Im Krisenmodus

Krisen-Reporter Jan Jessen berichtet

Sent to Hell – Why Young Ukrainians Volunteer

In Crisis Mode

Veröffentlicht am 05.07.2025 / 05:26

Anmerkungen

Disclaimer: This episode was made with AI.


In this episode of “In Crisis Mode", FUNKE war reporter Jan Jessen accompanies young recruits in eastern Ukraine. They are between 18 and 24 years old, have volunteered – and are being sent to the front lines.

Why do these young men enlist? What do they think about fear, responsibility, and death? And how do they prepare themselves for the worst?


🎧 Featuring: Stanislav, Andrei, Danyl – and a military instructor.


🧭 Episode Overview

1 | Gunfire, Drill, Reality – A Descent into Hell

Why Ukraine recruits young men with financial incentives and a promise of purpose – and how training pushes them to their mental limits.

With: Mykola (Instructor), Andrei (21, medic in training)

2 | Fear, Decision, Family

Between silence, doubt, and conviction – why some recruits don’t even tell their parents about their decision.

With: Anonymous recruit (20, Kyiv region), Stanislav (volunteer, early 20s)

3 | “We Forge Steel with Gunfire”

The goal: extreme stress, mental overload, relentless pressure. The method: live ammunition, obstacles, smoke, and constant strain.

With: Mykola (Instructor)

4 | “If You’re Not Afraid, You’re Not Alive”

Danyl – perhaps the most reflective of the young recruits – talks about fear, his thoughts in the trenches, and how he’s preparing for the front.

With: Danyl (18, callsign: “Historian”)

5 | The Front Is Hell

What’s drilled into them during training must prove itself at the front line. Why many don’t come back – and Jan’s observations on the current situation.


📬 Contact & Feedback

Questions, feedback, ideas? Get in touch:

✉️ krisenmodus@funkemedien.de


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Im Krisenmodus is a podcast by the FUNKE Media Group.