Russian position 'collapses' in southeast & the drone attacks Putin ‘doesn't want you to see’
Ukraine: The Latest
Louisa Wells / Francis Dearnley
4.8 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 19 May 2026
⏱️ 48 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Day 1,545.
Today, after a NATO fighter jet shoots down a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia, we examine the mounting risks of escalation on NATO’s eastern flank and what the incident reveals about the increasingly crowded skies above the Baltic region. We also look at reports of a collapse in Russian defensive lines near a settlement in Zaporizhzhia as Ukraine presses its counterattacks in the south. Then we turn to Moscow to assess how the Kremlin and Russian state media are reporting – or not – news of Ukraine’s major strikes on Russian infrastructure ahead of Putin’s high-stakes visit to China. And later, we take a deep dive into how investigations into war crimes have evolved over the past four years.
Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.
With thanks to Yevhenia Motorevska – head of the War Crimes Investigation Unit at the Kyiv Independent.
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 drone attacks Putin doesn’t want Russians to see (The Telegraph):
Xi Jinping told Donald Trump that Putin might ‘regret’ invasion of Ukraine (Financial Times):
https://www.ft.com/content/567c57b0-6346-43e6-9d14-840a793b4d1d?syn-25a6b1a6=1
Dom’s Video On the Frontline:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-LWZtJBCwY
From the Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigation Unit:
The War Before the War, Part I: https://kyivindependent.com/video/?slug=crimea-the-war-before-the-war-part-2
From Stalin to Putin – Russia’s history of torture:
Exposing Russia’s indoctrination of Ukrainian children:
Investigation: Uncovering the secret Russian FSB operation to loot Ukraine's museums
The Kyiv Independent doesn’t have a paywall or an owner and is supported by a
community of readers who make this work possible. Starting today, the Kyiv Independent team is on a quest to find 4000 new members globally. You can become a member here.
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 position 'collapses' in southeastern town
- The drone attacks Putin ‘doesn't want you to see’
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Telegraph. I'm Francis Dernley and this is Ukraine, the latest. Today, after a NATO fighter jet |
| 0:15.1 | shoots down a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia, we examine the mounting risks of |
| 0:20.0 | escalation on the eastern flank. |
| 0:22.5 | Then we look at the reports of a collapse in a Russian defensive line near a settlement in |
| 0:27.1 | Zaporisia, before turning to Moscow and assessing how the Kremlin and Russian state media are |
| 0:32.4 | reporting or not news of Ukraine's major strikes on its infrastructure. |
| 0:37.9 | Then, later, we take you on a deep dive |
| 0:40.2 | into how investigations into war crimes have evolved over the past four years. |
| 0:46.3 | bravery takes you through the most unimaginable hardships |
| 0:51.9 | to finally reward you with victory. |
| 0:55.0 | The Russia does not want peace. |
| 0:57.0 | First, we're fighting with our help for the Ukraine, |
| 1:00.0 | also our freedom and our European Writers. |
| 1:05.0 | If I'm president, I will have that war settled in one day, 24 hours. |
| 1:10.0 | We are with you, not just today or tomorrow, but for 100 years. |
| 1:14.8 | We can not, as European, let's get the Russia in Ukraine. |
| 1:19.3 | Nobody's going to break us. We're strong. Where Ukraine is. |
| 1:25.3 | It's Tuesday, the 19th of May, four years and 84 days since the full-scale invasion began. |
| 1:31.6 | And today, I'm joined by the Telegraph's Associate Editor of Defense, Dominic Nichols, |
| 1:35.9 | and Adelae Posjevon Ponte, who speaks to Yevhenia Motorevska, head of war crime and |
| 1:40.9 | investigations at the Kiv Independent. |
| 1:45.1 | But let's start with the military updates then. Dom, where do you want to start today? |
... |
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