Foreign Correspondence, Vol 81
Inside the West’s mammoth effort to turn ordinary Ukrainians into soldiers
Hello, and happy Friday!
This brief correspondence comes to you a week ahead of schedule as I wanted to share one of the stories from my recent string of reporting trips. More on the other story soon 👀
What I’ve written
Last month, I visited a secret location in the rural east of England to observe the first and most ambitious training program of Ukrainian recruits outside of Ukraine: Operation Interflex.
This U.K.-led multinational program aims to provide Ukrainians who have little to no military experience with the skills and equipment they need to defend their homeland against Russia’s invasion. In just five weeks, the recruits are taught everything from weapons handling to battlefield first aid to trench warfare. To date, more than 23,000 recruits have gone through the program. Of all the West’s contributions to the Ukrainian war effort thus far, this is perhaps the most hands-on.
This story is based on interviews with over half a dozen Ukrainian recruits, most all of whom told me that their primary reason for enlisting was to be useful.
“These last three weeks, I’ve learned more than in the last 10 years of my civilian life,” Yulia, a 34-year-old mother of two, told me. “I have realized that I can do a lot more than I thought initially.”
“A woman can do anything,” she added, grinning. “Ukrainian women are strong.” Read the full story here
What I’m reading
This excellent essay on why Russell Brand wasn’t an anomaly (The Atlantic)
I’ve often wondered how Millennial women in Britain survived the aughts: not just the incessant fat shaming and the ritualized alcohol abuse, but also the cheerful, open predation that was everywhere in popular culture then.
This revelatory profile of General Mark Milley (The Atlantic)
Twenty men have served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs since the position was created after World War II. Until Milley, none had been forced to confront the possibility that a president would try to foment or provoke a coup in order to illegally remain in office.
This wild profile of Bryan Johnson, the tech entrepreneur who thinks he can live forever (TIME)
Johnson is not the only ultra-rich middle-aged man trying to vanquish the ravages of time. Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel were both early investors in Unity Biotechnology, a company devoted to developing therapeutics to slow or reverse diseases associated with aging. Elite athletes employ therapies to keep their bodies young, from hyperbaric and cryotherapy chambers to “recovery sleepwear.” But Johnson’s quest is not just about staying rested or maintaining muscle tone. It’s about turning his whole body over to an anti-aging algorithm. He believes death is optional. He plans never to do it.
What I’m thinking about
The Roman Empire. (Only kidding…)
Until next time,
Yasmeen