On the Ground in Ukraine Since Day Five of the War w/Steven Moore

What is the war in Ukraine really like on the ground—and how much of what Americans hear is shaped by misinformation?

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour podcast, Andrew Langer speaks with Steven Moore, founder of the Ukraine Freedom Project, who has been working inside Ukraine since just days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Moore shares firsthand experiences from Kyiv and other regions of the country, describing how Ukrainians resisted the invasion, pushed Russian forces back, and built a resilient wartime society despite constant attacks on infrastructure and cities.

Moore recounts evacuating civilians from frontline cities during the first weeks of the invasion, helping deliver medical supplies and humanitarian aid to hospitals under siege, and witnessing the determination of Ukrainian citizens and soldiers who have held off one of the world’s largest militaries. He also discusses how Ukraine’s battlefield success increasingly relies on domestic innovation—from drone warfare to locally manufactured weapons systems.

The conversation also explores several controversial topics surrounding the war, including Russian information operations, the role of the Russian Orthodox Church, and how disinformation campaigns have influenced political debates in the United States. Moore argues that many narratives circulating in Western media and politics misrepresent the situation inside Ukraine and fail to account for the unity and resilience of Ukrainian society.

Finally, Moore explains the mission of the Ukraine Freedom Project, which works to counter Russian propaganda and provide Americans—especially policymakers, conservatives, and faith communities—with firsthand information about the war and its implications for global security.

YouTube Chapters
00:00 — Introduction and Steven Moore joins the podcast
00:59 — Moore’s background in politics and Eastern Europe
02:02 — Advising Boris Yeltsin’s 1996 campaign and the Soviet aftermath
04:49 — Russia, NATO, and the roots of the Ukraine conflict
10:48 — Arriving in Ukraine days after the invasion
12:01 — Evacuating civilians and delivering aid during the first weeks of war
13:26 — Has Russia actually been winning the war?
15:17 — China, geopolitics, and the broader strategic picture
16:18 — Putin’s KGB background and Russian ideology
17:03 — The Russian Orthodox Church and intelligence influence
20:49 — Russia’s demographic crisis and abducted Ukrainian children
21:10 — Founding the Ukraine Freedom Project
23:18 — Russian disinformation and influence in U.S. politics
24:29 — The story of a Ukrainian pastor tortured by Russian forces
29:16 — Will Ukraine become a failed state?
31:19 — Ukraine’s military innovation and drone warfare
33:47 — How Americans can support the Ukraine Freedom Project

Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW