A Bowl of Strawberries Under Shelling: The Voices and Faces of Donbas

The Voices and Faces of Donbas

[Image: Mr. Lancaster has received a bowl of strawberries from the lady who lives in the house in which he and camera operator “Sash” join her seeking refuge from Ukrainian shelling.]

Acknowledgment: Thanks to Sash the videographer from whose videos all images for this article are taken. His constant quality framing as he "shoots" in a war zone is bewildering.

Publication date: 2022-06-22

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On The Ground

There are independent journalists piercing the screen of media control over narratives for the 8 year conflict in Donbas, the region between the political and military borders of Russia and Ukraine. While "western" corporate or government funded outlets are largely reporting from Kiev, Lviv or further afield, there are independent reporters in Donbas.

This article focuses on videographic work by Patrick Lancaster and his videographer, Sasha. Mr. Lancaster's publishing is named "News Today".

Lancaster mentions that he has been living in Donbas for 8 years, meaning that he arrived very early in the civil war initiated by the Ukraine government against its own citizens. He is married to a Russian woman and speaks Russian. He interviews mostly civilians to capture and publish their stories of current events.

I do not speak or understand Russian, and you may not either. So why watch and listen to this reportage? Much can be learned from the imagery itself. The background shows a reality of life under shelling. The faces are those to be found anywhere from New York to Melbourne or Athens to London. A breadth of classes of society are interviewed, from the farmer to the upper middle classes, from the Emergency Services worker to the truck driver.

One can watch the videos on YouTube with closed captions for English translations. One may prefer the raw videos downloaded from Rumble. The translated text distract from faces telling an independent story.

Russian Artillery

Before we focus on the portrayal of daily life in Donbas, Patrick has obtained some trust from the Russian military. Two pieces provided new information for this non-military trained author on artillery fire and the professionalism of the Russian army.

In one, Patrick and Sash join a squad of artillerymen at an undisclosed location where the "action" occurs. The event begins at a staging point at which the unit's commander receives confirmation of the order and the target coordinates. The journalist team join the artillery unit in one of the two trucks which are towing D-30 122mm calibre artillery pieces.

Upon arrival at the firing location, multiple coordinated actions occur in parallel. One soldier is armed with electronic surveillance and a ground to air missile in case a drone is detected and their position is compromised. Another soldier is setting up a theodolite, commonly used by surveyors, to confirm the target coordinates.

[Image: this is actually from the second “artillery” event described below, but the exact same operation is displayed in both.]

Meanwhile troops from each of the trucks are detaching the D-30s and preparing them for use. This requires much physical force as men unfold the pieces from their transport configuration, extend the legs and hammer heavy stakes at their ends to fix them. Other squad members, having moved the ammunition to the rear of the field guns from the trucks are removing safety catches as the gunners raise the barrels and sight each gun. It is a scene of constant coordinated action.

So long as their position is not exposed they are not yet in danger. Work is highly focused to minimize time to prepare to fire. Each field gun can be loaded with two shells. I timed the firing of the first salvo at 1 minute 02 seconds for a combined firing of 4 shells. The timing of the reload of one gun was 18 seconds. This gives a rate of fire calculation; 4 shells fired and reloaded in 80 seconds. To do this, with this largely mechanical and heavy equipment, means that this equipment is carefully maintained and the crews run drills on this regularly.

[Image: 5 soldiers are preparing the D-30 for firing. All are moving. Below can be seen a “stake” ready to be sledgehammered into the ground. To the upper right, a soldier is moving ammunition. The truck which towed the artillery piece is being driven away.]

The firing itself compromises their position. The targeted enemy will know they are under attack and they will have some idea of direction. The heat blooms from the firing guns may be sensed by undetected higher altitude reconnaissance. The speed of the return to transport mode and departure are equally impressive.

These are strong, fit, disciplined and highly trained soldiers. To put it another way, if you cannot perform the required actions or do not know what you are doing, you die.

The second event involves the firing to two BM-27 "Uragan" multiple launch rocket systems. The same degree of professionalism is displayed by the soldiers. A new element, the use of a system to assess wind speed, is displayed.

[Image: the soldier left of center has just fired this wind gauge. His officer looks above to sight the fired projectile.]

A discussion with a commander shows his dress and equipment. Full camouflage and a white ring on his sleeve are his dress, identifying him as Russian. Alongside equipment pouches on his chest are two encrypted radios identifying him as a commander.

[Image: Patrick interviews a Russian officer involved in the firing of the BM-27s. These are the people Ukraine are drafting old or untrained men to fight against. Look at the Russian commander’s gaze, his dress and his equipment: serious and capable.]

Daily Life

Patrick does not attend media briefings, he visits locations where events of interest are occurring. He and Sash recently spent two weeks in Kherson during which the artillery pieces were recorded.

While there, several interviews were held with local residents in line to receive SIM cards for their mobile phones which come with national code +7, Russia. He inquired of local opinion about Russia and Ukraine. The most resounding message was that the citizenry wish for hostilities to cease, rather than answering the question.

There is a street wisdom here. Choosing either side is a risk while hostilities are fluid. While interviewing a young man at a fair with free rides for children in a town in Kherson, Patrick asks the man if he will apply for Russian papers? More “streetwise” is on display in the answer: one will need those to interact with local government offices, so it must be done.

Another interaction echoes a line from Joseph Heller's "Catch-22". A mother is asked of her opinion of the Ukraine President's statement that he would cease hostilities against Kherson? Her response is that the war is political and nobody asks the people, but "we are still here". Elements of fatalism and history emerge in the dialogues. These people have connections to their soil. The winds of politics and conflict shift, but the people's roots are deep.

News Today are currently returned to Donetsk City. The recent shelling by artillery, mortars and rockets by Ukraine against Donetsk civilian accommodation and infrastructure has given Sash and Patrick many opportunities to visit an aftermath of or to find themselves caught amidst the hostilities.

Shelling Civilian Infrastructure

A few scenes signal their work. In one, Patrick and Sash are in a factory in central Donetsk. Multiple neighbouring buildings are alight and repeated inbound shells are heard exploding.

[Image: from the fourth floor of the factory a neighbouring building is seen ablaze.]

In the basement they join many of the factory workers. A woman begins to sing a patriotic song. She is joined rapidly by more women. Two songs are sung. The first seems to be Russian patriotic with the second seeming Donetsk patriotic. At the conclusion of the impromptu performance hands are clapped and laughter abounds. The communal strength of the women is inspiring.

[Image: the two songs conclude with laughter and applause. Note the two girls in the bottom right corner. The two primary singers were the second and third women from the left.]

Shelling Houses

In an outer suburb of Donetsk, Patrick and Sash are investigating reported shelling of houses. They meet by the roadside a mature woman and begin discussion. Soon, incoming shells are heard. The lady calmly, and Patrick and Sash more desperately, seek shelter in the house's kitchen. There, repeated shells are heard, some slightly distant and some very close. One sees Patrick seek shelter and protection from the danger of the incoming fire. The lady is unmoved. She does not even flinch. Instead, she completes the preparation of a small bowl of strawberries which are likely from her or a very local garden. She offers this to Patrick. I can think of no more extreme of hospitality under duress. Her determination to preserve civil norms is astounding.

[Image: “strawberry lady” in a cotton shift shows calm concern as Patrick, in a helmet and body armour, ducks for cover.]

Shelling Hospitals

Ukraine recently attacked a maternity hospital in Donetsk. This is a heinous war crime. Patrick and Sash visited the hospital on the day of the attack. They spoke with expecting mothers, new mothers, a doctor and a lady who seemed a nurse. The video provides a tour of the basement of the hospital where these pregnant women, new mothers and days old infants seek shelter with the medical staff.

[Image: to the right of Patrick in the image can be seen an expectant mother. Behind her newborn babies are being given care by their mothers. There are many babies including a pair of twins.]

Documenting War Crimes

Having lived some of the 8 years of war, and some of it in very dangerous circumstances, Mr. Lancaster makes an effort to identify the munitions by casings which he finds. Similarly for burnt out armored personnel carriers or tanks. Patrick and Sash conclude their hospital visit in the attic and find the site of one of the attacks showing the devastation.

[Image: the hole in the roof of the Maternity Hospital.]

They continue, to find and display the canister remains of the rocket.

[Image: the remains of a rocket which damaged the hospital.]

Commentators in mainstream media may dismiss the work as propaganda or with other slights. Siding with Patrick and Sasha, I call cowardice. If you think you can do a better job, show up. In every single video Patrick calls for funding from the public; “independent crowd funded journalists” is his phrase. He publishes on several video platforms in parallel which are provided in Sources below.

Being With the People

He and Sasha are not sitting in air conditioned offices in remote locations. Patrick is helping paramedics lift an injured man into an ambulance or helping clear rubble to expose the body of a dead civilian killed by Ukrainian shelling. This explains why the people converse on camera. He is with them.

[Image: the injured old man has been lifted to the platform so he can be loaded into the ambulance, with Patrick’s help. It is again a scene of action; shells may be incoming. They have only recently left the cellar of the house to try to get the man to hospital. His hastily bandaged wound can just be seen in the lower left corner, the blue and red plastic coverings.]

Patrick and Sasha are giving voice to the peoples of Donbas and their daily plight.

The moments which prompted this article where those in the kitchen of the lady who offered strawberries. Her courage is relentless. She has foregone all fear. As Patrick ducks for cover while repeated shells explode nearby, she does not even flinch. Instead, she offers the strawberries a second time.

Patrick has shown her respect. When offered the bowl, he takes one strawberry. The same again when offered next. In the image below, Sasha is offered the bowl. This woman represents everything that is good about humanity while around her Ukrainian/EU/US/NATO shells explode.

[Image: the “strawberry lady” offers the fruit to Sasha. If you watch one video, watch this. This image is again a frame from News Today, cropped to highlight this amazing woman.]

Sources

Patrick Lancaster News Today, with channels on YouTube and Rumble.

Below are the videos from each scene described, the two military and three civilian, in the order desribed above.

Artillery Battles Rage In Southern Ukraine (Russian Artillery Special Report), Patrick Lancaster News Today, Rumble, 2022-06-07

Russia Fires BM-27 "Uragan" Rockets On Ukraine, Patrick Lancaster News Today, Rumble, 2022-06-11

Intense Shelling Hits Center Donetsk Again (Everyday), Patrick Lancaster News Today, Rumble, 2022-06-07

Journalists Come Under Ukraine Artillery Fire In Donetsk Suburb, Patrick Lancaster News Today, Rumble, 2022-06-15

Maternity Hospital Hit By Rockets In Donetsk. Mothers, Nurses & Doctors Blame Ukraine, Patrick Lancaster News Today, Rumble, 2022-06-07

Culture

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi (Official Lyric Video), Joni Mitchell (from the 1970 album “Ladies of the Canyon”), her (publishers) youtube channel, published 2018-11-06

Do NOT watch the video, just listen to the MUSIC. Then, just play it again!

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