A Canadian Officer Resigns to Join Belarusians Fighting for Ukraine, Part 3

12/12/24 • 74 min

Join us for a firsthand account of life on and near the battlelines in Eastern Ukraine by Dave Smith, a former Canadian infantry officer who resigned to fight for Ukraine. This is the third episode in our multi-part series where Dave explores the evolving tactics and motivations that define the conflict. He offers listeners a deep dive into the experiences of soldiers and citizens that’s brimming with insights into how the geopolitical climate —including the election of former American President Donald Trump and the arrival of North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region — shape Ukrainian optimism despite the war weariness.
J. Alex Tarquinio (https://x.com/alextarquinio) and Frank Radford, our hosts in The
Delegates Lounge, (https://x.com/delegateslounge) had three conversations with Dave Smith. The hosts spoke from New York, while Dave spoke from Ukraine via web conference in July and October, and from London in November.
References
In a background briefing by the U.S. Department of Defense in October, the Pentagon estimated that Russia had sustained at least 600,000 casualties, including killed and wounded, since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Some estimates range much higher.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3932364/a-senior-
defense-and-military-official-host-a-background-briefing-on-russias-wa/
The Pentagon estimated in November that 11,000 North Korean troops had moved into Russia’s Kursk region.
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3968230/north-korean-troops-enter-kursk-where-ukrainians-are-fighting/
Radio Free Europe published an article last year citing some Russian contract soldiers and their families claiming that the state hadn’t honored payments or pardons promised in their contracts. A Reuters photo in the article was reminiscent of the Squid Games drama.
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-systema-investigation-contract-soldiers-pay-pardons-promises-broken/32676712.html
We shared some of our guest’s bylines with listeners in the show notes for the first
episode in this mini-series. Here is his latest essay about his life in Kharkiv for the online magazine Merion West.
https://merionwest.com/2024/11/27/at-home-in-the-war/

Previous Episode

A Canadian Officer Resigns to Join Belarusians Fighting for Ukraine, Part 2

Join Dave Smith, a former major in the Canadian Armed Forces, fighting alongside Belarusian Partisans for Ukraine. From the intense battlegrounds North of Kharkiv to the life-saving professional efforts within its hospitals, Dave offers a raw and authentic soldier's viewpoint of what it is to fight up close on the line of engagement - the Zero Line.
The conversation sheds light on the grim realities of capturing Russian conscripts and subsequent efforts at prisoner exchanges, exploring the stark differences in how Ukrainian and Russian forces handle detainees. Dave provides insights on how compromised platforms like Telegram play a crucial role in the information war. He offers a fascinating look at the North Atlantic Fella Organization (NAFO), an internet meme movement that supports Ukraine. Dave's candid reflections, paint a vivid picture of the way in which humor enables both young and old to cope with the stresses of war.
J. Alex Tarquinio and Frank Radford, our hosts in The Delegates Lounge, spoke from New York, while Dave spoke from Ukraine via web conference. Part 1 of this conversation began in July with Dave's account of his journey and his insights into the war up until that point. This took place before his regiment was deployed to fight North of Kharkiv. For Part 2, we spoke with Dave in October, after intense combat with Russian conscripts on the Zero Line and his recent stay in a hospital in Kharkiv. He also described how soldiers use social media on the frontlines. As he relates his battlefield experiences, listeners will catch a rare glimpse into how international policies directly impact those on the front lines.

References:

Alex mentioned an essay that she wrote for Foreign Policy about soft power which included the NAFO fellas Internet meme.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/08/06/russia-ukraine-soft-power-culture-diplomacy-fellas-nafo/

Dave related a story about standing in a trench and watching a video of that same position being hit two days earlier in a social media video. He graciously shared a video of that experience with us, and here are the links on Instagram and X.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCKDdJLJql4/

https://x.com/alextarquinio/status/1855287497288266063

Dave joined the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment of Belarusian volunteers fighting in support of Ukraine.

https://kalinouski.org/en/

Next Episode

Dining with a Dozen Diplomats, A Culinary Holiday Special: Part One

Embark on a culinary exploration with us as we uncover the cherished comfort foods and cultural tales shared by diplomats from an assortment of countries. These twelve diplomats offer insights into how food can serve as a bridge between peoples both past and present.
For the “Dining with a Dozen Diplomats” culinary special episode, our host J. Alex Tarquinio chatted with foreign ministers, with permanent representatives, so-called because they lead their country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and with the president of the United Nations Delegations Spouse’s Club.

Contributors:

The Delegates Lounge

J. Alex Tarquinio (host). @alextarquinio of @delegateslounge

Australia

H.E. Rebecca Bryant, Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations. @BecsBry @AustraliaUN

Brazil

The Consulate General of Brazil in New York. @Itamaraty_EN

Cyprus

H.E. Maria Michail, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations. @MichailmariaCY @CyprusinUN

The Czech Republic (Czechia)

H.E. Martin Dvořák, Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic. @_MartinDvorak @CzechMFA

Estonia

H.E. Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia. @Tsahkna @MFAestonia

Finland

H.E. Elina Valtonen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. @elinavaltonen @Ulkoministerio

Malta

H.E. Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations. @_VanessaFrazier @MaltaUNMission

Portugal

H.E. Rui Vinhas, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations.
Slovenia

Mr. Klemen Ponikvar, Political Coordinator of the Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations. @SLOtoUN

Switzerland

H.E. Pascale Baeriswyl, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations. @SwissAmbUN_NY @swiss_un

United States

H.E. Robert A. Wood, Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations. @USUN

Zambia

Mrs. Cecilia Kanyangwa Milambo, President of the United Nations Delegations Spouse’s Club and of the United Nations African Ambassadors Spouses Group; spouse of H.E. Dr. Chola Milambo, Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations. https://www.facebook.com/UNDWCNewyork/

References:

My Foreign Policy essay about Slovenia’s campaign for an elected seat on the United Nations Security Council.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/09/belarus-slovenia-russia-united-nations-security-council-rotating-seat/
Recipes referred to can be found on our website: https://thedelegateslounge.com/

The Delegates Lounge - A Canadian Officer Resigns to Join Belarusians Fighting for Ukraine, Part 3

Transcript

J. Alex Tarquinio00:00:08.492

Welcome to the Delegates Lounge . Pull up a chair . I'm Alex Tarquinio , a journalist based at the United Nations here in New York City and your emcee for this podcast featuring some of the most influential minds in the world today . Settle in for some riveting tete-a-tete , available wherever you listen to podcasts .

J. Alex Tarquinio00:00:39.921

Welcome