'500,000 Russians killed,' says UK spy chief & Sweden pledges new fighter jets
Ukraine: The Latest
Louisa Wells / Francis Dearnley
4.8 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 28 May 2026
⏱️ 31 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Day 1,554.
Today, as a senior intelligence chief cites a considerably higher figure of Russian deaths than has previously been cited, there are a raft of announcements from Ukraine’s allies that will see new fighter jets and Patriot missiles available to Kyiv, as the country suffers a new wave of strikes. Then – in a special dispatch – Francis takes you to Venice for our first film looking at the decision of the La Biannale art festival to permit the reopening of the Russian Pavilion, and exploring the work of Ukrainian artists in wartime.
Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
With thanks to the soldiers, artists, and curators at the ‘Still Joy’ exhibition in Venice. Additional thanks to Sophie O’Sullivan for video production, Phil Atkins for audio production and to Tom Steed and Natalia Makohon for dubbing.
NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest
CONTENT REFERENCED:
Learn more about the PinchukArtCentre’s exhibition ‘Still Joy’ at La Biennale (running until 1st August):
https://pinchukartcentre.org/en/exhibitions/still-joy-from-ukraine-into-the-world-biennale-arte-2026
Britain and Poland to manufacture missile under new military pact (The Telegraph)
Putin arms Russian banks to combat Ukrainian drone attacks (The Telegraph)
GCHQ puts AI in charge of stopping cyber attacks (The Telegraph):
Europe should not negotiate Ukraine peace, insists Norway (The Telegraph):
Exclusive: How US ambassador's preplanned trip caused a diplomatic scandal in Kyiv and Brussels (Kyiv Independent):
EMAIL US:
Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- '500,000 Russians killed in Ukraine,' says UK spy chief
- Sweden pledges new fighter jets in 'historic' deal
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Telegraph. |
| 0:09.3 | I'm Francis Dernley and this is Ukraine, the latest. |
| 0:13.7 | Today, as a senior intelligence chief, cites a considerably higher figure of Russian deaths than has previously been cited. We hear about a raft of |
| 0:23.2 | announcements from Ukraine's allies that will see new fighter jets and Patriot missile replacements |
| 0:28.2 | available to Keeve, as the country suffers a new wave of strikes. Then, in a special dispatch, |
| 0:34.9 | I take you to Venice for our first film looking at the decision of the |
| 0:39.4 | Biennale Art Festival to permit the reopening of the Russian Pavilion and exploring the work of |
| 0:45.3 | Ukrainian artists in wartime. |
| 0:48.6 | Bravery takes you through the most unimaginable hardships to finally reward you with victory. |
| 0:57.8 | The Russia does not want feast. |
| 0:59.4 | First, we're fighting, with our help for the Ukraine, |
| 1:02.9 | also our freedom and our European values. |
| 1:08.1 | If I'm president, I will have that war settled in one day, 24 hours. |
| 1:12.2 | We are with you, not just today or tomorrow, but for a hundred years. |
| 1:17.1 | We can't as European, let's gain the Russia in Ukraine. |
| 1:21.5 | Nobody's going to break us. We're strong. We're Ukrainians. |
| 1:28.0 | It's Thursday, the 28th of May, four years and 93 days since the full-scale invasion began. |
| 1:34.6 | And today, it's just me here in the studio in London, but later you'll hear from Ukrainian soldiers, artists and curators at Le Bionale. |
| 1:42.6 | But first, the latest military and diplomatic updates. |
| 1:48.5 | I'll be honest with you, I can't remember the last time we had a day with quite so many significant stories. |
| 1:53.9 | Let's start with an extraordinary assessment from here in London, |
| 1:57.7 | specifically by the new head of the UK's Intelligence Cyber and Security Agency, |
... |
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