EP 082 Andrii Lukashenko: A Boots on the Ground Security Update from the Ukraine

Andrii Lukashenko BIO

Andrii Lukashenko is a security and risk management professional with over a decade of experience in managing security and crisis situations. He has worked in various leadership roles for international organizations, private companies, and academic institutions.

In November 2022, Lukashenko founded Smart Risk Solutions, Ukraine, a security consulting firm that specializes in travel risk management, crisis management, and security consulting. With his team of experienced consultants, analysts, and international partners, he provides support to clients facing risks that could affect their business.

Prior to founding Smart Risk Solutions Ukraine, Lukashenko worked as a National Security Officer for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine from September 2018 to October 2022. In this role, he was responsible for ensuring the safety and security of mission members and visitors, monitoring the security situation in the area of responsibility, and proposing appropriate mitigating measures. He also developed and maintained security-related documents, including the Mission Security Plan and Mission Evacuation Plan, and coordinated with national and international security providers to ensure maximum security coordination and information sharing.

From 2014 to 2018, Lukashenko served as the Acting Supervisor of Duty Room - National Executive Officer for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. In this role, he liaised between various departments within the mission, including procurement, asset management, transport, and finance, and maintained effective staff/management relations. He also served as a focal point with various companies and government agencies, including the Ukrainian helicopters and the Security service of the Kyivstar.

Prior to his work with the OSCE, Lukashenko worked as the Director of the International Institute of Forensic Expertise in Kyiv, where he organized and directed the work of the institute. He also served as the Chief Expert of the Legal Directorate at Raiffeisen Bank AVAL in Kyiv, where he provided legal support on problematic debtors in all regions of Ukraine, prepared documents for transmission to the court, and conducted negotiations with creditors to improve the situation on problem loans.

Andrii Lukashenko has extensive experience in crisis management, security consulting, risk assessment, and emergency preparedness. He is skilled in building effective relationships with national and international security providers and has a strong track record of identifying potential security threats and proposing effective risk management strategies. He has also conducted security training courses and provided security briefings and advisories to staff and management.

Overall, Andrii Lukashenko is a highly skilled security and risk management professional with a proven track record of providing effective security solutions in challenging and complex environments. His leadership, communication, and analytical skills have enabled him to build effective relationships with clients, staff, and security providers, and to provide valuable support in times of crisis.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrii-lukashenko-8b1b455b/

andrii.lukashenko@gmail.com

Security Circle ⭕️ is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

Transcript

0:01

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Yoyo: 0:44

Hi, this is Yolanda. Welcome. Welcome to the Security Circle podcast. IFPO is the International Foundation for Protection Officers, and we are dedicated to providing meaningful education, information, and certification for all levels of security personnel and make a positive difference to our members mental health and well being. Our listeners are global. They are the decision makers of tomorrow and today. And we want to thank you wherever you are for being a part of the Security Circle journey. If you love the podcast, we are on all podcast platforms. Spotify is currently trending as the most popular. Don't forget to subscribe or even better, like the comment and share the LinkedIn post. I have with me today, actually, this guest would be making his return. his name is Andrei Lukashenko. In February last year, he gave us a report boots on the ground on what has been happening in the Ukraine. he is currently a senior security professional and founder and deputy director of smart risk solutions based in the Ukraine. Andrei, I can only thank you enough. Thank you so much for joining us back on the security circle.

Andrii: 1:53

Again, thank you very much for inviting me. And I, it's an honor and pleasure to be with you and share all the information that we have here and the idea and the feelings what we have here right now in Ukraine.

Yoyo: 2:06

Now let's remind everybody that on the 24th of February 2022, Russia invaded the Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russia Ukrainian war. It started in around about 2014. I know we touched on that a little bit with Crimea. The invasion. The largest conflict in Europe since World War II has caused hundreds of thousands of military casualties and tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian casualties. Andrei, it's been over a year since we spoke. Why don't you give us just an idea, for people listening, on what it's like to still be the head of a household in Kyiv?

Andrii: 2:49

Okay, first of all, we should all understand that wars continue. And the last bad example, it was, targeted on the, kids hospital called the Ahmadi. And it's a person that I am talking right now and I get a good skin because two months before I've been in this hospital with my son and we did this his harm surgery and I could be there easily. So that's why it's a war without any rules and regulations and nobody follows the rule of war or keeps the boundaries. And that's why, you should understand general understanding of Ukrainians, how they, receive it. So, it's not military target, it's not, something very important, but it's our kids there. And most, uh, you probably already saw the pictures. It's, uh, they hit directly the cancer infection, and the kids who has a cancer, they have a, it's a terrible disease, and they have, even the more they get bombed. And as you know, 47 people get killed and several, I believe, injured badly and they still be in the hospital. So this is one of the signs. But in general, people in Ukraine, completely changed because, uh, we're not waiting for the easy victory. We're not waiting for the, just say like, uh, Western weapons, which come here and change the situation. And it's, uh, also related to the F 16. Uh, aircraft, which already working in Ukraine, and we're grateful for that because it's a situation with the air alarms changing completely because, uh, they do the air defense and the bombing of the biggest city, uh, decreased tremendously in this period of time, and they're not attacking the Russian force on the Russian territory, but at least they start to cover the Ukrainian air and the airspace. So. That's why we're really grateful for that. And we really appreciate it. And again, not us, not our kids, not our grandkids will forget all the support what we're receiving right now. Another situation is the security sectors. It's maybe it will be sounds funny, but, um, people start to adapt to live in the war situation. I can give you example, um, ladies going to the, uh, do their snails and they get the airline and they're looking in the telegram chat because we're all Ukraine right now we're in the telegram chat with the information what's happening and they say oh it's the only bomber take off from the somewhere in the Russia so they say oh basically we have about 30 minutes to go and after that we're going to the shelter so that's why, uh, All, all people who are related to the war understand our mind right now shifted to the late and normality of the what been 10 years ago and right now it's absolutely different normality even though we still be human beings and we still our kids do what we do, but normality for us, it's already live in the war situation and accepted and the. Continue to our, um, we can send it like daily routine because kids right now have a summer break, so we need to take care about the kids. We need to care about another businesses and et cetera, et cetera. But this is already like all the moms. No, it's like kids supposed to be on the connection. And right now, because we have, this is a terrible, um, blackouts, um, all this is the internet and, um, mobile phone connections is, uh, not stable, but it's still be, you know, we send in the messages to continue the stuff. And, uh, parents try to control their kids were very closely and they were because it's very important because kids, um, Not afraid right now of the war. This is a problem because they live in the life and in the schools. They even sometimes happy because they have air alarms and they go into the shelters and it means the class dismissed until the air alarms finish. It's one hand, uh, Looks like a fun, but on the other hand, we understand it's, it's, it's not good. And the kids missing the educational, uh, part of their life. You know, they're in the school, but they're not learning. They're just sitting and waiting of the air alarms finished. This is one thing. Another situation is mobilization. As you know, uh, today actually is a common power law when all the, uh, male in Ukraine is supposed to be registered in the military commissariat and they be update their personal information for they be ready to be call in. I can tell you about myself. I'm retired. The majors of senior officer. And three weeks ago I went to the military commissariat and the update my information. They give me a certificate and I went to the military medical committee and I submitted. So right now I'm in the standby position to, would to go to for, for, for the call, if it's, if my mother will call me and it's my, Full duty and my responsibility. My wife joking because it's like, yeah, but Bradley battalion commander, because it's my specialty. I'm the military recon officer. And plus I have a military police background. So that's why, um, realistically you wouldn't 50 years old and the people like me. With military education, with a military background, ready to go. And we're not going to hide somewhere. Of course, we don't want to young kids going and die. But it's a war, and you couldn't predict. Same situation with the business of the security. Right now, we have a couple ways already. Demobilization from the force. And, uh, I got the, um, security officers and security professional who want to work with, for me and with us, but they all have PTSD. And we cannot, uh, without additional, um, treatment, uh, let them work directly with the client. Because it's a put in the danger of, uh, our, you know, liability insurance or our, and nobody knows how they will be reacting in case of the, something happen. So that's why we create the, like, uh, two months program. Rehabilitation program for those officers who want to work with us and they come, we give them like physical update, we give them medical update, we try to give them light works which not involved working directly with the principles and it gives us the opportunity to prepare them to become a normal security officer, put it this way. Because, uh, we're not finishing and the security calls still be, you know, on top of the, all the requirements. And, as you know, all this is a Western help, which come in here. First of all, what's coming, it's coming to security. And they start to do the security risk assessment. They start to doing the, um, um, Background check, due diligence, all this is a question still be very important here. And this is a very interesting, um, for the last two weeks, I got the free application from the foreign security officers who want to work with us with Ukrainian. I don't want to say, like, it's a great something, but it's already the Marker like all this is a people and realize like we are strong security companies. We're working here and we follow the same standards and rule and regulation and procedures and we pay a really decent salary for them. So it's it's already in the market and the realize like all this is a big players who come here is like providing the I don't know, support for the media corporation and stuff. They're already gone, they're not willing to participate, but security guys still be on the ground, and they understand they will be very popular, not popular, but, you know, necessary work here, and it's, they're looking for the way to stay here and continue to work for Ukraine. So that's why. Also, um, big attentions, uh, uh, to the big tenders, because, uh, uh, uh, for the last two months, we submitted at least 17 application for the tenders because all this is a western company. Come back here and they, uh, submitted the tenders for the, uh, security plans for, for the location plans, for the, uh, business, business continue plans and et cetera, et cetera. So all of them understand like we have people on the ground and we understand the situation and we give them. Really price, which cost, because some people still be flying high and they put some crucial numbers for the servicing and for the staff. And same situation with realistic understanding of situation on the ground. Because for them, distance in Ukraine, they not realize it. They not realize what suitable border crossing point to Ukraine, because it still be crucial. And some of our clients, uh, traveling back and forth and they follow only our recommendation because, um, right now you can easily lost at least five hours on the border, just standing in the queue and waiting to get in Ukraine or get out of Ukraine. And because of the shortage of electricity, it could be even increased for the 10 12 hours, because of the, even the, all the city. Um, you see, it's funny, because all our guys who work in the Iraq and Afghanistan, who work, all the security guys who work in the Iraq and Afghanistan know, and remember, this is the sound of the generators. Right now, Ukraine sounds like Iraq or Afghanistan. It's everywhere, the generators, small cafeteria, big cafeteria, book supermarkets. All of them working on the generator and they say like, we feel comfortable about it because if it's generators, it's been the life going on and we will have a food. We'll have a water. We have everything what we need. And you see our banking system also comply with this as a cause. And. You couldn't believe it, but everywhere it's a car system working and all the banks present their, you know, duties and everything, nothing stop it. It's, it's, and if it's not, this is the air alarms and this is a shortage, you just can say like, this is the average summer in Ukraine because it's a hot and you know, people, but it's not, and it still be war, it still be situation. And, uh, two days ago, it was the anniversary of the, uh, um, targeted of the MH 17. And, uh, all those guys who work there, because I work in, in, on those fields, we collect the remains, and, uh, so because at the time I was a OSCE security officer, and, um, we still remember those times. It's already 10 years. And those people who did it not punished. And this is a create another situation, like 10 years happening. And Crimea already like, uh, 10 years have been occupied and everything. And you see, it seems like history stopped here in this country. And we have, this is a permanent war. Um, nothing changing and only, only politics talking about some changes, but in the security standpoint, nothing changes. We've been in the status of the war, we'll be highly alert and we just, uh, still have the same enemy,

Yoyo: 14:23

I'm almost stuck for words. You mentioned politics though, Andrei, how's how's, President Zelensky doing? Do you feel like he's holding up? Is he still the right man for the job?

Andrii: 14:33

Uh, you see, uh, he learning, he learning in the job Putin is wearing, he's learning a lot and, uh, of course, his, uh, um, uh, status as a president growing, because I understand it's a hard way, but, but he's learned his lessons. Of course, uh, some politics happy, some politics not happy, but in general country rely on, on, on him. And you see in the beginning, uh, everybody. Consider as a joke when he do this is a night tick tocks and could do the old stuff right now. Everybody just going and sees the update like this is important what the president said because he again, He and his team probably pick up the main targets main main topics of the day What's happening and what happens next and all this is a I believe It's a great job to make. This is a big peace conference in Switzerland, and I'm looking forward to see the result of the second, because I believe second, this will be, um, no, some way forward to at least stop the shooting. This could be like big progress for us and for our people and for our territory. And you see, um, After 10 years, uh, it's already some voices says like, maybe we don't need this as a Lugansk and I need to regions. Maybe we don't need the Crimea. They keep them, but they leave us alone. You know, we build up the wall, we will do something, but you see, uh, uh, not single life or, you know, worse to, to, to have this as a territory and people there, you see, I can tell, um, I have a, uh, double feelings because I have relatives in the Crimea and this is, uh, they already like, yeah, 10 years without Ukraine and we see we still be surviving. Ukraine not come back here probably, uh, ever. And this way, you know, one hand we want to come back to our territory. It's like unity of Ukraine. There always is a, uh, state ships and the ownership of the territories. But. On the other hand, if people don't want to and why we need to kill young generation to just, to just return back our, our territory. Uh, so that's why politics, you know, have to balance between the, what people said, what is it necessary or it's not necessary and stuff. Of course, um, Uh, another situation, nobody talking about the, uh, returning to the border of the, uh, 2020, uh, 14 or 1991. They say like when the Soviet Union collapsed because, uh, uh, uh, it's have no security, uh, reason to keep this border. We either need to move further. Or keeping this position because Russia not going to move anywhere and it will be staying bothering and that's why they have this is a sanitation zone what they try to build up over 50 kilometers range. A lot of, a lot of meanings, a lot of topics, a lot of point of discussion, but you know, only politics and president and cabinet of ministers will take the final decision to how we're going to proceed. Of course, With the smart, uh, recommendations and the advisory of Western colleagues because they have a better experience and better understanding how usually in the world it's happening.

Yoyo: 17:51

I'm glad that you have the F 16s, and it's a shame that they couldn't have prevented the hospital getting attacked on Monday the 8th of July. I mean, that was a real shock, wasn't it? Because you hadn't had anything significantly hickier for a while. And it must make everybody kind of almost be grateful for the silence, in a sense. So when that happens, It shakes everybody's confidence., do we know why they hit the hospital? I mean, it feels personal.

Andrii: 18:22

I believe they tried to threaten the Ukrainians. And you see, they hit the hospitals. The same day they hit the two hospitals. One big, this is the Akhmadetko hospital. Another little bit smaller hospital, not far. But it's a delivery target. It's not random. Air defense just intercepts the missile. It's a delivery, uh, delivery. Attacked of the hospital and they try to put, you know, message probably or something, but, um, Yesterday I passed by the hospital and believe you or not, a lot of the young, uh, Teenager students still be there. They, uh, clean up the mess, they still be working there and, uh, First hours after the hitting, you know, they still be afraid to the second attack, but a lot of people just voluntarily stay there and the support and help and bring the water, bring the kids out because they start to distribute the kids for another hospital because some of them need to be, you know, be operational or something, something. So, you see, it's all the motivations and the people not afraid. This is, this is a. I believe main message of Ukrainians, uh, they're not afraid, they probably can die, but they, sorry, they not give up.

Yoyo: 19:36

Oh, it's awful, isn't it? how does it feel in your position? And I'm shocked, but not surprised that you're going to go and join up, the military. Because even when I left the police, I knew I had a skillset, a skillset that it would be a shame not to use in some capacity or another. And I get it. There's um, there's a, there's certainly lots of resilience and pride coming out from a lot of the stories that you're telling. It makes sense, but you have to promise us to stay safe, Andre. we don't want to be, you know, reporting down the line anything tragic when it comes to you. But I guess you're probably putting your family into a stage of preparedness now, aren't you? Because you won't be here for them to protect them. How does that make you feel as a father?

Andrii: 20:23

Yeah. Yeah. It's a few, uh, make me feel terrible, but, uh, again, we have, we are military family, my wife, ex Navy officer as well. So she understands like, you have to do it. You have to do it, but you see, um. Of course, I try to prepare as maximum, but my son is a big boy, he's 13 years old, and we just celebrate it, and he understand why I'm doing so, and why war is happening, and for them it's simply, and like, it's, they try to take our territory, and they, And not understand, uh, of course, uh, status of death, because for them it's just, you know, parents try to simplify it, make it more softly, but, uh, even in, from our, uh, big house, this is what, apartment house, what we live in, already couple young guys already, you know, been killed at war. And, uh, we as, uh, neighbors, you know, try to, you know, support their family and try to, you know, try to support, this is, uh, kids who left after, you know, there is, uh, without their father, so that's why. Um, to get prepared for that is almost impossible. Uh, you just like, yeah, you do the financial preparation, you do the, you will, you, you do the something. But, you know, mentally, I believe, you know, it's really hard to prepare and do the pre deployment plan. It's really tough for the family.

Yoyo: 21:57

I remember last time we talked about, you know, how war steals the innocence of children and you saw this with your son in how he had to adapt, and for the better to make sure that he could be safe and be aware of things. And, and I still remember, you know, you telling me the story about how, you. drilled it into him that when the, the electricity came back on that he was to charge up all the phones and he had these responsibilities that he would never have had as a kid before. How have you seen him develop as he's growing up in a war?

Andrii: 22:31

I believe he's more organized in this, in this case, so they understand, like, if you're going, we need to have a key, we need to have, they have, I don't know, they have popular with the small bags, with all the kids right now, but in this case, they have a tourniquet, so it's like, believe me or not, like, in the beginning, I'm checking, like, if he still has it or not, right now, it's like, he's like, due, due, daily set, he come and he get the key, he get the power bank, key, he get the key. I hope he'll never use it in, in the practice, but they already understand it's necessary. And, uh, this become more, uh, precautious or more alert about any weapons or something. Looks like a mine. Uh uh, I dunno. Tell you because, uh, last, uh, autumn, I believe. Yeah. Last autumn, uh, in our, uh, backyard, uh, the, uh, city service cut the trees. And they find the 82nd millimeters mortar there. So it's still be in, in, in the, for the almost two years standing in our backyard and every single day we working and more critical, it's a. Entries to the small medical laboratory. So every morning, under kids with the parents come in there for the testing and stuff, and it's still because of two years, because three cutting on the level of like eight meters, it's a come on the soft tissue of the tree and stays there for the three years. So you see, they, and we believe everything fine, and we walk in under the knee of that for the two, almost two years.

Yoyo: 24:11

I mean, Andrei, we're still finding them now in the UK, from the World, the Second World War, 70 years later, we're still finding them. One guy had one in his garden that he was using as an ornament, he didn't know what it was. I know. Yeah, right,

Andrii: 24:29

but, but it's on the ground, but you see, this is on the tree, and we see combat situation here, and people really alert about, like, if they see something unusual or looks like, uh, Ordinance or something like that. And that's why kids more alert about it. And you see right now, uh, right now kids more, uh, Want to be the operator of the drones and the, um, this is the guys who do the bridging, you know, bridging brigade, who is a really, really a combat stuff. So they don't want to be the mechanics and want to be electricity or they want to do the drones. Because it's right now top priority for Ukrainians and we, you believe me or not, they even, they collect the, uh, uh, bottle tops. Because they make, uh, for the deep printers, they make, uh, um, uh, tailors for, for, for, for the dropping from the, uh, small, uh, uh, drones. So that's why. Um, you know, they collect all this stuff, they collect this, uh, uh, cups, you know, they collect everything, and they try to Because it's a, it's a, for them it's free, they just need to collect and put in a certain place where the people gather together and they produce drone tailors. So that's why it's a cow cowsing loon.

Yoyo: 25:46

Crikey. And there's bound to be more weapons that haven't exploded yet. obviously we were all cringing here in the UK, certainly in America when Biden called Zelensky Putin. You know, if it wasn't so tragic, it would be, you know, funny. do you feel that you're getting enough support Because I am interpreting that Ukraine must feel very dependent on America, certainly for finance and for money, and it must put you in a very difficult position of vulnerability when you're so dependent, and when you've got a current prime minister Where there are significant concerns. I don't necessarily want you to speak badly of him or either, but because the general consensus is we do need some sort of confidence of ability. But when you've got a nation of people. dependent on that support. How does that make you feel?

Andrii: 26:46

unfortunately, we feel like we don't get enough the weapons and we not get the permission to use this as a weapons appropriately for the full range and for the full capacity. This is, but again, it's talking Andrei Lukashenko, I'm not talking for the whole nation and the, I just give you my point of view. Uh, you should understand your government, uh, British, I mean, British government and U. S. government really smart and they already create in Ukraine system of the control. So all this is the money which coming here right now, not just wasted and they put in Ukrainians pockets or something like that. Both governments, and I know it because I'm a little bit involved in that, create the system of the observation committee and the control committee, where the really trustable people control the situation, how the money is spent, how the process is going, etc, etc. So that's why it's a, uh, It's a Ukrainian company, actually, and they provide the Ukrainian certification and etc. But it's a really high professional and high quality, um, specialist how to control the money spenditures, how to control. And of course, this is a military advisor because, uh, Right now, the war changed completely. You couldn't believe it, because right now, all the war happening on the distances, because everything, uh, fighting by the drones. Right now, by Russian things, they, you know, powerful country, and they do whatever they want, because they have a lot of tanks. But right now, tank is just, um, Can be destroyed within a couple minutes by, by the drones, FPB drones or some, some drones. So right now, all the tactics change. And this is why too many military advisors here in Ukraine, because new strategy of war burning here. And this is not air drones. It's also ground drones, which make a big difference. They do the minding, deminding, exploiting, evacuation from, from the combat line, et cetera, et cetera. So technology takes the power. And right now, um, In Ukraine, more than, like, 200 companies produce the drones. And they produce it directly to the, uh, to the combat line and they get the feedback and they update it daily. So it's not the engineers who do the technology and they keep that for the six months when they get approved. It's a like question of the hours and days when they get something new. They immediately updated something, so that's why funding and the supporting of the explosion material, so for explosion for the weapons, it's very important and, uh, quickness of the rotation of the people, it's also important. That's why, uh, Ukraine called for this immobilization, so right now we have troops, we have a lot of troops for the rotation, for the, for the training, but even my company get, um, invited to provide the training for the military. We are security guy, but, uh, more than 50 percent of my, my personnel, it's an ex military and the high level military. And we have a contract with the national guard, with, with, uh, armed forces to conduct the training for the, uh, for the normal training cause of the military training, for the shooting, for the tactical movements, for, for the CQBs, for, for et cetera, et cetera. And we're willing to provide this training. It's also cost nothing for the government because we do it for, for, for free. But. Uh, it's already, um, people with experience sharing this experience with the guys who going for, for, for the combat. And this is a change in the, uh, exactly tactics because right now tactics fighting with the trenches, absolutely different than even the before the beginning of the war right now, all this is a electronic warfare. So I'm not, uh, I'm not. Even with civilians, right? But when we go into the combat line, we have, this is a special, uh, uh, German, uh, warfare device to the, even identify the drones in the area or jam them, it's the cost of some money, but it's a safety for us to even for civilian, for the media, for the corporate client to have that. And we will at least have a chance to survive. And the. You know, to, to everything changing and that's why it's a daily updated, uh, tactic changing, strategy changing and the using of the force absolutely changing plus a medical support. You see, this is, um, I conducted a lot of the heat trainings and the medical trainings. Um, believe me, um, from all around the world, we received the medical supplies. Some of them cheap, and of course, you understand, cheap is not good. And that's why we fight with the quality, because tourniquet, it's a question of the life. And you don't have a second chance. And when I go to the pharmacy, and I see the cheap tourniquet, it's less than 400 hryvnias, than 10, put it this way. I start to ask him for the certification of his tourniquet because it's a, you know, some people, some mothers or grandparents who want to support their kids on the front lines, they go into the pharmacy and buy these things. And they say like, yeah, it's a tourniquet. Yeah, it's a tourniquet. But really CAT 7 tourniquet. And restoring it, they maybe looks like it. So that's why we do a lot of educational program. And I, I am to become the, uh, this is the ambassador of the stop bleeding program, because we try to put this as a message, not all the, all medical supplies, it's good here and all necessary and how to use it appropriately because they have it in there. Um, um, how to say, uh, I conduct the. Two months ago, I conducted a heat training in the one of the organization, big organization. Um, and in the finals, they tried to present to each of their, uh, employees, uh, um, IFAC. And they said, like, Andrei, here's our IFAC. Could you just, like, deliver them? I took them in my hands, like, no, I'm not going to take this, because it's a cheap, cheap stuff. And, you know, people, after our training, even our students start to ask, like, why they give us this stuff? Because it's not realistic. And you just give the idea, because they're civilians. They maybe will be used only once in their life. Maybe, maybe not. Who knows? But you see, situation with Ahmad, it changed all the situations that can happen with anybody. And, uh, people just try to sell something. And this is in the, uh, um, question of the war and all this is the morale. Here's the people just simply, as I said, like, we shifted a little bit to the left. And we already judged with things not like in the business perspective, but in the question of the life and death. And that's why a lot of stuff changing, you know, not for the good. Another situation with the, uh, with the guys who come back from the combat lines, as I mentioned, all of them have PTSD, all of them. And, um, I can, um, show a couple videos later if you want to, uh, uh, uh, uh, society not ready for that, because those guys just looking for the dead. And they have a grenade, they have a weapon, they have everything. And police Not ready for that because they're not, uh, doesn't know how to handle the people who try to kill themselves in the urban area or something. And that's why we provide the training as an acting shooter. So I talk to the guys in the U S and try to get the certified with them. So, and from, from the FBI, because here it's becoming more and more problem. Since January, 2023, Ukraine not produce one single report about the crime situation because it's terrible. And that's why everything what's happening here, it's handled on the level of the private securities or the people who, you know, local committees and the city committees who try to handle the situation and try to prevent all the stuff. But it's happening and as you see, every second guy on the street, it's probably will be military and go. Actually, it's because we have like girls as well and who knows what can happen. That's why. Uh, our security procedures and they're working with, uh, like, urban areas and, uh, right now, including the acting shooters, because it's happened and we couldn't, you know, stop it in the hour level, at least.

Yoyo: 35:16

That's shocking. And, and crime then, what sort of crime is happening on the sort of street level at the moment, Andrei?

Andrii: 35:25

Crime, it's a, it's a big, because you see a lot of houses abandoned, a lot of the people moved, a lot of the, uh, staff, uh, are not under the control, so that some people start to be stolen, and this is a crime not going everywhere. They just adopt it and, and they use it in, in the, and right now, uh, they're mobilization. They introduce themselves as a mobilized committee and they come in and just get and they get first assessment of apartment and after that they rob apartment when the people leave. So that's why they have like easy entry. So they use the psychological factor of the people who are right now afraid of the mobilization, etc. Plus, because of, um, In Ukraine, a lot of the cars without the registration, because it's a humanitarian aid, it's some people who bring the goods for the, for the front line, and, uh, they get not registered, and that's why if you have a car accident, and the guy, he not even have plate numbers, he just hit you and went, and you could not explain that to the insurance company, or anybody, who be, how the accident happened, and who will going to reimburse you. So that's why it's also the questions, what we try to, you know, support and, uh, prevent and the user uses, uh, camera footages, et cetera, et cetera. So, um, because it's need to be, you know, systemized more or less, and the on, on the governmental and the regional level as well.

Yoyo: 36:52

Gosh, I mean, just when you don't need that, I worry for you sometimes, I mean, not you personally, but. The Ukraine, because the Ukraine is very dependent on media reporting on what's happening. And, with the British elections just taking place, you now have uh, Zelensky has a new prime minister, uh, Sikir Stama. I'm hoping that he will continue to get all the support he needs there. But the election took a lot of media time on the television. And now with Biden and Trump, well, we saw the attempt on Trump's life. That took a lot of media time. And I just worry. And, and so is Israel and Gaza. I just worry now that the Ukraine is going further down the line on what's being reported on television and keeping people informed. What can we do about that? I don't, I don't know.

Andrii: 37:46

You see, we do what we can. I have more than 17, 000 in my LinkedIn contacts, so I put everything there, believe me. Every, every single information, what I just got, I immediately translate on English and put on the net. I don't know who read it, me or who not, but you see, I tried to deliver it message because I understand the media have certain procedures and rules and regulations, how they're doing and some information necessary, some information not, but I tried to pick up all the information, what I just saw. And I realized it's important, the broader, uh, Audience around the world knows it's happened, and you see, it's important we get the, this is the first information and immediately deliver it. And, uh, people start to asking me questions, and I try to, you know, answer all the questions that people ask me. Not, uh, because, um, I try to increase my popularity or something. I'm not looking for the political or any sign. I try to deliver the message like what's happening here and war not stop it. Uh, but you see, um, some of them try to use this situation because for example, as soon as you get the new cabinet, your minister of defense immediately come to Odessa and you see Ukrainian, uh, commander of the Navy immediately say like, okay, Ukraine needs the submarines. You see, we have only the Black Sea, which is not under our control, and we need the submarines. So, you see, right now, all those statements, it's just to play the, um, great games, I don't know, the Game of Thrones, whatever you call it, all those games, because, you see, they just say, like, yeah, we need the submarines. We could not control the sea, but we need the submarines. Deepest of the place of the Black Sea is 40 meters, and normal submarine officers, like, 40 meters for the submarines, it's kind of Not exactly what they're looking for. So that's why we need to, we need to understand our place in the world. Yeah. Like Ukrainian, we like used to be the bread basket when you used to be a good, you know, be something we support something, but, uh, to just try to get more than you can eat or chew, you shouldn't do it. And that's why right now it's a first priority to just finish war and at least get the sustainable peace. And after that, we will. You know, rebuild our armed forces, do whatever you want. But you see, it's a definitely Ukraine need to be with Europe, with the international world and with the, with the NATO as well. So that's why I don't see another, another, um, The way of development of Ukraine, because we definitely not want to come back to the former Soviet Union or whatever they call it, and under the control of the Russia and Belarus. And you see, this is a, it's, it's not already a wish, it's, it's a deliverable need of the, of the nation.

Yoyo: 40:33

In preparation for this, um, conversation with you, I did a little bit of research and they were basically saying, if there was a Russian victory. over the Ukraine. It would have extremely grave consequences for Europe as well. For starters, expect tens of millions of new refugees. Now, that would terrify a lot of Europeans, especially because, uh, there has been an increase in far right wing extremism that has been ultimately stemmed by, you know, immigration. And I'm thinking, I don't think this is incredibly helpful to kind of scare people into supporting the Ukraine because otherwise we're going to have tens of millions of Ukrainians needing a new home. I don't ever want to envisage that the Ukraine, the Ukraine will fall to Russia. But it's hard to see how this can end. Do you have any ideas at the moment how it can end?

Andrii: 41:33

You see, this is the only, only by military victory if they will, you know, destroy the all our armed forces and of course it will be refugee and the ADP is going to the Europe. But you see, I believe Europe already realized and Great Britain, of course, realized. They will be next put in this way. So right now it's all Ukrainian. It's a shield which protects it from from all this other stuff. And as you know, as a security professionals, you already know, like in the Germany, they have a two federal laws about all the population of the Germany need to come through the heat training for the next five, seven years. So they understand like if Ukraine not stop the Russia with the five, seven years, it's probably happened with the Europe. Germany, not the last country in, in the Europe. And this is a, it's a federal law. It means they'll be following it, and this is will be money dedicated for that and stuff. So better to right now support Ukraine to prevent such, such a cases and such a scenario. And, uh, uh, you see, uh. It's like a cancer, you know, if they take one country, they will take the whole Europe and I don't think, uh, in Europe, some people still realize, uh, how bad it is. And, uh, of course, it's about the United States because I have a lot of the colleagues who are working with me right now and who come in here for Ukraine to conduct the training for the military. And they try to pick up all our experience because they understand it will be a civil war. And some of them already declared, like, doesn't matter who results will be, uh, announcement is that Trump will be declared himself as the president because he has, uh, this is the idea and, uh, this will be civil war and country which, uh, don't have a civil war for the 300 years and war on their territory as well. It could be probably different and explain the people how to conduct the war is such a great situation. And all this is, uh, Good life, what they used to live. And, uh,

Yoyo: 43:45

Well, even if you look at the UK, if you look at the UK as an example, we, we, our generation who last experienced war at home are all dying now because they are of that age. And so, the transferable skill set into even younger generations is, is very important. Disconnected.

Andrii: 44:03

Your, your history, uh, and especially I really like your Prime Minister Churchill, and this is like my role model, what I'm looking for, and, uh, I believe, remember during the war you have, this is a spice, which corrects the aviation bombing and stuff, and you have them on the squares. And right now, some of our Ukrainian colleagues, and I also support, we need to do it here same, because people sell your country for the 300 grivnas, or less than 10 bucks, or 100 bucks, whatever. And this is a crazy war. And the Euro country, I believe, realize that that's why all this is a cabinet to change it or currently, but they will be still support the Ukraine because they realize they will be next and they have more than lose and they win. If you know, of course, oil and gas from the Russia and all this is the stuff would come in from the Russia. Besides that, it's a good, but, uh, people and populations of the nations can be destroyed and who knows how it will be restored or, um, To get to the next generation to explain the, all this is a, uh, morale and the, um, understanding of the statehood. Because right now they have to explain to the Russians, like, why they take the Chechnya, why they take the Abkhazia. Why not they take Ukrainian, because they decide to. So what about the independence? What about the, you know, the national autumn flag, whatever. They just do whatever they want. So it's basically barbarian style.

Yoyo: 45:39

Imagine pre COVID now, 2019, Andrei, you would never have believed it if anyone had come to you and said, Oh, within the next five years, Andrei, you're going to be signing up and going back into war. You would

Andrii: 45:53

You see, no, no, no, uh, at that time we have, we have a, um, we believe we will have a problem with the Crimea because it, it's, uh, that time it was the discussions and the discussion, but we afraid not the only Russian, but we afraid the Turkey will take the over of the Crimea because they have a more interest there. Yeah. And that's why right now the Turkey play only role. You see, they don't play the role about the Crimea. War here, but they play the role only when they have a war of the Crimea because they still have a big interest and they understand it's their way of development only through the Crimea. And as, as a security professional, we know there always is information of the, all the how, the narcotics traffic going, how all this is the cigarette traffic going through the Crimea to the Turkey, back and forth. So this is a, this is a true and nobody can know. Yeah, again, I really appreciate your attention and again, I congratulate you to be 40 best of security in the list. And I really, I really great to have opportunity to speak and deliver this information to your audience. And I believe, um, It's important to just share information and have opportunity to, because for some people Ukraine still be closed country and we will try to, you know, open it. Yeah, it's war. Yeah, it's stuff. But life going on and we try to, you know, continue to at least think we are normal and try to do something really good.

Yoyo: 47:24

I don't want to sound patronizing, but I feel that there's a tremendous amount of resilience going on in your country right now. and it's quite admirable. I really hope that you get your silence back in the sense of, One day, all of those generators will switch off and you'll be able to just breathe a sigh of relief and knowing that everything can feel a lot safer again. And we're all hoping for that for you and to keep your, you and your family in good health. And I know it must feel like a lottery sometimes with what happened with the hospital because, it's horrifying to know that you could have been there when that happened. So, stay in good health. Stay in touch. And for anybody who does want to have a direct, informative, factual reporting on the Ukraine, follow Andrii Lukashenko. We'll provide you a link. Constantly putting out great informative articles. Andrii, thank you again for coming back to the Security Circle. It's been a pleasure. Thank

Andrii: 48:28

you. Thank you very much for inviting and let's keep in touch.