ALL EIGENDREH

Lower thirds:

00:02 Report by Max Zander
00:46 Oleksandr | Soldier
01:17 Yuriy | Soldier
02:09 Zachary | Soldier
02:47 Mykola Zhelibovskyi | Chief of Combat Training

Script:

They have their whole lives ahead of them. But they’re ready to risk it all.

These men, 18 to 24 years old, are training to become infantry soldiers. This is their first week. In less than two months they’ll be on the battlefield, face to face with the Russians.

0.24

+++ATMO knife training+++

“There are more ways to attack.”

0.27

They’re part of a special program encouraging men below the draft age to join Ukraine’s armed forces. . It comes with a signing bonus and with an end date after 12 months of service.

But there is another thing that motivates them.

0.45
+++Oleksandr, Soldier+++

“Roughly speaking, this is revenge. And defending your country. It's two in one.”

0.50

He is planning on staying on after his one year contract ends. That’s also in the interest of the armed forces, who are dealing with an army where the average soldier is in his forties.

Yurii on the other hand has other plans. He wants to become an airline pilot. But first he wants to fight, against his family’s will .

1.14

+++SOT Yuriy, Soldier+++

“Well, my mother cried and said that I was stupid for coming here. I followed in the footsteps of my father and three older brothers.”

1.25

The family fled occupied territory during the full scale invasion. Yuri seeks revenge. His father is missing, one brother dead.

1.36

+++SOT Yuriy, Soldier+++

“He was killed by Russian soldiers when he was going to work at lunchtime. We heard that a sniper on a roof killed him.”

1.49

((smoking))

The young fighters who sign up to the program get a bonus of 1 million Hrivna, which is more than 21,000 Euros on top of their salary. Even though it's only half of what some regions in Russia offer, it is a lot of money for the young men.

2.07 (starts in off)

+++SOT Zachary, Soldier+++

“I think young people will be interested in it. It's combat experience, with financial assistance, and a lot of options from the state. Yes, I think that it will motivate many and many will go.”

2.20

((classroom))

In this program, soldiers can not choose where they will serve. They’re signing up to become riflemen, man machine guns and grenade launchers. Positions where physical strength is necessary and which are amongst the most dangerous.

But they’re learning from experienced fighters and we’re being told the training is constantly evolving.

2.45 (starts in off)

+++SOT Mykola Zhelibovskyi, Chief of Combat Training+++

The job of an infantryman, the position of either a sniper or a grenade launcher, carries some risks. That is, we have to explain to to these people that this is, , unfortunately, war.

There is no war without losses. Therefore, we prepare them both psychologically and physically, and provide skills in their specialties.

3.10

((outside))

45 days of basic training are followed by 20 days to specialize. Little time to turn youths into battle-ready soldiers.

And prepare them mentally for what may come.

3.24 (starts in off)
+++SOT Instructor+++ ((NO INSERT))

“Don’t give up! / It”ll be tough and it’ll be uncomfortable. I personally promise you that. But if you learn and accept what we’re passing on to you - what helped us survive - you won’t be cannon fodder.”

3.41

So far, only about 500 young men have signed up. A few thousand others have shown interest in the program. In the fourth year of war, even with a time limit, these new soldiers are among the few who are ready to take the risk

4.04

+++END+++