Patrik Baab talks with Russian writer and former Donbass commander Zakhar Prilepin about the war in Ukraine, the 2014 Donbass uprising, and the 2023 assassination attempt Prilepin barely survived. The YouTube player has an English (US) audio track — if you hear German, open the gear menu and choose Audio track → English (US).
Prilepin describes his path from literature to the front, the role of local commanders such as Alexander Zakharchenko, and what he calls a shadow war involving Western specialists and mercenaries in the early years of the conflict.
Description:
Patrik Baab is a German journalist and best-selling author who reported on both sides of the frontline in Ukraine. Baab outlines how the freedom of speech is destroyed by a failing political elite.
Description:
Patrik Baab is a German journalist and best-selling author who reported on both sides of the frontline in Ukraine. Baab argues that war propaganda has destroyed the credibility of the media and freedom of speech.
Description:
Patrik Baab argues that Western governments—especially in Europe—refuse to pursue a negotiated settlement with Russia because their political survival depends on continuing the war. He claims Ukraine is being sacrificed (“brought to the butcher”) to serve Western geopolitical interests, primarily the U.S. goal of weakening Russia.
According to this view:
U.S. “deep state” institutions (Pentagon, CIA, parts of both parties) want the war to continue, and European leaders align with them.
Zelensky and his circle, described as dominated by right-wing nationalists, also depend on the war for their power.
The speaker believes Western elites act against their own populations’ interests, driven by ideology, survival instincts, or influence from defense industries and financial actors profiting from the conflict.
He argues Russia is preparing for a wider war with Europe and that European leaders keep the U.S. engaged because they cannot face Russia alone.
The speaker says rational policy would be to end the war by meeting Russia’s demands: neutrality for Ukraine, no NATO ties, a non-hostile government in Kyiv, and recognition of the territories Russia annexed in 2022.
He criticizes the EU’s repeated sanctions packages as ineffective and self-damaging.
The conversation also discusses “deep state” influence, with examples like Liz Truss arguing that unelected bureaucracies hold real power. The speaker agrees partly but says powerful external interests—military-industrial and financial sectors—push leaders into prolonging the war.
He claims European bureaucracies resist admitting their strategic mistakes about Russia’s strength, and EU institutions have become increasingly authoritarian and war-driven.
Overall, the argument is that Western elites, bureaucrats, and financial/military interests are locked into a self-destructive strategy of escalating the conflict rather than seeking a settlement aligned with reality.
