. Yeah, yeah, for sure. They're gearing up for the election here in all of the four regions, Zaporosia, her son, Danyetsk, and Lugansk. And I'm, of course, I'm going to be here reporting on that. My plan, I'm going to try to hit all four regions. But, you know, it's the three-day election. It's kind of hard to hit all the spots, but I'm going to do my best. I plan on starting in Lugans and just moving south. But we'll have to see how far I can get. I'll at least get three of the four. During the referendum before I tried to get all four, I made three. So we'll see if I break my record this time.

And this will be the first time that they vote in a Russian presidential election for the Russian president. Yes, yes. They've been able to vote in Russian election last year, but this will be the first presidential election. So it's a new stepping stone for the Russian people here. Excellent. And it'll be the first time they'll be able to be able. to vote for Putin, assuming that's what they want to do. That is the general overall consistency.

Yeah. That's my questions, Patrick. Is there anything you want to tell us beyond what I've asked? You know, just like I said, I'm glad you're helping me show your viewers what's happening here. It's greatly appreciated. And for your viewers, you know, like I say in my reports, you know, do as much as you can to get as much information on the situation here, don't just watch one side. Watch as many sources as possible. Watch the Ukrainian reports. Western, the Russian, watch my reports.

Don't just watch my reports. Don't just watch your reports because we can't show everything because we don't know everything. The other sources don't show everything because they can't or they don't want to show everything. So get a little bit from every side. you can and educate yourself. Don't just be led by the mainstream media like sheep. You know, think for yourself. Indeed. And, of course, you can always see my reports on my YouTube channel, Patrick Lancaster,

News Today, which will be in the description. And, yeah, let's show the world together what's happening. Absolutely. Patrick Lancaster, thank you very much, an invaluable reporter from the region itself. Thank you very much, guys. I appreciate being on, as usual.