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Transcript/ScriptUkraine Digital Soldiers -- WEB
HEADLINE: Silicon Valley Executive Joins Ukraine’s ‘Digital Army’
TEASER: A 59-year-old tech company founder with Ukrainian roots heeds the call to bring down Russian propaganda
PUBLISHED AT: 03/14/2022 at 6:58 pm
BYLINE: Michelle Quinn/Matt Dibble
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Portola Valley, Calif.
VIDEOGRAPHER: Matt Dibble
PRODUCER: Matt Dibble
SCRIPT EDITORS: Newhouse, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original, Reuters, Gennady Galanter
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO _X_
TRT: 3:00
VID APPROVED BY: mia
TYPE: TV/R EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO))
[[ When the Ukrainian government issued an international call for cyber warriors, this Silicon Valley tech executive signed up. Michelle Quinn and Matt Dibble have the story.]]
((NARRATOR)) ((BROLL: bombed out buildings, army volunteers suiting-up ))
Horrific scenes in Ukraine have spurred many foreign nationals to join the fight alongside the Ukrainian Army.
((NARRATOR)) ((BROLL: Fedorov tweet showing request for volunteers))
Other volunteers are joining a digital war effort, a so-called IT Army overseen by Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation.
((NARRATOR)) ((BROLL: Galanter playing with dog, WS Galanter at desk))
Gennady Galanter is one of them. Born in Ukraine, he now lives in California where he runs a Silicon Valley tech company. Each day he checks to see if there are missions that someone with his tech skills can carry out.
((Gennady Galanter, ‘IT Army’ volunteer))
“They compile a list and they offer capability – scripts that we as individuals can run, each of us can run at home in our office remotely.”
((NARRATOR)) ((BROLL: Galanter at computer))
Today’s target is a Russian government media outlet, and the weapon is what hackers call a Denial-of-Service attack.
((Gennady Galanter, ‘IT Army’ volunteer)) ((NAT SOUND as Galanter enters code and freezes website))
“That’s a newspaper, kp.ru, OK kp.ru.
This is their propaganda machine. It says, ‘There is more and more evidence that the Special Operation, that Russia saved the world.’
Let’s take it down.
Boom!
Okay here you go.
So, it’s running, it’s attacking, it’s bombarding right now.
It’s not opening up. I think it’s dead already.”
((NARRATOR)) ((BROLL: Galanter at computer))
These attacks are temporary, but Galanter hopes they will get the attention of Russian citizens.
((Gennady Galanter, ‘IT Army’ volunteer))
“It's going to make other people’s lives more difficult in Russia, not being able to conduct some of the business. We're trying to stir them; we’re trying to poke them. We're trying to poke them. Go, go do something. It's your president. Go do something.”
((NARRATOR)) ((BROLL: photos: Galanter as youth with mother, on beach, adult Galanter with suitcases on bridge)) ((Mandatory courtesy: Gennady Galanter))
Galanter grew up in Odesa, a city on the Black Sea. He returns frequently for work and was there in February when the Russian army invaded.
((Gennady Galanter, ‘IT Army’ volunteer))
“I went to my mother's graveyard. And as I was standing there, I didn't know whether I was going to be back at all.”
((NARRATOR)) ((BROLL: traffic as refugees head to border)) ((Mandatory courtesy: Gennady Galanter))
The 59-year-old considered staying and joining the army.
((Gennady Galanter, ‘IT Army’ volunteer))
“I have a daughter; I have my wife and I have my company. And so, I couldn't just stay and fight.”
((NARRATOR)) ((BROLL: Galanter at computer))
Galanter says that people he knows in Russia only have access to the Kremlin’s version of the invasion. His next goals with the IT Army will be to fortify Ukrainian cybersecurity and find ways to get accurate information to Russians.
((Gennady Galanter, ‘IT Army’ volunteer))
“Technology leaders can do a lot from this side. I'm just a guy. But I'm a guy who is a patriot. And I'm trying to do so.
Matt Dibble for VOA News, Portola Valley, California
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Portola Valley, Calif.
Embargo DateMarch 14, 2022 20:31 EDT
BylineMatt Dibble for VOA News, Portola Valley, California
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
