Russian nursery-school children ‘taught to fly drones’ & reviewing controversial thriller 'The Wizard of the Kremlin'
Ukraine: The Latest
Louisa Wells / Francis Dearnley
4.8 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 21 April 2026
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Day 1,517.
Today, amid another exchange of drone and missile strikes between Ukraine and Russia, we report on growing speculation that the European Union’s €90 billion loan for Kyiv could finally be approved as early as tomorrow. We also examine Ukraine’s efforts to develop its own alternative to US-made Patriot air defence systems. Then, later, we take a deep dive into a major new Western film, The Wizard of the Kremlin, exploring how accurately it portrays Vladimir Putin’s rise to power – and the wider questions raised by telling Russia’s story through a pre-war, fictional lens.
Contributors:
Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
With thanks to Chief Film Critic at The Telegraph Robbie Collin and political scientist Anna Colin Lebedev.
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:
Exclusive interview: World faces new nuclear arms race (The Telegraph):
Former tank commander reviews Challenger 3 (Hamish de Bretton-Gordon in The Telegraph):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PLOyJKtGKw
Russian nursery-school children taught to fly drones (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/21/russia-nursery-school-children-fly-drones/
Jude Law as Vladimir Putin? It’s a strangely flattering choice (Robbie Collin in The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/review-wizard-kremlin-putin-jude-law/
(Hom)mage du Kremlin, Anna Colin Lebedev:
In French: https://colinlebedev.fr/2026/01/22/hommage-du-kremlin/
In English: https://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article77848
Personal Website: colinlebedev.fr
Jude Law plays Putin in a film shot in Riga. Latvian officials say it serves Kremlin propaganda (Meduza):
The History Bureau, Putin and the Apartment Bombs (BBC):
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m002q5dk
Ukraine pushing to produce home-grown ballistic defense system 'within a year,' Zelensky says (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:
- Russian nursery-school children ‘taught to fly drones’
- Reviewing new film 'The Wizard of the Kremlin'
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 Adelaipodzman-Ponthe, and this is Ukraine, the latest. |
| 0:14.0 | Today, amid another exchange of drone and missile strikes between Ukraine and Russia, |
| 0:18.6 | we'll report on growing speculation that the EU's |
| 0:21.4 | 90 billion euro loan for Kiev could finally be approved as early as tomorrow. |
| 0:28.0 | We also examine Ukraine's efforts to develop its own alternative to US-made Patriot air defense |
| 0:33.9 | systems. Then, later, we take a deep dive into a major new Western film, The Wizard of the Kremlin, |
| 0:40.5 | exploring how accurately it portrays Putin's rise to power and the wider questions |
| 0:45.2 | raised by telling Russia's story through a pre-war fictional lens. |
| 0:50.6 | Bravery takes you through the most unimaginable hardships to finally reward you with victory. |
| 0:59.8 | The Russia does not want fees. |
| 1:01.4 | First, we're fighting, with our help for the Ukraine, |
| 1:04.9 | also our freedom and our European values. |
| 1:10.2 | If I'm president, I will have |
| 1:11.4 | that war settled |
| 1:12.4 | in one day, 24 hours. |
| 1:14.2 | We are with you, |
| 1:15.3 | not just today or tomorrow, |
| 1:17.7 | but for a hundred years. |
| 1:19.1 | We can't, |
| 1:20.4 | as European, |
| 1:21.4 | let's gain the Russia in Ukraine. |
... |
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