A Taiwanese soldier named Jonathan Tseng leaves his family to join the fight against Russian aggression in Ukraine. The podcast explores the motivations behind his decision and the impact on his loved ones. It examines the escalating tensions between Taiwan and China and the fear of conflict. Jonathan faces criticism online and experiences vulnerability. The podcast also touches on the distressing call for evacuation and the ongoing war, exploring emotions of frustration, regret, and fear.
Read more
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Jonathan Tseng volunteered to fight for Ukraine to defend against Russia, driven by his fears of unwelcome aggression on Taiwan.
Jonathan joined the foreign Legion, trained with other volunteers, and eventually joined the 49th Infantry Battalion in eastern Ukraine where he faced increasing danger and tragically lost his life.
Deep dives
Jonathan's Decision to Join Ukraine's Fight
Jonathan, a young Taiwanese soldier, volunteered to fight for Ukraine after being deeply affected by the Russian invasion and the horrors he saw in videos of the war. Concern for his own home of Taiwan, which has long faced the threat of a Chinese invasion, drove him to seek experience and then return to help defend his country.
Life in Ukraine and Joining a Foreign Legion
After arriving in Ukraine, Jonathan joined the foreign Legion, where he trained with other volunteers and awaited the opportunity to go on a mission. He made friends and formed a group with whom he would stick together. Eventually, they left the Legion and joined the 49th Infantry Battalion, stationed in eastern Ukraine. They endured shelling, rain, and a stalemate with the Russian forces.
The Perils and Tragic End
Jonathan faced increasing danger and openly acknowledged the risks he was taking. He experienced close calls with artillery fire and even suffered a concussion. His group's mission was extended, and they found themselves defending the front line rather than pushing forward. Tragically, during a tank firing incident, Jonathan was hit and killed, leaving behind a devastated wife and a nation mourning his loss.
Watching footage of Russian attacks on Ukraine, Jonathan Tseng thought: That could happen here, too.
So from his home in Taiwan, Jonathan — Tseng Sheng-Guang in Chinese — resolved to take up arms against Russia. He left his wife, son and his beseeching mother in June 2022 to join the ranks of foreign fighters in Ukraine. His decision mirrored his own fears about unwelcome aggression on Taiwan, should China move beyond decades of warnings and threats, and into open conflict, against the island it claims as its own.
Bloomberg reporter Yang Yang spent several months looking for and talking to Jonathan’s family, friends and fellow soldiers in Ukraine, in order to understand more about what drove a young Taiwanese man to battle a neighboring aggressor, and what happened to him there.