Russia abandons ‘meat-grinder’ tactics to try four-man ambushes as ‘staggering’ scale of losses revealed
Ukraine: The Latest
Louisa Wells / Francis Dearnley
4.8 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 21 May 2026
⏱️ 57 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Day 1,547.
Today, we assess the reported scale of Russian military losses since 2026 and examine the new battlefield infiltration tactics Moscow has developed in an attempt to break through Ukrainian positions. We also take a closer look at the impact of Kyiv’s strikes on Russian oil refineries and investigate whether there is more behind London’s apparent easing of sanctions on Russian oil than meets the eye. Then we explore how Putin’s latest visit to Beijing is viewed in China, and ask whether the evolving relationship between Moscow and Beijing resembles a genuine strategic partnership – or something closer to vassalage. Finally, we hear from someone who was once a FOX News insider about moving to Ukraine and how we came to see the war differently from those in the MAGA movement.
Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). Sophia_yan on X.
Alex Nichol (Telegraph Journalist).
With thanks to Joseph Lindsley.
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:
The secret Chinese surveillance programme tracking people like me (Sophia Yan in The Telegraph):
I’ve reported on war, but I’ve never seen it told like this (Francis’s fashion piece in The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/people/ukraine-fashion-show-london-war-francis-dearnley/
Russia abandons ‘meat-grinder’ tactics to try four-man ambushes (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/01/russia-abandons-meat-grinder-tactic-ukraine-war/
Exclusive: Russians covertly trained by China return to fight in Ukraine, sources say (Reuters):
Joseph Lindsley’s Substack, ‘Under Fire News’:
https://underfirenews.substack.com
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:
- Russia abandons ‘meat-grinder’ tactics to try four-man ambushes
- ‘Staggering’ scale of Putin’s losses revealed
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Telegraph. |
| 0:05.0 | I'm Francis Dernley and this is Ukraine, the latest. |
| 0:13.0 | Today we assess the reported scale of Russian military losses since 2026 began |
| 0:18.0 | and examine the new battlefield infiltration tactics Moscow has developed |
| 0:22.5 | in an attempt to break through Ukrainian positions. We also take a closer look at the impact |
| 0:27.9 | of Kiev's strikes on Russian oil refineries and investigate whether there's more behind |
| 0:32.4 | London's apparent easing of sanctions. Later, we explore how Putin's visit to Beijing is viewed in China |
| 0:38.8 | and ask whether the evolving relationship between Moscow and Beijing |
| 0:42.3 | resembles a genuine strategic partnership or something closer to Vassalage. |
| 0:48.5 | Bravery takes you through the most unimaginable hardships to finally reward you with victory. |
| 0:58.3 | The Russians is not one peace. |
| 1:00.1 | First, we're fighting, with our help for the Ukraine, also our freedom and our European |
| 1:07.5 | Writers. |
| 1:08.7 | If I'm president, I will have that war settled in one day, |
| 1:11.8 | 24 hours. |
| 1:12.7 | We are with you, |
| 1:13.7 | not just today or tomorrow, |
| 1:16.1 | but for 100 years. |
| 1:17.7 | We can't |
| 1:18.6 | not as European |
| 1:19.7 | let's gain the Russia |
| 1:21.2 | in Ukraine. |
... |
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