1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,439 Cobblestone on Maine at one on nine West Main Street in the village of Webster. 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,320 You know what I love is a delicious crab cake. They have fresh 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:11,880 blue crab and roasted red pepper patties, panseared, served with a lemon basil 4 00:00:11,919 --> 00:00:15,199 aoli. It's a great shareable or maybe you don't like to share, maybe 5 00:00:15,199 --> 00:00:19,480 you want it for yourself as you sit at their upscale bar and have a 6 00:00:19,559 --> 00:00:23,079 delicious drink. Man, they are shaking up happiness, one sip at a 7 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,039 time over at Cobblestone on Maine. You know why because, as they say, 8 00:00:26,039 --> 00:00:30,600 a Cobblestone on Maine, life's too short for boring drinks. They have 9 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:35,079 a great cocktail menu that matches the season. I highly recommend if you're ever 10 00:00:35,119 --> 00:00:39,679 just looking for a quick lunch stop in there and have the hot Pistromi sandwich. 11 00:00:39,759 --> 00:00:43,479 It is so good. And you know what just makes it the horse 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:48,039 Raddish cream on a toasted briosh roll, along with the mixed greens and the 13 00:00:48,119 --> 00:00:51,880 roasted red peppers and the provolone cheese. But that horse Radish cream is so 14 00:00:52,039 --> 00:00:55,399 good. Cobblestone on Maine, You're gonna find them at one on nine West 15 00:00:55,439 --> 00:00:58,399 Main Street in the village of Webster. You can find them on Facebook dot 16 00:00:58,439 --> 00:01:02,359 com slash Cobblestone on to see all the happenings, and of course they have 17 00:01:02,399 --> 00:01:10,760 a website. It's Coplestone on main dot com. Paul Connors and paramis at 18 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,519 two six to two comp today Myers RV because you've been thinking about all the 19 00:01:14,519 --> 00:01:17,480 adventures you can unlock. If you had a Myers RV in your driveway, 20 00:01:17,799 --> 00:01:21,040 you could go anywhere you want. You could go whenever you want. If 21 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,319 you have a job that you can work remotely, you could go for as 22 00:01:23,359 --> 00:01:27,200 long as you want. These are v's are incredible and you can see them 23 00:01:27,799 --> 00:01:33,040 right now at the Dome in Henrietta. With free parking and free admission. 24 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,120 We're gonna be shopping the top RV brands like Jacob thor Winnebago, Keystone, 25 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,519 Brinkley, Forest River and Grand Design. Plus you know what they got going 26 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:45,079 on motor Home Madness featuring the best motor home deals of the year. And 27 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:49,159 like I said, free admission, free parking at the Dome indoors and outdoors 28 00:01:49,239 --> 00:01:52,480 is the show, and you're gonna shop over one hundred and seventy five new 29 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:57,319 and used RVs all on display at the Dome. It's the Huge RV Show 30 00:01:57,359 --> 00:02:00,920 going on right now through this Sunday, March two at the Rochester Dome twenty 31 00:02:00,959 --> 00:02:06,599 six ninety five East Henrietta Road. Unlock your RV adventure with the Huge RV 32 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,879 Show at the Dome through this Sunday twenty six ninety five East Henrietta Road and 33 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:16,319 online admirers RVs dot Com from the Macaball Trade Studio in Fairport and driven by 34 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:22,800 Victor Chrysler Dots. Gee Ram, It's Bilified, the Bill Moran Podcast. 35 00:02:34,479 --> 00:02:38,039 Well, hello and welcome. Thanks for getting your pot on, Thanks for 36 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:40,639 telling a friend. That's how we spread the word about the pirate ship. 37 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,319 Find out how you can become a subscriber, subscribe to our YouTube channel at 38 00:02:46,319 --> 00:02:53,120 Billified and all our social media platforms. Today a one on one with a 39 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:59,280 very interesting man at a very interesting time. It's Mikhail Gerstein, correct, 40 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,639 is that? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah, perfect, See I 41 00:03:04,759 --> 00:03:10,280 did it now. Michale made a documentary about his homeland, Ukraine, which 42 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:16,759 is the center of as we head into another presidential election, a source that 43 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:22,520 people are uh divided on on how to handle that sort of thing. But 44 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,960 I'd like to start with you, and you're living there and coming here, 45 00:03:28,039 --> 00:03:31,840 and your experience is coming here. And I think that this plays even into 46 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:37,280 our immigration problems that we have in this country, where you know, there's 47 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,639 a whole lot of focus and a whole lot of rhetoric about the border, 48 00:03:39,919 --> 00:03:46,439 but what we're not changing is our our immigration system, which is really tough 49 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:53,919 for many people. Well, someone said that our immigration system is way too 50 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,919 old, and yes, yeah, I think that's true. Very old computer 51 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,199 like from eighties. Yeah, live in the twenty fifth century. So that's 52 00:04:01,199 --> 00:04:08,199 pretty much would be the good comparison. I guess. Yeah. In my 53 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:13,199 family, we were lucky. Yeah, there are lots of buckets in that 54 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:19,399 immigration. Hello, I'm Ukrainian born Jew, okay, and we came here. 55 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:24,040 Well you got the double WHAMMI right now, don't you? My goodness? 56 00:04:24,199 --> 00:04:28,879 Well if Ukrainian and Jew two things that are really not popular right now. 57 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,680 And to add to it that I was born when it was Soviet Union. 58 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,079 Ah, oh, look at this. They're very complicated, all right. 59 00:04:36,519 --> 00:04:40,839 So okay, so I have lots of questions, lots of questions for 60 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,639 kil How much do you guy? Right? What's that? How much time 61 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,680 we got. We got as much time as you have, right, as 62 00:04:46,759 --> 00:04:54,279 much time as you have. So you left in nineteen ninety eight, nineteen 63 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:59,000 ninety eight, So you've been in this country for twenty seven years. No, 64 00:05:00,079 --> 00:05:03,000 it's almost twenty five. Yeah, well twenty five would be two, 65 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:10,639 yeah, twenty six okay, so right, okay, so that's uh, 66 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,920 it's a long time, it is. Yes, How old were you when 67 00:05:14,959 --> 00:05:18,000 he came? I was in my early thirties, in your early thirties, 68 00:05:18,639 --> 00:05:25,040 married, had a family at the time, we were still married, but 69 00:05:25,199 --> 00:05:28,879 we were an edge of divorce. Okay, but you had kids and all. 70 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,360 What was the impetus to make you come? Well, as I mentioned, 71 00:05:33,439 --> 00:05:40,160 my second is a Jew. So there was a program for Jewish refugees 72 00:05:40,399 --> 00:05:48,360 from former Soviet Union, and someone from the family immigrated here earlier in the 73 00:05:48,439 --> 00:05:56,199 nineties, and then my father came with my younger brother and then I in 74 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,319 ninety seven, and then I came after them. Okay, So you came, 75 00:05:59,399 --> 00:06:02,800 and what was happening over in at the time Soviet Union or Ukraine was 76 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:08,639 a Ukraine? Yes, it was Ukraine, always Ukraine. And well eight 77 00:06:09,879 --> 00:06:15,199 ninety eight, that's the the year after what they called the wild nineties and 78 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:27,079 the former Soviet Union. Everything was been divided between different groups and different political 79 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:33,519 factions, not just political, but ethnic even ethnic and let's call it the 80 00:06:33,519 --> 00:06:39,160 mafia. Okay, okay, just to be polite, yes, but understand 81 00:06:40,199 --> 00:06:45,680 there there is there is a reason called wild nineties, the wild nineties, 82 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:51,240 because the mid nineties it was pretty intense on the territory of world former Soviet 83 00:06:51,319 --> 00:06:57,160 Union. Okay, so just for safety reasons, asylum being a Jew feeling 84 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:00,839 like maybe that was exactly My father was here and he had to go for 85 00:07:00,959 --> 00:07:05,680 the heart surgery or one of the heart procedures. Yes, So basically he 86 00:07:05,759 --> 00:07:10,319 said, if you're not coming, I'm not going for So if you don't 87 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,519 come and I'm not coming, have with the heart surgery. Yeah, Jesus, 88 00:07:13,519 --> 00:07:16,079 what a guilt trip. That's true. Yeah, that's uh, well, 89 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:20,800 you know you are Jewish. They lay guilt. I'm isn't it the 90 00:07:20,839 --> 00:07:24,959 thing? Like they would see the Irish mother and the Jewish brother to come 91 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,680 over? What's that? He almost blackmailed me to come over? Yes, 92 00:07:28,639 --> 00:07:32,000 are you happy you did? I'm yes, yes, I guess, yes, 93 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,279 I guess yes. Well I was lucky. I worked in the movies, 94 00:07:36,319 --> 00:07:42,040 and television in Ukraine and Okay, since nineteen what was the big what 95 00:07:42,199 --> 00:07:44,800 was the big movie you worked on? I don't think I've ever seen a 96 00:07:44,879 --> 00:07:46,959 Ukrainian film. There was, Well, there was a movie that made in 97 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,120 actually a week. We picked it up and naty two when we made it, 98 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:59,800 and there were pretty big uh actors played there. Yeah, And at 99 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:05,399 some point in nineteen ninety four I had to work in Moscow and I worked 100 00:08:05,439 --> 00:08:09,800 with the big directors. Yeah, like young Witherkevich was one of them, 101 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:16,839 pretty famous name. And so I got I gained some experience working in the 102 00:08:16,959 --> 00:08:24,680 film which and then I cut the beginning of creation of the commercial television okay 103 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:30,680 and in Ukrainian in Moscow, in Moscow, and then when I came back 104 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,559 from Moscow, so wait, commercial television was just coming into existence over there 105 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:39,360 in the in the early nineties. Yes, really, it's amazing. I 106 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,000 mean the Soviet Union collapsing in ninety one took it took time and years. 107 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:48,639 Yeah, but prior to that, fighting the territory, the markets and all 108 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:54,240 of this. So ninety four, what was did they do any sitcoms like 109 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,759 we have here. I'm just curious did they have anything like later, Yes 110 00:09:00,039 --> 00:09:03,200 they did. Yeah, did they have like the wacky American that lived over 111 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:07,200 there, because we always had the waki foreigner like Balky in uh bus and 112 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,080 Buddies or whatever. Well, one of the latest now in Ukraine, the 113 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:15,639 wiki Canadian lives there, a Wiki Canadian. Yeah, it's a pretty cool 114 00:09:15,759 --> 00:09:20,879 Ukrainian Canadian or Canadian Ukrainian came to Ukraine and he's a he was a police 115 00:09:20,919 --> 00:09:26,759 officer in Canada and he's a police sheriff or whatever in Ukraine. And what 116 00:09:26,919 --> 00:09:31,159 language are they now? It's in Ukrainian. It's in Ukraine. I keep 117 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:35,080 saying, like my second wife, she's an ethnic Ukrainian, Okay, And 118 00:09:37,519 --> 00:09:41,279 I kept saying too, like since the beginning of this full scale invasion. 119 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:48,399 Yeah, I've been saying that what Russians did first with invading in twenty twenty 120 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:58,480 two is they broke every single family is even thoughts of speaking in Russian because 121 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,720 so they don't want to speak in Russian, right, many people, I 122 00:10:01,799 --> 00:10:07,240 know they refuse Eve when I started learning Ukrainian because did you speak Russian? 123 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:15,399 That's what the primary How many languages do you speak? Including swearing? But 124 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:20,600 English? Well, English still consider my second language. I would yeah, 125 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,840 although you do very well, thank you, But it's you know, this 126 00:10:24,879 --> 00:10:28,559 is a language I speak for the last almost twenty twenty five plus years. 127 00:10:28,639 --> 00:10:31,000 Yes, but as an adult, not easy to learn, and not in 128 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,679 language that with a lot of slang. So I'll tell you when I came 129 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,399 here and I thought I had all a's and English when I went in high 130 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:43,679 school and university, and when I couldn't understand the few things at the airport, 131 00:10:43,759 --> 00:10:46,360 I go, well, there goes my English lesson, there goes my 132 00:10:46,399 --> 00:10:50,720 English lessons. Right, so you've got so English you speak Russian? And 133 00:10:50,759 --> 00:10:54,799 then and then now I can say I can speak and understand. Well I 134 00:10:54,879 --> 00:11:00,799 understood the Ukrainian before, yes, but now I can I speak not fluently 135 00:11:00,919 --> 00:11:03,000 fluent, right, But my Ukrainian friends when we talk, they go like, 136 00:11:03,039 --> 00:11:07,159 wow, you really really doing well? Yes? So can you tell 137 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:13,240 a joke in Russian? I'm not asking you too, I'm just saying that 138 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,639 I this will sound kind of funny, but I always think you have a 139 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:22,399 good command of whatever language it is, if you can tell a joke, 140 00:11:22,799 --> 00:11:28,440 Because a joke sometimes is a play on words, or an idea or sometimes 141 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,960 a surprise in some way, and language is the big effect in that, 142 00:11:31,759 --> 00:11:35,000 and so I always think if you can, yes, I'll tell you one 143 00:11:35,039 --> 00:11:39,120 which easy to translate. Okay, Actually I can tell you too, okay. 144 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:46,960 So the first is that there was a very famous comedian, stand up 145 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:54,919 comedian and back from Soviet times to Yakov Smirnoff. No it was, he 146 00:11:56,320 --> 00:12:01,000 passed away a couple of years ago, but I had a religion and honored 147 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,919 to meet him a couple of times. He's originally from the city where I 148 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:09,559 came from, Mandessa on the south of Ukraine. And there are a few 149 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:16,240 aphorisms that's still alive with in today, and people accuse it as jokes. 150 00:12:16,759 --> 00:12:20,159 So one of them if you say it in Russian, and if people listen 151 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:24,039 to the people who speak Russian the lesson, they're probably gonna laugh. But 152 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:31,200 there was a It was about alcohol. So you're saying alcoholol madza palising lubicalchester, 153 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:39,399 which means the alcohol in small portions good for you in any amount, 154 00:12:39,639 --> 00:12:43,480 You maya good for you in any amount. Yeah, bullshit. So pretty 155 00:12:43,519 --> 00:12:48,759 much you can do little shots, but as long as you're here Estand so 156 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:56,200 another one I love to bring to my meteorologist friends, the synoptics about sidin 157 00:12:56,279 --> 00:13:01,679 rats. Did the meteorologists making making mistakes only once? Yes, but every 158 00:13:01,759 --> 00:13:05,759 day every day? Right, so, and no one cares, Like, 159 00:13:05,799 --> 00:13:09,559 how do you keep your job when you keep getting wrong? You go outside, 160 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,200 you look outside and like, here we go, I'm gonna pull that. 161 00:13:11,399 --> 00:13:26,120 I'm gonna just pull that moke back. Okay, it's heavy. I 162 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:31,879 think Mike started getting scared. I'm afraid of may be closer and closer to 163 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:37,120 it. So tell me when you came here, when you came to the 164 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:41,919 United States, your father does have the heart surgery. He had the heart 165 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,320 procedure and then later on he had the heart surgery quadruple bypass surgery, and 166 00:13:46,399 --> 00:13:52,360 he survived. He leaved another almost what seven He died in two thousand and 167 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:58,279 seven, but she leaved. And you know, it was very, very 168 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,679 cool because when when I was growing up, I haven't I barely could see 169 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:07,360 my father because he wasn't in the military, okay, and in the military 170 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:11,840 for army, Soviet army. Yeah, and it was he he was always 171 00:14:11,039 --> 00:14:18,720 he always the greatest example for me of being a man. Yeah. But 172 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:28,200 these past years here, you know, I could I had a chance to 173 00:14:28,279 --> 00:14:33,799 spend time with him. How did he how did he feel about, you 174 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:39,000 know, having served in the Soviet army. Uh, big deal, right, 175 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:45,159 And usually that's somebody who's uh loyal to their country, a nationalist, 176 00:14:46,279 --> 00:14:48,759 you would think for for the most part, what was his reason for coming? 177 00:14:50,919 --> 00:14:54,679 Well, there was there was nothing there because he retired and he retirely 178 00:14:54,759 --> 00:15:03,799 with a good terms and thinking mentioned eating eighty nine, I think, and 179 00:15:05,039 --> 00:15:11,279 actually that retirement process cost a heart attack in his early age. Yeah, 180 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:16,639 eighty nine. And how old was he eighty nine? He was about forty 181 00:15:16,679 --> 00:15:18,399 eight, forty eight, okay, and he had a heart attack at forty 182 00:15:18,399 --> 00:15:22,279 eight, Yeah, and then came over here. How old was he when 183 00:15:22,279 --> 00:15:28,519 he passed? Sixty six? Too many parochies, I'm kidding, I'm teasing. 184 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,360 Probably a lot of stress, a lot of I think. So, 185 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:37,240 yeah, when you say there was nothing there, I don't know that anybody's 186 00:15:37,279 --> 00:15:43,200 really familiar. But the Soviet Union we when I was a kid that Russia 187 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:48,440 was the enemy. I say, in our country right now, we need 188 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:52,240 a unifying moment. We need a unifying moment for the citizens of this country. 189 00:15:52,759 --> 00:15:56,559 Not a tragedy that unifies us, but an exciting moment, the last 190 00:15:56,639 --> 00:16:03,799 big exciting moment that was unified US was when the US hockey team beat their 191 00:16:03,919 --> 00:16:07,679 Soviets. Come on, Mikhail, but do you understand what I'm saying? 192 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:12,000 And it was with Reagan and we knew who the Soviets were. The Soviets 193 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:17,279 were, you know, we didn't want to, I understand. But what 194 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,919 I'm saying is it was a big win because you had a bunch of amateurs 195 00:16:19,919 --> 00:16:23,320 for his pros. And I'm not trying to get under your skin. My 196 00:16:23,399 --> 00:16:29,240 point, my main I've been I've been asking a question before honestly in college, 197 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:33,720 yes, but but my point is this, I feel like we had 198 00:16:33,279 --> 00:16:38,960 a unifying moment that really wasn't tragic. It was exciting, and we beat 199 00:16:40,039 --> 00:16:44,600 a country that we thought were the red comedie bastards and the blah blah blah. 200 00:16:44,759 --> 00:16:48,919 Now we don't know is Russia the the enemy? Are they to be 201 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:53,759 trusted. We've got some political candidates telling us that he's a good guy. 202 00:16:55,039 --> 00:16:57,159 Then we read about other things. So I'm just saying, like we don't 203 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:03,799 have the it was us first them. It was this Cold war kind of 204 00:17:03,799 --> 00:17:07,440 thing at the time. I'm not saying it it's the right way to handle 205 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,559 it. I'm just saying, for this country. Personal opinion. Yeah, 206 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,839 Russia cannot be trusted. Okay, all right, well that's to make it 207 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:17,359 sure. Yeah, I can go on and on. No, No, 208 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:22,079 that's okay. My first education is historian. And yes, my good friend 209 00:17:22,079 --> 00:17:25,440 EVN. Dohnson said, you just ask his name and he's going to start 210 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:30,480 talking and talking. Yes, that's but Russia cannot be trusted okay today, 211 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:38,319 Yeah, when they invaded the neighbor country under some BS reason. Right, 212 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,960 Well, I want to get to that, and I want to talk about 213 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:45,559 the film, but I want to go kind of through your life, if 214 00:17:45,559 --> 00:17:48,079 you don't mind, just with your dad being here, I just I find 215 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:53,599 it absolutely fascinating that your father was in the Soviet Army and it sounds like 216 00:17:55,160 --> 00:18:00,119 for most of his adult life. Yeah, yeah, and then decides when 217 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,720 he retires, there's nothing here, so they don't take care of the military. 218 00:18:03,759 --> 00:18:07,519 There was no job like some people will retire to take care of the 219 00:18:07,559 --> 00:18:11,400 military. My father grew to the ranks as a colonel, okay, but 220 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,759 when that was very unusual. Sure, So he was a colonel in the 221 00:18:15,759 --> 00:18:21,720 Soviet that saw a high ranking official in the Soviet artist and so he retires 222 00:18:21,799 --> 00:18:23,799 when I'm what I'm saying, is not take care of the army when you 223 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:34,119 retire. They don't. Yes, And he also work in some film after 224 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:38,240 he retired. Yeah, for years, a few years. And so, 225 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:41,720 Miquel, do you kind of get what I'm saying. We're over here. 226 00:18:42,519 --> 00:18:49,079 The Soviets were the bad guys for lack of a better term, and your 227 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:56,000 dad was in that army and then he must have seen us as the bad 228 00:18:56,039 --> 00:19:00,960 guy, and then all of a sudden comes over here because it's it's just 229 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:07,079 better. There was a term potential enemy. Potential enemy, Yes, and 230 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:11,119 I remember that term when I served in the Soviet Army. You served in 231 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,599 the Soviet Army as well. Commandary. I had to serve, I had 232 00:19:14,599 --> 00:19:18,799 to go and it was mandatory. Yeah, I had to serve for two 233 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:23,319 years at what age eighteen? Well, I went a year later because I 234 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:29,920 was I was studied at university, so instead of going in eighty five, 235 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,240 I went to eighty six to eighty eight. Okay, So what was it 236 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:41,079 like in the Soviet Army? Did you learn skills that you still rely on 237 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:45,319 today? Is there discipline and things of that nature? Yes? Beneficial. 238 00:19:47,079 --> 00:19:49,599 I mean those things are beneficial just as a human stay with another. Maybe, 239 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:57,480 well I'm older now and not healthier than thirty years ago. Yes, 240 00:19:57,759 --> 00:20:07,359 yes, with a certain degree of the training, I can go back and 241 00:20:07,319 --> 00:20:11,759 defend Ukraine if I need to, If you needed to, because of what 242 00:20:11,799 --> 00:20:15,240 you learned with the Soviet Army, probably yes, and no Ukrainian armies. 243 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:19,200 Do you ask My friend, a very good friend told me two years ago. 244 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,319 When I asked him I want to go and fight, He told me, 245 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:27,640 no, we don't need you. Yeah, because we don't have time 246 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:37,200 to retrain you. And that he pushed. He pushed me to this film 247 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:44,640 idea later on. But Ukrainian Army is different from the Soviet Army. But 248 00:20:44,799 --> 00:20:48,079 you were in the Soviet Army. Why were you in the Soviet Army and 249 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:52,240 not the Ukrainian Army? Well, did they not have a Ukrainian Army? 250 00:20:52,279 --> 00:20:56,559 Did they not need? Back then there was a Soviet Union and it is 251 00:20:56,160 --> 00:21:00,400 Soviet Union, So the Ukraine was part of Soviet Union when the when it 252 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:04,680 fell, Yes, the USSR fell, you know, right, So now 253 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:11,000 we've got you, you became your own country. This is very interesting because 254 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:17,359 I was called to actually serve serve in the Ukrainian Army in the ninety two. 255 00:21:17,839 --> 00:21:21,480 Okay, but back then I was, uh, you know, I 256 00:21:21,519 --> 00:21:26,119 just graduated in ninety one from with the degree of World history and archaeology. 257 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:32,319 Uh, the career there didn't work. So I just started working in a 258 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,799 film in the movies. Yes, yes, and I was pretty okay with 259 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:41,960 that. When they called me in, I was. I made a joke. 260 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:48,200 I told the guy, how you how you see the Jewish captain become 261 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:53,960 the commander of platoon of the Ukrainian Army with a bunch of Ukrainians. What 262 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,240 do you think if the war when I'm when I'm gonna die? That was 263 00:21:57,279 --> 00:22:03,880 a joke, That's funny. But I did attend a couple of training training 264 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:08,759 camps. You did, yes, But I was I think ninety two and 265 00:22:10,599 --> 00:22:15,559 a couple of times. So both of them like, and I was like, 266 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,000 I was home, but I would go to the camp during the day, 267 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,400 that kind of thing. And I just refused, and I had a 268 00:22:22,799 --> 00:22:26,119 you know, I had a reason to refuse, and I didn't want to 269 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:32,640 repeat my father's career. Yes, so the army talk to me, talk 270 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:36,160 to me about how hard it is. I think, like a lot of 271 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:41,599 times, as Americans were ignorant, we're ignorant to the rest of the world. 272 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,200 Uh. And I think when you look at sort of the the Baltic 273 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:52,480 countries and things, the things were ripped away, you know, like creating 274 00:22:52,559 --> 00:22:56,400 Yugoslavia, which was the Slavics and others. Right, So you're trying to 275 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:00,400 take people who identified and felt like they had a territory, go, well, 276 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,960 you don't have it anymore. We're all one, and so it doesn't 277 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:08,960 it doesn't work because there's pride. I'm not Russian, I'm Ukrainian. Yeah, 278 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:14,000 you know what I mean. Yeah, it takes people called me Russian. 279 00:23:14,599 --> 00:23:17,519 Sure. When I came in the country, when I start working at 280 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:22,480 WX Society for many years, people called me Russian. Yes, and I 281 00:23:22,599 --> 00:23:26,119 kept repeating over and over and over, I'm Ukrainian. I am not Russian. 282 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:29,480 I'm a Ukrainian born Jews. Yeah. And it's a different country, 283 00:23:29,599 --> 00:23:33,960 Yes it is. And they took a while, right, And how did 284 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:38,599 the Ukrainians, I mean there had to be some that still identified as Ukrainian 285 00:23:40,279 --> 00:23:47,240 while part of the Soviet Union. Correct. Maybe older generation thinks, yes, 286 00:23:47,279 --> 00:23:49,640 that's what I'm saying. Yes, they're from Soviet Union, They're from 287 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:56,400 Soviet Union. I haven't met that kind of people. Yeah, but I 288 00:23:56,440 --> 00:24:02,960 mean, well, Ukrainians have been Ukrainians for over a thousand years, yes, 289 00:24:03,039 --> 00:24:04,440 and so what I mean so that that that's what I'm saying. And 290 00:24:04,559 --> 00:24:15,559 so now this country comes into formation what in the early nineties, not exactly, 291 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,920 not exactly. No, the Ukraine existed way before, way before that. 292 00:24:19,039 --> 00:24:23,759 Even Russia came to write this is what I this is what I'm trying 293 00:24:23,759 --> 00:24:27,240 to get you to tell. So and then it was there, and then 294 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:33,079 Russia sort of swallowed it up. Yes, unfortunate thing. Yes. And 295 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:41,599 so then when the USSR dissolves the Ukraine, Ukraine comes back to being it's 296 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,519 Ukraine again, yes, or at least identifying as that. Ukraine was always 297 00:24:45,839 --> 00:24:49,119 identified as Ukraine, yes, and inside of the Soviet Union, okay, 298 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:56,039 but there was always suppressed. Right, So there's a pride, and I 299 00:24:56,079 --> 00:25:00,759 have to think I would think of bitterness almost that you're part of this country 300 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:07,400 and not able to identify as yourself I'm part of because I wouldn't think of 301 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,160 Russia as a melting pot. Do you understand what I'm saying? The United 302 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:15,640 States is known as a melting pot. My family primarily Ireland, right, 303 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:21,759 Well, Russia also someone like what they have, like a hundred plus nationalities. 304 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,640 Yes, but are they welcoming to them? Is there racism over there? 305 00:25:26,319 --> 00:25:32,000 Yes, I mean pretty open. Actually not just racism. I would 306 00:25:32,039 --> 00:25:37,240 call it the fascism. Fascism, okay, when they no respect to the 307 00:25:37,839 --> 00:25:41,680 smaller nations. Yes, like with the war in Ukraine, with this full 308 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:48,160 full scale invasion. Yes, the most people who come to fight in Ukraine, 309 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:52,519 and they're dead right now. Yes, according to the numbers, are 310 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:57,519 over four hundred thousand now dead, and so that's pretty but most of them 311 00:25:57,599 --> 00:26:04,119 are from small nations, smaller the big cities the Russians. Russians supposedly leave, 312 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:11,799 well they swallowed up, so the Buriats and all those smaller you know, 313 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,839 nations from all over the Russia, right, they all was sud there. 314 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:22,039 That's what the question. When you came to Ukraine to defend supposedly defend 315 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:27,440 Russia, if you leave nineteen thousand kilometers away from from what Russia is, 316 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:33,039 from what Ukraine is, I understand. So you come over here in ninety 317 00:26:33,079 --> 00:26:40,519 eight, you have been here since then, you go back often you have 318 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:45,000 dual citizenship, No, I don't have a dual citizenship. You don't my 319 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,759 Ukrainian citizenship, I think expire them two thousand and eight. Okay, and 320 00:26:48,799 --> 00:26:52,599 you're a US citizen and I'm a US citizen for many years. But how's 321 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:57,880 the immigration for you? Hard? The hardness was to learn to relearn the 322 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,119 language, which to re learn language. But I mean in terms of the 323 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:06,519 policies of coming over, did they get because you mentioned I think getting a 324 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:11,359 daughter, a friend's daughter over and what a process that is. Is it 325 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:17,519 tougher now than it was? Probably? Yes. I wouldn't say that the 326 00:27:17,599 --> 00:27:25,400 United States immigration policies are easy. Yes, maybe they seems like. But 327 00:27:25,599 --> 00:27:30,359 for example, to bring over my wife's daughter from Ukraine, and it took 328 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:33,920 us a while. We had to wait, we had to get all the 329 00:27:33,039 --> 00:27:38,160 paperwork. I am a citizen, my wife became a citizen. We had 330 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:44,359 to wait for some time before we even get in respond. That's why I 331 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:49,000 asked Louis Order's office to help at least to get the response. And the 332 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:59,359 immigration the bureaucracy is a universal, Yes, it's just it's a different subject 333 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:04,319 for no I understand. But I think like one of the hot issues right 334 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:12,599 now is border and these absurd numbers that are told to US. I always 335 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:18,359 kind of go, could it possibly be twenty thousand a day or whatever? 336 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:22,079 The it seems ridiculous to me that illegals coming over when on there, I 337 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:26,039 doubt it. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I'm not there. It 338 00:28:26,039 --> 00:28:32,559 seems seems crazy to me. But from what I've heard from some Ukrainians actually 339 00:28:32,599 --> 00:28:37,599 who came here two years ago and they leave and they had to enter through 340 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:45,680 the Texas and Texas from Mexico, and they were saying that they stayed in 341 00:28:45,759 --> 00:28:53,279 camp for some time before being allowed to even allow to cross the border. 342 00:28:53,400 --> 00:29:00,480 Yeah, the situation. So Ukrainians coming over the southern border or two, 343 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,799 Yes, they were, that's the and why is that? Were there people 344 00:29:03,839 --> 00:29:08,119 helping them? I think at the beginning of the war. I think there 345 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,000 was one of the ways, yea, when the people thought they would faster, 346 00:29:12,119 --> 00:29:17,640 one was to try to get it that way up to Mexico and then 347 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:23,200 say try to get asylum. Yeah. Yeah, well, and that's they 348 00:29:23,319 --> 00:29:29,400 didn't have these issues to get asylum because they were already coming under that program 349 00:29:30,279 --> 00:29:33,480 United for Ukraine. United for Ukraine. You could come over you twenty four 350 00:29:33,559 --> 00:29:37,839 or something like that. You for you. Yeah, when the Ukrainian refugees 351 00:29:38,039 --> 00:29:44,559 from war come over, and so they didn't have the issues, right, 352 00:29:45,079 --> 00:29:49,039 it's just the way time. Yeah. How are those who I've just asked 353 00:29:49,599 --> 00:29:56,119 popped into my head? How are those who leave viewed by those who stay 354 00:29:56,279 --> 00:30:00,640 and fight? It depends? Yeah? Are there is there some animosity? 355 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:07,359 You think? I think so? Yeah, disappointment. Let's put it this 356 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:15,000 way, and I can say it because I already told about it. I've 357 00:30:15,039 --> 00:30:22,000 seen the young men from Ukraine living, not living, fleeing the country. 358 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:25,480 They don't want to fight. They don't want to fight. Uh, they 359 00:30:25,759 --> 00:30:32,319 use any means possible, it means possible to leave, including the money. 360 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:37,599 Yeah. What other countries are they going to besides Germany? France? In 361 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:41,720 France, it'll think, I think it'll lead too, but mainly Germany and 362 00:30:41,799 --> 00:30:48,440 Frands, Poland, Poland, Yeah, America in America right, well, 363 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,519 I I That's what I'm saying. Beyond that, because I don't think I 364 00:30:51,559 --> 00:30:57,079 know quite a few who came here who came here. So and the reason 365 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:08,240 this is my opinion, and that because my step son in law stayed. 366 00:31:08,599 --> 00:31:15,759 He stayed and he's fighting at the front line. Yeah, yes, give 367 00:31:15,799 --> 00:31:19,720 me you know you're talking a lot about that, but you simulated you didn't 368 00:31:19,759 --> 00:31:22,519 have any issues. Your a thirty year old man when you come over, 369 00:31:23,039 --> 00:31:27,920 so a little bit older learning the language. Was it easy to find jobs? 370 00:31:29,079 --> 00:31:33,559 Was it easy to Were you treated well? I think I was lucky 371 00:31:33,079 --> 00:31:42,400 when the production manager back then in nineteen ninety nine, Eric Funden, after 372 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:48,799 an interview with me with my broken English and everything, hired me to work 373 00:31:48,839 --> 00:31:53,680 as a production assistant in wxxcisey Okay. And it happened right before my mom's 374 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:59,720 built in October, so it was like a present. And back then actually 375 00:32:00,079 --> 00:32:05,440 for my interview, right the day or two before I failed my driving test. 376 00:32:05,759 --> 00:32:10,160 So my father drove me to the station. And have you ever driven 377 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:15,960 a car? Well you had to in yeah, without a driver lesson but 378 00:32:16,039 --> 00:32:19,880 yeah, yeah, okay, but on the right, the same side of 379 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:22,839 the road. We're not. Well, we'll Britain, you know, it's 380 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,720 different and Britain and I think Japan. I think, yes, Japan. 381 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:31,079 Yes, So everything the same. It's just the same crazy drivers, Yeah, 382 00:32:31,119 --> 00:32:36,240 everywhere, all those crazy Yukis of you. You know the roads I 383 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:40,400 mean now the roads are better, yes, in certain areas which didn't touch 384 00:32:40,519 --> 00:32:46,480 by the war. But I was actually surprised in twenty twenty one when I 385 00:32:46,519 --> 00:32:52,880 came, when I visited your brand first after immigrating. Yes, my first 386 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,480 visit was in in the fall of twenty twenty one. So the war's going 387 00:32:55,519 --> 00:32:59,960 on and you decided to go back. Well, the war started, lay 388 00:33:00,079 --> 00:33:06,240 there I start. So I visited the Ukraine first in October of September, 389 00:33:06,279 --> 00:33:08,359 October of twelfth. God it started in twenty twenty two. Yeah, I'm 390 00:33:08,359 --> 00:33:14,440 thinking started in twenty They forget we're in twenty twenty absolutely different because Alkait, 391 00:33:14,519 --> 00:33:17,920 So you went back just as to see No I came. I went back 392 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:27,720 in twenty one to reinstate and continue my work on the documentary about Holocaust survivors. 393 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:31,119 Okay, with your family Holocaust survivors, second generation, Yeah, I 394 00:33:31,119 --> 00:33:35,839 would say my father, Yes, your father was. My father was five 395 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:42,480 months old when the family left Key, right before those mass murderers and bobbin 396 00:33:42,559 --> 00:33:50,000 Yard started. Yeah, so I'm alive today because they managed to leave the 397 00:33:50,039 --> 00:33:53,119 city. Unbelievable, right, I mean unbelievable. You think you never think 398 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:57,920 about it until you actually see the Bobby Yar. Yeah, and that's when 399 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:04,119 I first out in twenty one. I saw Babynyar with my own eyes? 400 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:07,199 Why did you want to see that? Well, the Holocaust documentaries and in 401 00:34:08,119 --> 00:34:13,000 works for almost twenty years. Okay, what's the title and where can you 402 00:34:13,039 --> 00:34:17,320 see? For now? I keep the title. I may change it, 403 00:34:19,119 --> 00:34:22,519 but for now as the unknown heroes, the Jews of the Soviet Union and 404 00:34:22,559 --> 00:34:25,519 the Holocaust. Okay, so the Jesus Soviet Union not really talked about. 405 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:30,559 No, they don't really like talking. No, of course, I managed 406 00:34:30,599 --> 00:34:35,719 to take only four interviews from the local Do people not want to identify as 407 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:42,039 Jewish and Russia? Yes and no, Yes and no. But these survivors 408 00:34:42,039 --> 00:34:45,440 don't want to talk. They don't want to relieve for this again, of 409 00:34:45,519 --> 00:34:51,760 course, and it's very hard, the same as in Ukraine those who lost 410 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:58,960 their loved ones. Yes, they don't want to talk about that. Okay, 411 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:02,920 it's very painful. Let's so this documentary, the one on the Holocaust 412 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:07,519 completed. No, no, still and still. There was a plan, 413 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:13,440 yes between me and my friend, that I'll come back in April May of 414 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:17,960 twenty twenty two, okay, to work on finishing the film about Holocausts. 415 00:35:19,039 --> 00:35:24,360 And then February twenty four happened. Yes, and it changed everything everything. 416 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:30,559 Yeah, you did go back though, yes I did, and you made 417 00:35:30,599 --> 00:35:35,280 a different documentary. Yes, and this one about the war that's happening. 418 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:40,000 Where where is that now that we can? I know you've shown it. 419 00:35:40,039 --> 00:35:43,760 There was a screening, Yes, yes, are you going to put it 420 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:46,960 out anywhere? Well? First, as my daughter said that, you and 421 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:51,679 I we have to sit down and go for your mistakes and errors. Grammar 422 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:58,440 simple like subtitles, for example, some translations from Russian or Ukrainian, because 423 00:35:59,119 --> 00:36:02,440 in the film it's not just my voice. I had to do the voice 424 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:12,000 over my films time ever and then that took a while. But the interview 425 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:17,719 I've I've had with the people through zoom or there, either in Russian or 426 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:22,320 Ukrainian. What's the title? What? What is the title of this document? 427 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,960 This one has wore in Ukraine a view from inside of you inside? 428 00:36:27,119 --> 00:36:36,000 So how many people have seen it with some power? By that, I 429 00:36:36,039 --> 00:36:40,559 mean like, have we had anybody? I showed it a couple of government 430 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:49,599 former government official forms. But on the trailer part, the trailer and the 431 00:36:50,079 --> 00:36:57,119 promo, I really hope to be able to show it two members of the 432 00:36:57,159 --> 00:37:01,840 Congress to show them how people in Ukraine live and what they do to help 433 00:37:04,159 --> 00:37:09,440 without any power to help the country to win. Yeah, Russia deciding that 434 00:37:10,039 --> 00:37:15,679 Ukraine was part of the USSR is still their territory, coming in to take 435 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:20,239 it back, is that Russia. Russia thinks that Ukraine doesn't exist, doesn't 436 00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:23,239 exist, the same thing as Russian propaganda things that the Ukrainians. Why so 437 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:29,119 long? Why wait from ninety eight to or excuse me, early nineties, 438 00:37:29,519 --> 00:37:34,159 like ninety two to now to take it back? Well, why are we 439 00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:37,159 going over thirty years? We're forgetting that. It was two thousand and fourteen, 440 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:45,119 the annexation of Crimea. Yes, when Russia annexed these countries. So 441 00:37:45,159 --> 00:37:50,280 they Russia started in two thousand and fourteen, and there was a and those 442 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:55,400 little those those it was a test how the international community will react. Yes, 443 00:37:55,599 --> 00:38:00,320 so okay, let's take camea. Everybody was silent. Yeah, even 444 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:07,400 though like Obama was trying to do something and uh Ugashi and the sanctions which 445 00:38:07,639 --> 00:38:14,840 sometimes working sometimes not. Then they took Downbass region. Okay, and again 446 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:21,559 the world was selling. As one of my friends maybe I can call him 447 00:38:21,599 --> 00:38:24,519 friend, that one of the producer's main producers in Ukraine. When I interviewed 448 00:38:24,599 --> 00:38:34,039 him he said, the world forgets that this war is started in two thousand 449 00:38:34,039 --> 00:38:39,639 and fourteen. And Ukrainians soldier. Did anybody stand up back then when Crimea 450 00:38:39,679 --> 00:38:44,159 and others were taken over? No one, they didn't. They just sort 451 00:38:44,159 --> 00:38:50,679 of rolled. That's how the famous monthy my dad started in Ukraine. Yes, 452 00:38:51,119 --> 00:38:58,159 because people thought that the president Ynikovich back then will sell the country to 453 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:05,679 Russia. Peace. So now so these other so Russia is trying to expand 454 00:39:05,679 --> 00:39:10,199 their territory and their influence and their control. I think Russia, I mean 455 00:39:10,679 --> 00:39:16,440 Russia. I think the the person who think that he is a collector of 456 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:23,679 the Russian Yes, yes, lands yes uh. Which there is a medical 457 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:30,119 term for this kind of people, a lunatic. Would you he think that 458 00:39:30,199 --> 00:39:31,599 the would you say his name or no? I don't, I'm not. 459 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:37,119 I'm just asking you don't have to. But do you do you speak his 460 00:39:37,159 --> 00:39:39,840 name? Ever? Sometimes sometimes okay, I didn't know if it was when 461 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:42,719 I have to, I'm not. I'm not. I don't want to force 462 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:47,599 you. A part of the put in his address when he announced the special 463 00:39:47,679 --> 00:39:53,280 military operation, and they I'm surprised at how how guy in a few minutes 464 00:39:53,320 --> 00:40:00,280 can not just announce it, but also threatened the world like do not do 465 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:06,559 not intervene. Yeah, and the world has and the world didn't just first 466 00:40:06,599 --> 00:40:10,239 time since twenty fourteen. In the world didn't listen. The world didn't listen. 467 00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:15,880 But they haven't really gotten involved other than financially and equipment and even that 468 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:22,199 I'll call more financial. Yeah, and the equipment some of it wasn't any 469 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:29,239 good conditions too. Okay, we're sending your our ship. Oh yeah, 470 00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:32,559 you can say that are used. I mean some of the tanks which arrived 471 00:40:34,119 --> 00:40:40,679 by small portions and late. Yeah, Like I read a couple reports, 472 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:49,159 like for example, out of twelve tanks that arrived, four or I think 473 00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:54,960 four had to be repaired, another two didn't work completely had to be replaced. 474 00:40:55,880 --> 00:41:00,760 So if to get this ratio to this two hundred, three hundred tanks 475 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:08,760 that were center Ukraine, not at once but through you know, the stretch 476 00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:19,559 of time. If you consider that out of three hundred tanks not really working 477 00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:22,280 where we're going, where we're going, where we're going, and well, 478 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:24,840 they could be dummies, you could kind of you know, you know what 479 00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:30,320 I'm saying, a decoy Ukraine is the actual And but and I keep saying, 480 00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:37,599 like the native if they saw, you know, strongly supporting Ukraine, 481 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:45,920 they have way better operational ammunition that they can give Ukraine, and not like 482 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:52,280 in pieces, but in bigger, bigger chunks, And so what do you 483 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:57,880 say? I have a couple of questions because there this is becoming a hotter 484 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:02,639 issue as we approach a political season, and I am very interested in in 485 00:42:02,719 --> 00:42:07,039 your opinion. Someone says, well, what do you care? You live 486 00:42:07,039 --> 00:42:13,599 here, You live here, You've lived here for thirty years. It was 487 00:42:13,639 --> 00:42:17,159 a Russian territory at one point. I understand that people identify as Ukrainian, 488 00:42:17,199 --> 00:42:21,960 but hey, you know, this shit happens. What do you say to 489 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:28,360 that Ukraine is still my motherland? Yes, I have my you know, 490 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:39,519 my ancestors buried there. My friends are they're fighting. Yeah, I've seen 491 00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:45,679 in twenty two the cities which are deere to my heart beautiful. By the 492 00:42:45,679 --> 00:42:53,159 way, architecture, history, all this historical architecture, which is just gorgeous, 493 00:42:52,519 --> 00:43:00,840 destroyed the identity of a people. And Russians are still when they're saying, 494 00:43:00,159 --> 00:43:05,000 let's wipe them all up, the cities with the people, yeah, 495 00:43:05,280 --> 00:43:08,079 and then maybe we'll maybe we will rebuild it later now I do you can 496 00:43:08,159 --> 00:43:14,480 rebuild something that was built in fifteen well in sixteen seventeen, eighteenth century, 497 00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:20,159 you cannot rebuild that anymore. Yeah, it's gone, do you. There 498 00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:24,119 was some talk in the beginning that young men who were in the Soviet army 499 00:43:24,119 --> 00:43:29,239 at times didn't want to fight the Ukraine. They saw them as brothers, 500 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:35,280 understood maybe had family that identified as Ukraine, and maybe they went to the 501 00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:38,599 Soviet but they didn't. There were at least there were some reports early on 502 00:43:39,119 --> 00:43:44,480 there are people who don't want to fight. Yeah, that serving the army 503 00:43:44,679 --> 00:43:52,599 very small drops in the sea, in the ocean, but mainly they go 504 00:43:52,719 --> 00:43:54,559 there for money or not. But they go there, they fight, they 505 00:43:55,920 --> 00:44:01,920 kill, they rape, the torture. Yeah, Like there was a religious 506 00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:09,400 reports that Russians now killing the prisoners, these Ukrainian soldiers who are giving up 507 00:44:10,239 --> 00:44:14,400 to become a prisoners of war. They're just killed them right there at the 508 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:19,320 positions they were Like videos from drones. You cannot hide this anymore. There 509 00:44:19,320 --> 00:44:23,039 are videos from drones and you can clearly see how Russians are killing Ukrainian soldiers 510 00:44:23,199 --> 00:44:28,679 right there at the tranches who were giving up. I mean, when when 511 00:44:28,679 --> 00:44:32,039 I raise surrendering, I surrender and then killing them and they're killing them. 512 00:44:34,199 --> 00:44:39,199 So yes, I wanted to, you know, go and fight, even 513 00:44:39,239 --> 00:44:45,559 in my age, and uh, the two rolling back to your we save 514 00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:51,360 here, No, we are not. You're not safe here, none of 515 00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:54,079 us, none of us. You're not safe, all of the Americans. 516 00:44:54,280 --> 00:44:59,119 You're not safe. If you think that you somewhere in Texas, Arizona, 517 00:45:00,159 --> 00:45:05,039 New York State, or wherever, and you saved because Russia is somewhere far 518 00:45:05,159 --> 00:45:10,119 far away on the other side of the ocean and they're not reaching you your 519 00:45:10,159 --> 00:45:16,159 own It will take about thirty minutes if that lunatic and the Kremlin decide to 520 00:45:16,159 --> 00:45:22,679 push that button. It will take about thirty minutes before rockets will start flying 521 00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:30,559 here and not flying lending here, lending from Siberia to California even faster. 522 00:45:31,119 --> 00:45:35,960 Do you think and what you're going to do to run for your life and 523 00:45:36,039 --> 00:45:39,000 be safe for your life or your children? Do you think that that is 524 00:45:39,039 --> 00:45:46,880 a real possibility with the dictator at this state of mind we're putting this right 525 00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:55,480 now, everything is possible. The dictators are hard to predict, very hard 526 00:45:55,519 --> 00:46:02,559 to predict, and the dictator, who is also crazy, it's even harder 527 00:46:02,599 --> 00:46:07,760 to predict, do you, And we are not safe here and what Ukraine 528 00:46:07,880 --> 00:46:16,000 does right now and Ukrainian people and my friends, they are a shield to 529 00:46:16,159 --> 00:46:22,159 save all of us. They are chilled, the real Oh, they are 530 00:46:22,199 --> 00:46:25,039 the shield to save all of us. I mean we know that. What 531 00:46:25,039 --> 00:46:30,360 do you say, probably going to be fast first to attack by Russians. 532 00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:36,960 Yes, if they see they destroy Ukraine right now, it's going to be 533 00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:40,719 probably Baltic countries, Poland, and then according to the Russian propaganda, which 534 00:46:40,760 --> 00:46:46,760 is stating pretty openly, Russian tanks will go through the Europe. Russian tanks 535 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:52,159 will go for Europe, through Europe up until I don't know, Madrid and 536 00:46:52,159 --> 00:47:01,280 everything that they openly stating that they need to burn Berlin, Paris and everything 537 00:47:01,320 --> 00:47:08,800 else up unto up to Madrid. So it's a Russian propaganda, Russian propaganda, 538 00:47:08,840 --> 00:47:15,000 but it is being said. You're saying that the state channels. That 539 00:47:15,239 --> 00:47:21,239 means that someone in the government, so they have a plan, supports this 540 00:47:21,360 --> 00:47:27,400 idea. Yeah, So okay, to that end, there are many people 541 00:47:27,480 --> 00:47:34,000 in the United States that get upset when they hear that we're sending ninety three 542 00:47:34,199 --> 00:47:37,280 million or billion or I don't even know the actual number. I know ninety 543 00:47:37,320 --> 00:47:40,639 three was there, right, but let's say one hundred and six. I 544 00:47:40,639 --> 00:47:44,960 heard ninety three was the latest thing. So I don't know if a million 545 00:47:45,039 --> 00:47:51,360 or I'm assuming MILLI I'm going to sound ignorant. Point doesn't matter. The 546 00:47:51,440 --> 00:47:57,039 number doesn't matter. People feel like that money shouldn't be going to the Ukraine. 547 00:47:57,119 --> 00:48:01,480 We should be helping our own hearing the United States. What do you 548 00:48:01,559 --> 00:48:07,400 say to that to those people? Because you go ahead, I'll let you 549 00:48:07,440 --> 00:48:14,880 answer. And then all I think when government relocates, there's kind of money 550 00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:23,039 to help Ukraine, in Israel and Taiwan being know what they're doing, and 551 00:48:23,119 --> 00:48:30,760 I'm pretty sure there are social programs that still in fact to help people here 552 00:48:30,760 --> 00:48:37,320 in the United States, I understand. And do you think that the government 553 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:47,719 program still exists expensions and other you know, other programs medical and stuff like 554 00:48:47,760 --> 00:48:59,519 that. So I'm assuming relocating that big money be not taking it from you 555 00:48:59,880 --> 00:49:05,280 or me, They've taken it from somewhere else. Well, some people feel 556 00:49:05,280 --> 00:49:07,880 like then they're printing money, and if we're printing money, we lower the 557 00:49:07,920 --> 00:49:10,679 value of the dollar. And there's these are things that are said. My 558 00:49:12,199 --> 00:49:17,440 point being that what you have laid forth to me is a sound argument as 559 00:49:17,480 --> 00:49:22,760 to why you want to stop this and we don't. Instead of putting our 560 00:49:22,800 --> 00:49:30,199 own people on the lines in the Ukraine to prevent Russia and probably escalating things 561 00:49:30,239 --> 00:49:34,960 if if that were to happen, it is an easier way to fund it, 562 00:49:35,280 --> 00:49:39,639 because we don't want Russia then to take over. And if the propaganda 563 00:49:39,800 --> 00:49:43,480 is as you say, and I had not heard that until you said it, 564 00:49:44,000 --> 00:49:47,079 go march to Madrid. But I avoid the news sometimes because it's very 565 00:49:47,079 --> 00:49:53,000 depressive. I I can't live like that, Miguel, I can't live like 566 00:49:53,079 --> 00:50:01,440 that. I've I you're Jewish, you love misery. It's just yeah, 567 00:50:01,599 --> 00:50:07,880 it's it's in the DNA. I'm but it's I don't know what to say 568 00:50:07,880 --> 00:50:13,840 to these people. We had the older man at at my premiere, at 569 00:50:13,840 --> 00:50:20,280 the premiere of the film, towards the end, he was demanding that let's 570 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:25,079 freeze this war, let's stop the killing. And without understanding, if we 571 00:50:25,199 --> 00:50:31,360 freeze the war right now where it is, let's say whatever Russian's just captured, 572 00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:37,199 we stop it so Russia gets what they captured. Yeah, we call 573 00:50:37,239 --> 00:50:43,039 it the ceasefire, right, Yeah, And then how much of the country. 574 00:50:43,039 --> 00:50:47,880 Have they captured under twenty percent? I think take like eighteen or something. 575 00:50:47,960 --> 00:50:52,159 Okay, but it is under Russian controls PRIMEA I'm assuming. Yeah, 576 00:50:52,840 --> 00:51:02,760 So let's assume we froze the war right now. What Russia will do it 577 00:51:02,800 --> 00:51:10,719 will escalate the production of the weapons and ammunitions and within the year two three 578 00:51:12,280 --> 00:51:17,159 it will start over again. And if we freeze the war right now, 579 00:51:19,519 --> 00:51:27,000 Russia may start not just with the Ukraine, it may go further the war. 580 00:51:28,079 --> 00:51:32,599 It will show to Putting that the world and the United States are weak, 581 00:51:34,039 --> 00:51:37,559 they're not standing and the Russian and and it's going to just support his 582 00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:44,840 uh crazy statements that the Russia is the best country in the world and the 583 00:51:44,880 --> 00:51:49,840 Russian army is the strongest in the world. Ukraine right now, in the 584 00:51:49,960 --> 00:51:55,519 last two years after open invasion, showing the world that Russian army is not 585 00:51:55,679 --> 00:52:01,039 the strongest in the world. It's not even the second Goliath type situation. 586 00:52:01,320 --> 00:52:06,400 Correct, Yes, yeah, I mean you don't. Ukraine has an organized 587 00:52:06,679 --> 00:52:10,960 military, yes, but but smaller smaller for sure, yeah, but but 588 00:52:12,159 --> 00:52:16,239 organized. But some of these people fighting or not, they're just citizens who 589 00:52:16,239 --> 00:52:21,280 have decided to stay. They well, the army and the city is in 590 00:52:21,599 --> 00:52:24,400 territorial defense. Yes, territorial defense, like my son in law for example, 591 00:52:24,639 --> 00:52:28,800 my brother in law. Yeah, yeah, there is a territorial defense. 592 00:52:28,840 --> 00:52:32,599 That's what was When was the last time you talked to one of them? 593 00:52:34,880 --> 00:52:37,519 We have a chance, like over the weekend to talk with my son 594 00:52:37,559 --> 00:52:42,159 in law once in a while, Like we're going to be discussing right now, 595 00:52:42,239 --> 00:52:45,079 because some of the money will be sent to them. The boys need 596 00:52:45,159 --> 00:52:51,079 help. So every time I have chance, we I help with whatever I 597 00:52:51,119 --> 00:52:54,920 can. Yeah, is this why you work? Tell people what you do? 598 00:52:57,280 --> 00:52:59,480 Oh, what do you mean, Oh my second job? Yeah? 599 00:52:59,719 --> 00:53:04,360 What's your second job? Oh? Deliver pizzas? And you deliver pizza? 600 00:53:04,440 --> 00:53:09,280 Okay? Are you doing that just to send money back? Well yeah, 601 00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:14,880 I assume you don't need over the money help to you know, pay bills 602 00:53:14,920 --> 00:53:20,760 and someone might try to collect and send back. Will you you work a 603 00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:24,559 regular job? Yes? Yeah, but it costs money also to put the 604 00:53:24,599 --> 00:53:30,719 documentary together, well more than mostly it costs time time, but a little 605 00:53:30,719 --> 00:53:34,119 bit, but money. But time is money in a way, right, 606 00:53:34,159 --> 00:53:37,440 because that means you're not working. And then are you still at XXI or 607 00:53:38,079 --> 00:53:44,239 yeah, so you're still working there? And then you're delivering pizzas. How 608 00:53:44,239 --> 00:53:47,480 many hours a week do you work? Well, what are you? Exxci? 609 00:53:47,880 --> 00:53:55,440 Okay? And then another sometimes fifteen twenty hours, so you're working. 610 00:53:57,199 --> 00:54:01,559 So you're probably working sixty hours twelve, average twelve okay, average twelve. 611 00:54:01,599 --> 00:54:06,800 All right, you're lazy? Get going? Uh so? And may I 612 00:54:06,840 --> 00:54:09,920 ask? May I ask without being I hope this isn't rude. But how 613 00:54:09,960 --> 00:54:14,599 old a man are you? I'm I'm gonna be fifty seven this year. 614 00:54:14,599 --> 00:54:16,400 You're gonna be fifty seven. Okay, so you're not that old. No, 615 00:54:16,840 --> 00:54:20,920 no, you got a lot of energy. And then i'm you're young 616 00:54:21,000 --> 00:54:24,840 and inside yes, younger, yes, younger. Okay. Do you did 617 00:54:24,880 --> 00:54:30,360 you ever have pizza before you came here? Yeah? You did in the 618 00:54:30,440 --> 00:54:36,599 Ukraine. Do they have pizza in Ki they have pizza? Well, you 619 00:54:36,639 --> 00:54:39,480 can call it the pizza. I'm just curious. I'm just curious, like 620 00:54:39,519 --> 00:54:43,079 you know dad. So yeah, yeah, yeah it was a pizza. 621 00:54:43,159 --> 00:54:45,719 What was the first time you had fast food? What do you think of 622 00:54:45,719 --> 00:54:49,840 that? And didn't like it? Of course, not tastes like shit, 623 00:54:50,599 --> 00:54:53,559 didn't like it? Yeah, I actually was in Moscow when the first McDonald's 624 00:54:53,639 --> 00:54:57,719 was open. You were yeh okay. And what was that? Like? 625 00:54:59,159 --> 00:55:04,679 Huge lie of people find up to try to try it, something that no 626 00:55:04,760 --> 00:55:07,599 one ever tried before. Right? Did they hate it? I don't know. 627 00:55:07,679 --> 00:55:13,039 I didn't go, you didn't go. Was that seen as the Western 628 00:55:14,239 --> 00:55:20,519 well, I mean Russia's western world, but the America sort of expansion in 629 00:55:20,559 --> 00:55:24,000 a way, I don't know. It seemed like there's nothing, look McDonald's. 630 00:55:24,000 --> 00:55:29,960 Maybe real democracy right now right here after the Soviet Union collapse, Yes, 631 00:55:30,360 --> 00:55:34,199 I don't know. There were I mean when after collapse of the Soviet 632 00:55:34,320 --> 00:55:40,239 Union, when the old days uh you know, big stores and McDonald's and 633 00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:51,119 whatever start coming to Russia Ukraine, it looked like the Iron curtain headphoned completely 634 00:55:51,880 --> 00:55:55,199 fallen and broke. Yeah. Right, but so are they trying to reassemble 635 00:55:55,239 --> 00:56:00,000 the Iron Curtain? Yes? Yeah, they are trying to reassemble what Russia? 636 00:56:00,440 --> 00:56:04,000 And so you think that it's very important that the United States and other 637 00:56:04,039 --> 00:56:10,079 countries continue to fund to stop the spread of Russia. Yes, meaning that 638 00:56:10,119 --> 00:56:15,280 they will take over and the propaganda being set on state television in Russia. 639 00:56:16,360 --> 00:56:22,079 I wouldn't know this other than you, is that they they their intention is 640 00:56:22,119 --> 00:56:27,920 to run their tanks and take over Europe up to Madrid and possibly further. 641 00:56:28,320 --> 00:56:32,880 Yes, okay, and they don't you Ohio that the Washington as an ax 642 00:56:35,079 --> 00:56:39,679 Washington d C from what I read the Washington d C and not even the 643 00:56:39,760 --> 00:56:45,920 number one target. It is not the number one target. No, there 644 00:56:45,960 --> 00:56:49,320 is nothing in Washington, d C. But Capitol Yes, right, So 645 00:56:49,320 --> 00:56:53,280 what's the number one target? New York City? I'm assuming something that has 646 00:56:53,400 --> 00:56:58,920 more people, the populated area, it has a power great and the nearby, 647 00:56:58,960 --> 00:57:02,559 which means Rochester Buffalo. You think Rochester Buffalo is gonna be taken over? 648 00:57:02,679 --> 00:57:07,159 We have power plant right there, the Niagara Niagara power plans. You 649 00:57:07,239 --> 00:57:12,599 realize how crazy you sound. I'm just saying, yes, what I assume? 650 00:57:12,880 --> 00:57:16,840 Yes, I'm I'm only playing the other side to you that and that's 651 00:57:16,880 --> 00:57:20,760 possible. Do you think that that's the possibility? Big cities? Now do 652 00:57:20,840 --> 00:57:28,559 they come through? Do they come through Canada? Well, Canada probably another 653 00:57:28,599 --> 00:57:35,039 target. I mean, now they go and create with the crazy ideas that 654 00:57:35,079 --> 00:57:37,840 Alaska still belong to Russia. So what is the idea? What they have 655 00:57:37,880 --> 00:57:42,320 to take it over? What's the end game? What's the purpose of all 656 00:57:42,360 --> 00:57:47,199 this power? The power? We do realize that there's enough game as power 657 00:57:47,320 --> 00:57:53,599 is power to what to run the world. Probably that's what That's what every 658 00:57:53,679 --> 00:58:00,440 dictator won. Napoleon wanted it, yes, Julius says one. Yes, 659 00:58:00,559 --> 00:58:06,679 Alexander the great one of it. Hitler wanted it. Yes, Now put 660 00:58:06,679 --> 00:58:15,719 In want of it? Right, History unfortunately sometimes repeat itself does. And 661 00:58:15,760 --> 00:58:21,679 you know, between Hitler and Napoleon there was a significant amount of time, 662 00:58:22,719 --> 00:58:29,280 but between Hitler and Puttin it shortens. So the sparrow gets shorter. But 663 00:58:29,360 --> 00:58:34,119 do we think that what does Putin stand? I mean, we knew that 664 00:58:34,800 --> 00:58:42,440 the enemy clearly was anybody who wasn't uh you know, blue eyed, blonde 665 00:58:42,480 --> 00:58:47,920 haired aryan race for Russia excuse me for Germany. But is there there's no 666 00:58:49,079 --> 00:58:53,159 ethnic cleansing idea with Russia? Is there? Well? They they now they 667 00:58:53,519 --> 00:59:00,239 just trying to erase all these tatars. Boyats the trying to erase them. 668 00:59:00,880 --> 00:59:07,079 They're trying to like there is the meaning bringing is like we all Russians, 669 00:59:07,199 --> 00:59:13,880 Yeah, we're all Russians, right, yeah, yeah, which I would 670 00:59:13,880 --> 00:59:27,079 say historically the Russia doesn't exist. Historically, Russia doesn't exist. Russian Federation. 671 00:59:29,719 --> 00:59:36,079 According to some experts, Russian Federation probably don't don't even have a place 672 00:59:36,280 --> 00:59:39,639 in United Nations, right, it just took over the USSR. Yes, 673 00:59:40,519 --> 00:59:46,079 so it doesn't. But it is recognized though. Well. But the papers, 674 00:59:46,320 --> 00:59:50,360 Yes, what the papers? There are no papers. I understand what 675 00:59:50,400 --> 00:59:53,960 you're saying. Yes, this is interesting because I think there's a whole part 676 00:59:54,000 --> 00:59:59,559 of the world that we don't understand. And history still evolving, right, 677 00:59:59,599 --> 01:00:04,679 I mean, and history is still evolving, it's being rewritten the way the 678 01:00:04,679 --> 01:00:07,760 way you put in wants, yes, because we think of a lot of 679 01:00:07,800 --> 01:00:12,400 time. As you know, history is ancient, right, and the world 680 01:00:12,440 --> 01:00:15,239 is the way it is, But we're not You can't pay attention. Do 681 01:00:15,320 --> 01:00:22,079 you think then, would you go so far as to buy into Yeah, 682 01:00:22,840 --> 01:00:30,639 you seem I'm going to say paranoid that there could be the Russia is on 683 01:00:30,719 --> 01:00:36,880 the brink of trying to get world domination. I'm not paranoid. I'm trying 684 01:00:36,920 --> 01:00:47,440 to look at the the picture with a little pessimism, probably because well, 685 01:00:47,440 --> 01:00:52,199 when you say that no one's safe, you're not safe. Family is not 686 01:00:52,280 --> 01:00:58,960 safe. In order to in order to realize the the what is it right 687 01:00:59,000 --> 01:01:04,760 now? Yes, one maybe need to go and see it with his own 688 01:01:04,840 --> 01:01:12,039 Ice might have no intention of doing that. But I've seen what the destruction 689 01:01:12,480 --> 01:01:22,039 Yesh breins over to Ukraine. People probably seeing those videos from CNN and NBC 690 01:01:22,800 --> 01:01:30,159 of Destroit, Mariopaul and Marianca and Bachmut and now Afdijka. This is what 691 01:01:30,239 --> 01:01:37,119 Russia breens. This is what may happen with Warsaw, Poland, yeah, 692 01:01:38,039 --> 01:01:45,960 or other countries if Ukraine breaks. Do those countries do Polish people live in 693 01:01:46,000 --> 01:01:52,480 fear of that. Polish people right now trying to prevent Ukrainian grain and the 694 01:01:52,519 --> 01:01:58,440 other products go through Poland. From what I've heard and seen, say that 695 01:01:58,480 --> 01:02:05,760 again, Polish farmers now blocking the borders. They're blocking the borders saying that 696 01:02:05,800 --> 01:02:10,559 they they don't want the Ukrainian products, the trucks, they don't want them 697 01:02:10,599 --> 01:02:16,360 coming in. They want to come through technically Ukrainian trucks going through Poland further 698 01:02:16,920 --> 01:02:24,039 with the Ukrainian grain and corn and whatever, and Poland doesn't want that anymore. 699 01:02:24,960 --> 01:02:31,119 They just there were incidents on the border. They they were, you 700 01:02:31,119 --> 01:02:37,960 know, throwing it off on the ground. Are they on the Russian side? 701 01:02:37,519 --> 01:02:42,639 I would assume that the Russia put put the hand on it, put 702 01:02:42,639 --> 01:02:46,719 a little pressure on them. No hand, there's somebody there. Do you 703 01:02:46,760 --> 01:02:52,320 think there's a Do you think that there's a Russian operative in the Polish government? 704 01:02:53,480 --> 01:02:55,559 Maybe not in a government, but you don't have to be in a 705 01:02:55,599 --> 01:03:00,280 government, but somewhere. You need to be on the farms and say something 706 01:03:00,320 --> 01:03:06,079 to a farmer that So the farmers themselves are doing this. This is a 707 01:03:06,119 --> 01:03:12,400 citizen thing, yep, and they will go to we'll go further spread. 708 01:03:13,360 --> 01:03:20,039 Yeah. So do you think then that Poland will align with Russia in order 709 01:03:20,079 --> 01:03:23,760 to keep their own identity in their own country, or do you think that 710 01:03:23,840 --> 01:03:29,159 Russia would then try to annex them and take them over. They will annex 711 01:03:29,239 --> 01:03:31,880 them, they will annex them. You believe they will annex them. So 712 01:03:32,719 --> 01:03:37,920 Poland will remain Poland, but it'll be a Russian territory. Oh, I 713 01:03:37,920 --> 01:03:42,880 don't know. They already started talking about that Poland was also created by different 714 01:03:43,880 --> 01:03:46,599 neighboring countries. Yes, and that the Poland used to be part of the 715 01:03:46,639 --> 01:03:51,320 Poland used to belong to Russia. Yes, and it was Russian empires, 716 01:03:51,320 --> 01:03:57,679 it was historically right, and part of it was belonged to Germany. And 717 01:03:58,639 --> 01:04:01,960 I mean, according to Putin, it's Poland's fault, that's the world War 718 01:04:02,000 --> 01:04:06,840 two started. It's Poland's fault that World War two started. Yeah, so 719 01:04:06,880 --> 01:04:12,960 he's going to come back. So, as I said, it's very hard 720 01:04:12,960 --> 01:04:19,360 to predict the right dit dictator with the mind of the lunatic, and that 721 01:04:19,360 --> 01:04:27,880 that kind of dictator pudding is. Yeah, how would people if there's somebody 722 01:04:27,960 --> 01:04:31,519 who listens and hears this and wants to support in some way, what do 723 01:04:31,559 --> 01:04:35,840 they do? Do you know of any funds or anything? Well? Here 724 01:04:35,840 --> 01:04:43,159 in registers a Rock May Down as one of the biggest organizations that helps Ukraine 725 01:04:44,360 --> 01:04:47,920 since twenty fourteen. What is it called? Rock may Don r O C 726 01:04:48,400 --> 01:04:57,039 m A I d E. And it's pretty rock Maiden rock may Down that 727 01:04:57,199 --> 01:05:00,679 way you pronounced it rock may done A I d O N. I think 728 01:05:00,760 --> 01:05:06,239 So all right, it's okay, it's okay. But and is that what 729 01:05:06,280 --> 01:05:13,360 are the people will send supplies? We could the actually I think just sam 730 01:05:13,719 --> 01:05:19,599 like twenty be container to help your brain? What do you need? Like 731 01:05:23,559 --> 01:05:28,199 socks? And I'm telling you socks, And I know that sounds funny, 732 01:05:28,679 --> 01:05:33,159 but I think that socks are almost a luxury when you're if you're fighting. 733 01:05:34,119 --> 01:05:38,400 You know, we've been we've been sending socks to the I know, I 734 01:05:38,440 --> 01:05:43,679 know it sounds silly, but I'm just saying that can help. And sure, 735 01:05:44,079 --> 01:05:48,400 what's the weather like there now? Like this similar? I mean so 736 01:05:48,519 --> 01:05:55,239 cold, the the the the sprint there is coming sooner than here. Okay, 737 01:05:55,719 --> 01:05:59,039 so it is coming, okay, and it will be warmer and that 738 01:05:59,079 --> 01:06:01,679 will lead to more fight. Uh, it will lead to more fight. 739 01:06:01,760 --> 01:06:09,039 But it's also don't forget. With the end of winter, the roads will 740 01:06:09,039 --> 01:06:16,880 be harder, like you know, they becomesh oh wet. Well, what 741 01:06:16,920 --> 01:06:20,639 do you mean there's no paved roads. A lot of paved roads, yes, 742 01:06:20,719 --> 01:06:26,199 but then there are no paved paved roads at the front lines. Oh, 743 01:06:26,239 --> 01:06:28,960 I got you. Okay, not at the front lines so over there. 744 01:06:29,239 --> 01:06:34,679 See what about Easter Ukrainian Easter? You Easter? Well, Easter is 745 01:06:35,280 --> 01:06:40,239 probably not a Jewish holiday so much because you don't well we have put them 746 01:06:40,800 --> 01:06:45,960 yeah, porum okay, Yeah. And because the Jewish people don't believe that 747 01:06:46,239 --> 01:06:51,239 Jesus was the son of God. Well, would that be the basis, 748 01:06:51,480 --> 01:06:58,079 I'm not h it's Jewish people believe in a bit different. Yeah, I 749 01:06:58,079 --> 01:07:02,519 mean I've been a while since said I've read Dora or anything else, but 750 01:07:04,400 --> 01:07:10,679 they yeah, they believe are different different. Yeah, A great teacher, 751 01:07:10,840 --> 01:07:15,039 my daughter, but the God is a great teacher. Yes, yes, 752 01:07:15,119 --> 01:07:20,079 yes, yes, I have a different belief myself to some things that probably 753 01:07:20,079 --> 01:07:26,400 more than I was brought up traditionally. Uh, but that almost every one 754 01:07:26,440 --> 01:07:29,920 of us have it inside of us, the spirit of God. You are 755 01:07:30,920 --> 01:07:34,079 an extension of the Creator. I just it's interesting to me because I have 756 01:07:34,159 --> 01:07:42,480 a a I believe that there's enough of everything for everyone that you don't need 757 01:07:42,559 --> 01:07:48,119 to worry about someone taking your whatever. But yet we live in this human 758 01:07:48,320 --> 01:07:51,360 see it, touch it, smell it, feel it world, this realistic 759 01:07:51,440 --> 01:07:56,440 world that we want to take it because you got it and that's mine, 760 01:07:56,760 --> 01:08:00,000 and so therefore I'm going to take it. There is always someone who wants 761 01:08:00,119 --> 01:08:04,719 to take yours, yes, but who want to take something that doesn't belong 762 01:08:04,760 --> 01:08:12,000 to them. I understand that's it. I understand you're very passionate about this, 763 01:08:12,400 --> 01:08:17,760 and I you almost it almost Uh worries me a bit. What I 764 01:08:17,800 --> 01:08:20,920 was going to ask you before, though it would be more of a conspiracy 765 01:08:20,960 --> 01:08:26,359 theory in a way, do you think a lot of times not a lot 766 01:08:26,359 --> 01:08:30,640 of times, do you believe in any way anything inside you believe at all 767 01:08:30,760 --> 01:08:36,800 that all this social media is just a wonderful distraction for the rest of the 768 01:08:36,880 --> 01:08:42,199 world to not be paying attention. Well, it depends on what social media 769 01:08:42,319 --> 01:08:48,000 does. Social media can also spread the news of and give you frontline. 770 01:08:48,039 --> 01:08:53,680 We can go Facebook live and you can see things and messages can get out. 771 01:08:53,760 --> 01:08:57,800 But what I'm thinking is TikTok and how many people get involved in TikTok 772 01:08:57,920 --> 01:09:00,239 for for so long? I'm not there. I know you're not there, 773 01:09:00,319 --> 01:09:03,880 but I'm saying like there are parts of the world that you know. The 774 01:09:03,880 --> 01:09:11,279 resecial media is very powerful, yes, uh, instrument right, and things 775 01:09:11,279 --> 01:09:15,560 can be manipulated messages right, we I mean I've seen some of my own 776 01:09:15,640 --> 01:09:23,159 friends hands and may go cuckoo. Yes that's a good one. I'll just 777 01:09:23,159 --> 01:09:29,239 say it that way, batshit crazy, yes, cuckoo, right, but 778 01:09:29,239 --> 01:09:31,000 but could be good. Did you do any social media when you were in 779 01:09:31,279 --> 01:09:39,399 Ukraine filming the documentary of Lines and then twenty two? Yeah, yes, 780 01:09:39,479 --> 01:09:42,960 that was well. I was trying when don't forget that was a war zone. 781 01:09:43,720 --> 01:09:45,399 What are you times there were no electricity? What or no Internet? 782 01:09:45,479 --> 01:09:49,159 What do you say to guys like Elon Musk who sent up the satellite link 783 01:09:49,319 --> 01:09:57,239 for that to help that I haven't. I haven't used it because they were 784 01:09:57,319 --> 01:10:01,680 back when I was there. It was mainly for the govern and emergency. 785 01:10:01,840 --> 01:10:08,600 I've seen sometimes in the Wi FI like a key for example, the option 786 01:10:09,399 --> 01:10:16,000 to move to startling. His help is helping. I mean, obviously it's 787 01:10:16,359 --> 01:10:29,359 very powerful AH way of communication and support communication. Although I've heard that there 788 01:10:29,359 --> 01:10:38,000 are failures in some points. I also heard that Russians start getting it through 789 01:10:38,119 --> 01:10:43,560 their countries, which is they're taking it over. Yeah, well hacking in 790 01:10:43,800 --> 01:10:51,199 at some point that it should have happened. I'm assuming like when Mask said 791 01:10:51,239 --> 01:10:57,079 that he has nothing to do and he didn't sell anything to Russians, Well 792 01:10:57,279 --> 01:11:02,880 probably he's right, but someone else did. I don't know Kazakhstan or even 793 01:11:03,199 --> 01:11:08,840 Turkey or whatever. Right, so, but Musk can stop to all these 794 01:11:08,920 --> 01:11:12,760 small But Musk can stop. It's what you're saying, and he's not. 795 01:11:13,560 --> 01:11:18,479 He's not. You know, what's exactly what those things are? The station, 796 01:11:18,680 --> 01:11:21,680 right, so he can stop that station exactly where it is, he 797 01:11:21,720 --> 01:11:26,920 can turn it off. Yeah. Interesting, Uh do you think these other 798 01:11:26,960 --> 01:11:30,800 small countries live in fear? Turkey, Romania, Poland? Poland? Not 799 01:11:30,840 --> 01:11:35,079 so small, But I'm not sure about Turkey. Turky is interesting, always 800 01:11:35,079 --> 01:11:41,560 been, actually yes, historically, yes, it seems like Turkey is a 801 01:11:41,560 --> 01:11:47,279 part of a native But at the same time, Turkey it's still sort of 802 01:11:47,359 --> 01:11:55,079 in the communications and sort of trazy with Russia. Trades with Russia, they 803 01:11:55,079 --> 01:12:02,800 depend on Russia. They're codependent and relationship. Interesting because at the same time 804 01:12:02,880 --> 01:12:10,199 Russia saying that native is enemy. Yes, but so Turkey seems to have 805 01:12:10,319 --> 01:12:14,359 a foot in both camps. Well, right, there is a way of 806 01:12:14,439 --> 01:12:16,960 sitting with one ass and two chairs, but one ass on two chairs. 807 01:12:16,960 --> 01:12:23,680 I got you very good, you know, but sometimes these chairs go yeah, 808 01:12:23,760 --> 01:12:27,720 so you're you're the thing to people who talk about the money and the 809 01:12:27,760 --> 01:12:34,079 aid coming from the United States would be it is needed to prevent the spread 810 01:12:34,319 --> 01:12:40,760 of Russia, if we're not going to escalate this and put it into a 811 01:12:40,760 --> 01:12:46,119 war. He is the Russian mindset of the nationalists there is to expand that 812 01:12:46,159 --> 01:12:50,560 country and influence over the world, and so to prevent that from happening. 813 01:12:50,960 --> 01:12:54,880 To be able to keep your own identity and your freedom, think of it 814 01:12:54,920 --> 01:13:00,439 as a long term, long term investment. Yes, do you feel like 815 01:13:00,159 --> 01:13:04,960 we talk about freedom in this country? A lot is are you freer here 816 01:13:05,079 --> 01:13:10,840 than you are in Russia? I know that that sounds like a ridiculous question 817 01:13:10,840 --> 01:13:15,239 because the answer yes, you idiot. But my point being that if you 818 01:13:15,239 --> 01:13:18,039 speak out against the Russian government, which someone has and then ended up dead, 819 01:13:18,880 --> 01:13:24,960 yeah, right, like Valley right, So that being different here you 820 01:13:25,000 --> 01:13:27,279 can say things, you can burn our flag. What would happen if you 821 01:13:27,359 --> 01:13:32,800 burn the flag in Russia? Probably you may get up to death, beat 822 01:13:32,880 --> 01:13:38,279 up to okay by police, because I think that many people would like to 823 01:13:38,319 --> 01:13:41,720 see that happen if you burn the American flag. But my point is here 824 01:13:41,840 --> 01:13:45,560 you have those freedoms to express yourself, practice your own religion. Do those 825 01:13:45,560 --> 01:13:51,960 sorts of things? Uh similar? Do you have those freedoms freedom of religion? 826 01:13:53,479 --> 01:13:57,359 And so that the Union? Yes, no, not exactly. I 827 01:13:57,399 --> 01:14:02,199 mean what's that it was proclaimed? It was proclaimed freedom of religion. But 828 01:14:02,199 --> 01:14:06,439 you don't feel like that that's necessarily true. And in today's Russia, the 829 01:14:06,640 --> 01:14:12,359 religion is a way which is supposed to be for peace. Right, Yes, 830 01:14:13,199 --> 01:14:18,000 it supports the war, okay, which is absolutely wrong. Okay, 831 01:14:18,199 --> 01:14:24,000 I mean every religion is it for peace? Yes? Freedom of press doesn't 832 01:14:24,000 --> 01:14:30,119 exist in Russia now definitely not no. And what about in terms of like 833 01:14:30,439 --> 01:14:33,039 you know, variety, is it state controlled radio? Is their independent radio 834 01:14:33,319 --> 01:14:41,760 station? It is state control everything, stay controlled, every free or democratic. 835 01:14:42,079 --> 01:14:48,039 Yes, media outlets they're gone, they're gone. They they are there, 836 01:14:48,279 --> 01:14:54,319 they talk, but they are like streaming on YouTube. And I don't 837 01:14:54,359 --> 01:15:00,199 think they are in Russia. They probably somewhere else, somewhere else do because 838 01:15:00,239 --> 01:15:06,840 there are people on YouTube and I watch them and they they talk and they're 839 01:15:06,880 --> 01:15:14,720 trying to tell sends into Russian's minds, explaining that putting is wrong. And 840 01:15:15,279 --> 01:15:17,600 look, this is what happened, and why we need to invade the other 841 01:15:17,680 --> 01:15:23,520 countries when we cannot even fix our own. When half of the Russia lives 842 01:15:23,520 --> 01:15:30,479 in excuse me, in increments, there are no in the country, which 843 01:15:30,520 --> 01:15:35,800 is one of the richest on oil and gas. At least twenty five percent 844 01:15:35,840 --> 01:15:43,000 of the country doesn't have gas in their homes, or electricity or water they 845 01:15:43,000 --> 01:15:46,039 don't have. In twenty twenty four, there are parts of Russia no running 846 01:15:46,039 --> 01:15:50,359 water, no running water. There was a report one village somewhere in Siberia 847 01:15:50,359 --> 01:15:57,760 for three months they don't have waters in their houses because the water tower frozen. 848 01:16:00,800 --> 01:16:04,520 I'm sorry to let you sure that wasn't poland that sounds polish to me. 849 01:16:04,640 --> 01:16:11,000 I'm kidding. It's lefable, but it's true. And there are videos 850 01:16:11,039 --> 01:16:15,159 they show in the Russian homes you're gonna call them homes. I mean, 851 01:16:15,199 --> 01:16:21,000 you work in a multi apartment building and you think that from the first floor 852 01:16:21,039 --> 01:16:25,600 to the second you can you need to walk, But you see the ice 853 01:16:25,680 --> 01:16:30,920 coming from down and up inside of a Why do people want to live there? 854 01:16:31,039 --> 01:16:36,520 People not just live there. They still think that it's not Putt in 855 01:16:36,560 --> 01:16:42,479 its fault, and you're saying it is. This is something the government could 856 01:16:42,479 --> 01:16:48,880 say, government steals from its own people. It's government's fault. But people 857 01:16:49,199 --> 01:16:56,600 still believe no. Putting is like guitar who worries about people? Yes, 858 01:16:56,760 --> 01:17:01,119 and there are multiple videos all over internet when all these people almost on the 859 01:17:01,199 --> 01:17:11,760 knees asking Putting help us our whatever, our house without electricity and water. 860 01:17:12,279 --> 01:17:20,800 Yeah, kids are sick, please help us? Really and nothing interesting? 861 01:17:21,199 --> 01:17:26,399 Well, this has been fascinating. Where can people see the documentary? You're 862 01:17:26,520 --> 01:17:29,000 editing again, you're going back through. Yeah, I need to go and 863 01:17:29,079 --> 01:17:34,079 fix some stuff in this version, and then I'm planning to work on a 864 01:17:34,159 --> 01:17:40,119 broadcast copy with hopes to show it on TV at some point. Okay, 865 01:17:40,159 --> 01:17:45,640 it's going to be longer and more detailed than what was at the screening. 866 01:17:46,439 --> 01:17:50,640 I'm hoping for another screening, maybe in March, in March, closer to 867 01:17:50,880 --> 01:17:56,600 end of March, maybe end of March. Where would people find out information 868 01:17:56,640 --> 01:17:59,319 about that? Can they follow you on Facebook? Facebook? Yes? Yeah, 869 01:17:59,600 --> 01:18:01,640 Facebook? And the Instagram doesn't the one too, I'm using it. 870 01:18:01,960 --> 01:18:04,720 I'm not on the TikTok. So you're not on the TikTok. Now, 871 01:18:04,760 --> 01:18:08,239 you don't want to be on the tee. You can't do the dances on 872 01:18:08,279 --> 01:18:13,079 the tictok no anymore that you want to go back and fight, you can 873 01:18:13,199 --> 01:18:17,439 dance. And it's two different. That is true. That is true. 874 01:18:17,880 --> 01:18:24,960 Uh, Michael Gerstein very interesting and very very passionate. And I think a 875 01:18:24,960 --> 01:18:29,560 different perspective because I think people want to just turn it off and he's not 876 01:18:29,640 --> 01:18:33,159 that bad, and yeah, we're living over here, not our not our 877 01:18:33,199 --> 01:18:39,880 problem. You're not safe anymore anywhere. We're not safe the century. You 878 01:18:39,920 --> 01:18:43,840 know, the rockets can fly. This is scary. Maybe it sounds better 879 01:18:43,840 --> 01:18:51,840 annoying, but yes, it's it's a possibility. It's a possibility. As 880 01:18:51,840 --> 01:18:58,600 I said, Dictator is not predictable or very hard to predict. Yeah, 881 01:18:59,159 --> 01:19:01,319 I uh, I appreciate you coming in. Thank you, thank you. 882 01:19:01,840 --> 01:19:06,520 Yeah. I think what you do is uh, it's gutsy, it's gutsy. 883 01:19:06,640 --> 01:19:11,000 Do you ever fear yourself for saying some of the things you say that 884 01:19:11,680 --> 01:19:16,520 no other Russia will find? I'm not afraid. I've been. I've been. 885 01:19:16,600 --> 01:19:27,720 Fred you have you have I've had. Yeah, I've been. I'm 886 01:19:28,640 --> 01:19:32,079 okay. Well for Michael, I'm Bill Moran. We'll see tomorrow, Mack 887 01:19:32,159 --> 01:19:36,119 of all Trades, because you've been doing some spring cleaning and you noticed what 888 01:19:36,159 --> 01:19:40,159 a mess the place is. You didn't know the kids pulled the molding away 889 01:19:40,159 --> 01:19:43,479 from the wall and they've been swinging on the door. It's bent the hinges, 890 01:19:43,520 --> 01:19:45,880 the door doesn't close properly. You know you can fix all that, 891 01:19:45,960 --> 01:19:47,880 Mac of all Trades. How about that room where all their little hands were 892 01:19:47,880 --> 01:19:51,079 touching the wall? Yeah, that needs to be painted. You know who 893 01:19:51,119 --> 01:19:55,199 can do that, Mack of all Trades. Or maybe you're planning something for 894 01:19:55,279 --> 01:19:59,039 outside. 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