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Transcript/ScriptProject Dynamo Rescue - Prus
HEADLINE: A Private Rescue Initiative ‘Project Dynamo’ Saves American Citizens From War-torn Ukraine
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: 05/29/2022 1:40p.m.
BYLINE: Mariia Prus
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER:
VIDEO EDITOR: VOA, Reuters, APTV,
SCRIPT EDITORS: KE; BR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Facebook ‘Project Dynamo’, Reuters, Zoom
TRT: 2:52
VID APPROVED BY:KE
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:
((Courtesies))
((INTRO))
[[Saving civilians of all nationalities from the most dangerous war zones in Ukraine – that is the mission of the American non-profit organization, Project Dynamo. The group recently rescued an American who was held captive by Russian troops. VOA’s Mariia Prus has details.]]
((NARRATION)) ((Courtesy: 00:01-00:14 'Project Dynamo'))
This footage shows the rescue mission of Michigan native Kirillo Alexandrov, his wife and mother-in-law. Kirillo had been held captive by Russian forces in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson for more than a month.
((Kirillo Alexandrov, Rescued by Project Dynamo (in English) )) ((Courtesy: Zoom))
“On [April] second I was arrested by the Russian military. They came into my home while I was showering. They beat me, they beat me while I was cuffed. They violently assaulted my wife. They took me and performed a mock execution, beat me more, and I was stuck in a cell for thirty-six or thirty-seven days.”
((NARRATION))((00:39-00:46 AFP))
Alexandrov was falsely accused by his Russian captors of being a spy, say his rescuers in Project Dynamo.
((Bryan Stern, Project Dynamo Co-Founder (in English) )) ((Courtesy: Zoom))
“When the Russians came, just because he was an American citizen he was implicated.”
((NARRATION)) ((00:46-01:02 'Project Dynamo'))
Now, following the tactical rescue operation conducted by Project Dynamo, Alexandrov and his family are free.
((01:02-01:23 Facebook 'ProjectDynamo.org')
Based in Florida, Project Dynamo is a privately run, donor-funded evacuation group founded by several U.S. servicemembers to rescue Americans and their allies from Afghanistan during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal.
While remaining operational in Afghanistan, Project Dynamo has been working in Ukraine since early February, says Stern – a U.S. military combat veteran.
((Bryan Stern, Project Dynamo Co-Founder)) ((Courtesy: Zoom))
“We prioritize based off the circumstance // if you're in Mariupol, if you’re an arrested ‘spy’ we pay attention a little bit more. We give preferential treatment to babies and children. So there's a lot of babies that are born in Ukraine to surrogate mothers. And they they're just babies, they have no way to get a passport because they're just babies and their parents aren’t with them.”
((NARRATION)) ((01:51-01:59 Facebook 'ProjectDynamo.org'))
Stern says that in over 60 missions their small group has managed to save over 700 people of different nationalities.
((02:03-02:08 Reuters))
With Alexandrov, Stern says they had received intelligence that he was scheduled to be extradited to Moscow, where he would have faced imprisonment for more than 20 years.
((02:08-02:13 Facebook 'ProjectDynamo.org'))
Alexandrov is grateful to be rescued.
((Kirillo Alexandrov, Rescued by the Project Dynamo (in English) )) ((Zoom))
“When I was released, it was the most relief I've ever felt in my life.
((02:21-02:28 'Project Dynamo'))
I was extremely happy to see my family, my mother, I haven't seen her just shy of a year. // My family is alive, I'm alive simply because of Bryan and his team.”
((NARRATION))
((02:31-02:40 Facebook 'ProjectDynamo.org'))
Russian denies targeting civilians. But Stern says Project Dynamo is now in discussions with the United Nations, the International Criminal Court,
((02:40-02:58 'Project Dynamo'))
and the U.S. government regarding the abuse Alexandrov and his family suffered in Russian custody.
((Mariia Prus, VOA News))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington D.C.
Embargo DateMay 29, 2022 16:09 EDT
Byline((Mariia Prus, VOA News))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
