About Europe from the ground, with Michael Andersen
Across the continent, from Ukraine to Spain, Michael Andersen goes looking for the people and places behind the big stories — politicians and soldiers, businessmen and dissidents, artists, outsiders and ordinary people caught up in extraordinary times. Reporting, profiles and conversations from the Europe behind the headlines.
twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com (https://twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)
Report from Kramatorsk - “bad things are in store, people are leaving”
My guest today is Anna Bowles.
In the interview, the British writer, editor and activist talks about why she spends four months of the year in Eastern Ukraine, supporting and writing about NGOs there - the local organisations that help people survive.
Right now Anna is helping with the dangerous evacuation work, 13 km from the frontlines but easily within reach of Russian glide bombs. Every day people are killed.
The city used to have a population of around 200,000 - now fewer than 30,000 are left.
“People know that it is just a question of time,” she says.
“Strangely enough, this place seems to have been forgotten both by most international media - and, worse, also by the big international aid organisations.”
If you want to support the work that Anna does in Kramatorsk, or support local aid organisations, go to Anna’s Substack page (https://substack.com/@annabowles), where you can find the relevant links and get her latest updates.
They are not pretty.
You can also listen to this podcast on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/4jGacYPPxOfzpy9ZQtw4Jv).
You can listen to us on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/europe-from-the-ground-with-michael-andersen/id6815270987).
You can also listen to us on Youtube.
And - you can also read this interview we did with Anna a year ago.
Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe (https://twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
26 Mar 2026
Russian bombs do not stop the music in Lviv
BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN
(Warning: The combination of the courage an resilience of the people in Lviv, combined with Chopin’s music - and, possibly, the fact that I myself used to live in the neighbouring street to the Organ Hall - I am afraid, turned this podcast into a bit of a love letter to Lviv. On the other hand, how could it not be?)
On Tuesday afternoon, Lviv was hit by a barrage of Russian drones. All in all, 948 drones and missiles hit Ukraine, 3 people died and many more were injured.
I interview the director of the Organ Hall in Lviv, a famous centre for classical music in the city, whose concert had all the windows smashed in when a bomb hit another building a few houses down.
Taras Demko, Director of the Organ Hall in Lviv; damage from the Russian attack.
This attack on Lviv is, of course, just yet another example of Russia committing war crimes by attacking buildings and people that have nothing to do with the war.
That same resilience that Taras and his team showed in going through with the Chopin concert only a couple of hours after the attack and damage to the concert hall, is the same resilience and courage we see displayed day after day everywhere in Ukraine.
If I were Mr Putin, I would listen to Ukrainians like Taras Demko - and go home.
If you have read and hopefully listened this far, you must like it. So how about becoming a paid subscriber, so we can keep producing such pieces? This stuff doesn’t make itself, you know 😉
Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe (https://twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
18 Feb 2026
‘Kherson: Human Safari’ film shown at the Munich Security Conference
BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN
Interview with the American writer and filmmaker Zarina Zabrisky about her visit to the Munich Security Conference, and her work filming ‘human safari’ the past three years in Kherson, where she now lives.
And yes, ‘human safari’ means just what the title says: Russian soldiers armed with drones and cameras go hunting for Ukrainian civilians in order to kill or maim them.
In 2025 alone, 300 people in Kherson were killed and 2,500 people were injured. Meaning that the people who remain in Kherson now have a one in twenty risk of being the victim of a drone attack this year. That is crazy.
The UN has now investigated the ‘human safari’ and has denounced it as a Russian war crime, going all the way up to the Russian dictator himself.
You seem to like our materials. So how about becoming a paid subscriber? This stuff doesn’t make itself, you know 😉
We at ’Two Grumpy Old Men on Ukraine’ have been following the ‘human safari’ for a long time, and on our Substack you can find several interviews and analytical articles on different aspects of it. Have a look.
Get full access to Michael Andersen at twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe (https://twogrumpyoldmenonukraine.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
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