Q&A: Corruption Scandal, AI Surrender Videos, and the International Space Station
Ukrainecast
BBC
4.7 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 13 November 2025
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Ukraine has been rocked by a major corruption scandal surrounding the country's energy sector, amidst ongoing Russian attacks on electricity infrastructure. An alleged $100m scheme, involving money laundering and kick backs, has led to the resignation of senior ministers and engulfed prominent allies of Volodymyr Zelensky. But despite the president's public backing of the probe, questions are being asked about what government officials knew, just months after mass protests against controversial attempts to curb the independence of state anti-corruption bodies.
This week, Lucy and Vitaly are joined by Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse, and BBC Verify's Olga Robinson. They discuss the fallout from the fifteen-month investigation, and answer all of your questions. Could we see a western-backed referendum in the occupied territories? Will Ukraine reduce the age of conscription? And how much do Russia and the US cooperate beyond headline diplomacy?
Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko.
The producers were Laurie Kalus and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The executive producer was Lewis Vickers. The series producer is Chris Flynn. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480
You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:07.2 | If you're the person always being asked, what's happening in the news? |
| 0:10.9 | You could do with a podcast wingman. |
| 0:13.3 | Newscast is just that, a little voice in your ear, |
| 0:16.5 | giving you a deeper understanding of what's going on in the world. |
| 0:19.5 | We won't even mind if you try and take the credit yourself. |
| 0:22.4 | Listen to Newscast every day on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:26.1 | It's 1,359 days since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. |
| 0:32.1 | And this week, we've seen a major corruption scandal engulfing ministers at the heart of the Ukrainian |
| 0:37.1 | government. |
| 0:38.3 | Just months after those nationwide protests over controversial reforms to Ukraine's anti-corruption authorities, |
| 0:44.3 | those same bodies have now released bombshell allegations of an embezzlement scheme surrounding the country's energy sector. |
| 0:52.3 | They say secret audio recordings reveal a $100 million |
| 0:55.7 | operation of kickbacks and money laundering. And despite President Zelensky calling for the dismissal |
| 1:02.2 | of high-profile allies, the involvement of some of his past associates has put the president |
| 1:07.5 | on defensive footing. So how damaging could these revelations be |
| 1:11.8 | and are more heads set to roll? |
| 1:14.6 | That's all to come on Ukrainecast. |
| 1:17.0 | Ukrainecast from BBC News. |
| 1:19.8 | This is a sovereign nation under unprovoked attack. |
| 1:23.9 | We are ready to finish this war as quick as possible. |
| 1:26.7 | Russia is not preparing for peace. We are an enemy of this war as quick as possible. Russia is not preparing for peace. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.