Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,559.Today, smoke billows over St Petersburg after Ukraine hits an oil terminal and military facilities, embarrassing Putin on the opening day of his International Economic Forum. Ukraine continues its mid-range and long-range strike campaign as Russia’s economy is bailed out by oligarchs. Finally, we hear from one of our reporters who bravely attempted to train with the Royal Marines snipers and how their unit is adapting for the future of warfare.  Contributors: Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X.Alex Nichol (Telegraph journalist). With thanks to the Telegraph’s deputy global security editor Arthur Scott-Geddes. Senior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O’SullivanSocial Producer: Katie InglisStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David Knowles 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:US, NATO allies to launch scaled-back Baltic Sea drills (Reuters)https://www.reuters.com/world/us-nato-allies-launch-scaled-back-baltic-sea-drills-2026-06-02/  Russian weapons plant in flames after Ukrainian attack in Tambov Oblast (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/russian-weapons-plant-in-flames-after-ukrainian-attack-in-tambov-oblast/ Future presence of US troops in Lithuania is 'under review,' says minister (Reuters)https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/future-presence-us-troops-lithuania-is-under-review-says-minister-2026-06-02/ Ukraine’s Zelenskyy set to attend G7 summit in France (Politico)https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-attend-g7-summit-france/  Billionaires have begun making voluntary contributions to the budget (Expert.ru)https://expert.ru/ekonomika/milliardery-nachali-perevodit-v-byudzhet-dobrovolnye-vznosy I learnt to be a Royal Marines sniper (Arthur Scott-Geddes for The Telegraph) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/03/marine-sniper-training-arbroath/ Dom’s interview with a Ukrainian sniper on hunting Russian tanks at night, PTSD and handling trauma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3un6JguaOE  The Royal Marines Charity https://rma-trmc.org/  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:Ukraine strikes St Petersburg on day one of ‘Putin’s Davos’What it’s like to train as a Royal Marines sniper Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2026

Day 1,558.Today, as more civilians across Ukraine are murdered by Russia in the latest mass aerial attack we look to the US for a response, given Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week that Russia planned only to strike Ukrainian "decision-making centers". We ask, again, when the United Nations is going to take a meaningful interest in the war, and look at the continuing diplomatic spat between Ukraine and Poland. And later, we examine possibly the most consequential election for Putin in years: this weekend’s contest in Armenia and a, perhaps surprising, intervention by Donald Trump. Contributors: Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Venetia Rainey (Telegraph journalist and host on Iran: The Latest). @venetiarainey on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. Producer: Phil AtkinsSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O’SullivanSocial Producer: Katie InglisStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David Knowles 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:Listen to our sister podcast, Iran: The Latest: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran--the-latest/ Read the Irish Times’ coverage of the Aughinish Alumina story: https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/aughinish-alumina/ Magyar signals Ukraine reset ahead of expected talks with Zelenskyy next week (Politico)https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-peter-magyar-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-upcoming-talks/ Danish shipyard still servicing LNG tankers for Russia trade (Financial Times)https://www.ft.com/content/945c6085-e14a-4acb-8e41-3986e7486480?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Russian Officer Accused of Bucha Atrocities Secures Candidate Slot for Parliament Elections (United 24 Media) https://united24media.com/world/russian-officer-accused-of-bucha-atrocities-secures-candidate-slot-for-parliament-elections-19382 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:'Loser' Putin rains missiles on Ukraine as Russia 'out of ideas' Zelensky warns Moscow there are ‘no safe roads’ in south and east Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

Day 1,557.Today, after a weekend that saw Russian ships hit by drones, hit by drones and hit by drones again, it ended with another Russian ship being seized by abseiling Frenchmen. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s “logistics lockdown” continued, leading to fuel rationing in Crimea and more Russian oil refineries self-sanctioning in very dramatic ways; no wonder Putin’s Finance Minister has said Russia’s spending on the war has gone two trillion rubles over budget. Contributors: Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Sophie O’Sullivan (Telegraph journalist).Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X.With thanks to Stergios-Aristoteles Mitoulis (Associate Professor of engineering at the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction at UCL). @DrMitoulis on X. Producer: Rachel PorterSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O’SullivanSocial Producer: Gezim HilajStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David Knowles 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:Russia overspends on Putin’s war in Ukraine by $28bn (The Financial Times)https://www.ft.com/content/93674b5c-06ea-4e49-a005-dc08e1091574?syn-25a6b1a6=1  Inside the schools preparing Ukrainian children for war (The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/31/inside-the-schools-preparing-ukrainian-children-for-war/  For more information on Professor Mitoulis’s work, follow the links below:Bridge Ukraine: https://bridgeukraine.org/Meta Infrastructure: https://metainfrastructure.org/ 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:France seizes Russian shadow fleet tanker in mission Moscow calls ‘piracy’Ukrainian drones dominate skies over occupied cities Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2026

Day 1,554.Today, as Romania kicks Russian diplomats out of the country following a drone strike last night that has injured civilians in the eastern city of Galati, we ask, why is it so easy for Romania to name the perpetrator of such attacks when others still seek to avoid apportioning blame. We then look at reports Russia is continuing to be hit hard on the southern corridor, including now by drone-landed mines, followed by the second part of Francis’s special dispatch from the La Biannale art festival in Venice, today looking at the decision to permit the reopening of the Russian Pavilion and his encounter with Pussy Riot. And we finish with an audio dispatch from me, after my visit to a prisoner of war camp in western Ukraine.  Contributors:Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.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, and to Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot. Producer: Rachel PorterSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O’SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesAdditional thanks 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:Dom’s full documentary interviewing POWs:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJwjbWheClk  Francis’s first dispatch from Venice and La Biennale:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay2UT-SeKDI  Learn more about ‘Resistance Imprisoned’:https://www.ritschfisch.com/exhibition/resistance-imprisoned/  Learn more about the PinchukArtCentre’s exhibition ‘Still Joy’ (running until 1st August):https://pinchukartcentre.org/en/exhibitions/still-joy-from-ukraine-into-the-world-biennale-arte-2026  Russian drone hits Romanian apartment block in ‘grave escalation’ (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/29/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strikes-romanian-apartment-nato/  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:Putin strikes NATO: Romania hit in 'major escalation'Dom Nicholls interviews ‘brainwashed’ Russian PoWs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2026

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)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/27/britain-poland-manufacture-missile-under-new-military-pact/ Putin arms Russian banks to combat Ukrainian drone attacks (The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/27/putin-arms-russian-banks-to-combat-ukrainian-drone-attacks/  GCHQ puts AI in charge of stopping cyber attacks (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/27/gchq-ai-stopping-cyber-attacks-keast-butler-humans-threat/  Europe should not negotiate Ukraine peace, insists Norway (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/28/europe-should-not-negotiate-ukraine-peace-insists-norway/  Exclusive: How US ambassador's preplanned trip caused a diplomatic scandal in Kyiv and Brussels (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/exclusive-how-us-ambassadors-preplanned-trip-caused-a-diplomatic-scandal-in-kyiv-and-brussels/ 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 chiefSweden pledges new fighter jets in 'historic' deal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2026

Day 1,553.Today, in the aftermath of one of the most intense aerial assaults on Ukraine of the entire war, we report on fresh strikes against Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery – the site of the extraordinary “manmade volcano” that has become symbolic of Kyiv’s campaign against Moscow’s energy infrastructure. Antonia Langford joins us live from Kyiv after witnessing ballistic missile attacks on the capital firsthand. We also examine the shrinking number of countries contributing to the Czech-led ammunition initiative, which now supplies around half of Ukraine’s artillery ammunition, and assess Britain’s attempt to regain control of the political narrative after last week’s easing of sanctions on Russia by unveiling new measures targeting cryptocurrency networks accused of financing Putin’s war machine. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Antonia Langford (Freelance Journalist in Kyiv). @Antonialford on X. 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 ‘Ukraine Focus’:https://ukrainefocus.org/  How a bombed-out café became a symbol of hope in Kyiv (Antonia Langford for The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/25/how-a-bombed-out-cafe-became-a-symbol-of-hope-in-kyiv/  UK sanctions crypto networks funding Putin’s war machine (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/26/uk-sanctions-crypto-networks-funding-putins-war-machine/  Does the "White Tiger" scene pose a new terrorist threat? (Der Speigel):https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/white-tiger-droht-aus-der-szene-eine-neue-terrorgefahr-a-2a91696d-9746-40c1-8c30-a189f1fa7c01  Donald Trump’s Board of Peace fund is empty (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/5ba3bd2c-0e0e-4306-84be-99d6d89b0d49?syn-25a6b1a6=1  Nine countries pull out of Ukraine ammunition coalition (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/f5dd7bd9-6da8-438b-bf80-1f942b91333d?syn-25a6b1a6=1  Zelensky’s top negotiator flies to Berlin for talks with Germany, France, UK (POLITICO):https://www.politico.eu/article/volodymyr-zelenskyy-top-negotiator-rustem-umerov-in-berlin-for-ukraine-peace-talks/  Exclusive: Zelensky sends Trump urgent letter warning of Ukraine's critical missile defense shortages (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-sends-trump-urgent-letter-warning-of-critical-missile-defense-shortages/  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:Fresh strikes against Russia’s Tuapse oil refineryAntonia Langford joins us live from Kyiv Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2026

Day 1,552.Today, as Russia plays the victim, claiming its latest mass attack that killed and injured civilians over the weekend was a ‘retaliation’ for a Ukrainian attack, we ask who the audiences are for such cynical mischaracterisation. We report on Ukraine’s continued mid-range strike campaign that has forced Russia to limit traffic on the land corridor to Crimea and look at the upcoming NATO summit as the Secretary General says Britain, France and others have scuppered a proposal for allies to spend a quarter of one per cent of GDP on military aid for Ukraine. And later, we hear from our regular Russia expert about how there is speculation Putin is losing his power of speech. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. 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:Putin burns through his best missiles in desperate Ukraine fightback (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/26/putin-burns-through-his-best-missiles-in-ukraine-fightback/  Britain rejects Nato plan for extra Ukraine military aid (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/24/britain-rejects-nato-plan-for-extra-ukraine-military-aid/  Putin’s mid-air hijackings turn Ukraine’s drones against Europe (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/22/putin-mid-air-hijackings-turn-ukraine-drones-against-europe/  Revealed: The secret suburban life of Britain’s greatest Cold War spy (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/26/revealed-the-secret-suburban-life-of-britains-greatest-cold/  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 burns through best missiles in ‘desperate’ Ukraine fightbackPutin 'losing power of speech' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2026

Day 1,548.Today, as the US administration reveals details of its participation in Vladimir Putin’s flagship business and investment forum, Russia and Belarus conclude major nuclear exercises just as Ukraine continues its campaign of strikes against oil and gas infrastructure near Moscow. We also examine Kyiv’s latest act of political trolling: a “Refinery Advent Calendar” tracking how many Russian energy targets Ukrainian forces have hit this month alone. And later, Dom reflects on a day spent deep inside a secret section of the London Underground, where he interviewed a senior NATO commander who warns that while Russia’s forces may not be unbeatable, they are now far more battle-hardened, battle-tested, and lethal than they were at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. NOTE: Monday 25th is a Bank Holiday in the UK. Normal service will resume on Tuesday. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to Lieutenant General Michael Richard Elviss, CB, MBE – commander of NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). 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: Dom’s Video interview with top NATO commander in secret London base:https://youtu.be/vEKtKqMs-9E?si=Cp-3GOrW_dUcrLYG Putin’s attack on Hungarians in Ukraine marks new phase of war (Verity Bowman in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/21/putins-attack-hungarians-new-phase-ukraine-war-russia/  Austrian ex-intelligence officer found guilty of Russia spying charges (BBC):https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy21541dz4o  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:Exclusive: Inside NATO's secret base preparing for war with RussiaPutin loses 145,000 troops in 2026 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2026

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):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/leaked-secret-chinese-surveillance-programme-tracks-foreign/  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):https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russians-covertly-trained-by-china-return-fight-ukraine-sources-say-2026-05-19/ 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.

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2026

Day 1,546.Today, as the British government suggests their pledge to ‘stand with Ukraine as long as it takes’ should actually say ‘as long as it doesn’t upset my summer holiday’ we examine the reaction to London’s decision to relax some Russian sanctions. We report how Russian jets flew so close to an RAF aircraft over the Black Sea it triggered onboard emergency systems, and we look at how Vladimir Putin's trip to Beijing is being reported in Moscow. Plus, we take our regular look at how brilliantly the Russian economy is performing and talk about magic mushrooms in Armenia.  Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Alexander Nichol (Telegraph Journalist).James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @JkJourno on X. 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: PM’s sanctions U-turn ‘will fund killing of Ukrainian soldiers’ (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/05/20/starmer-eases-sanctions-on-russian-oil/  Xi and Putin: ‘Colonial’ world order has failed (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/20/xi-putin-beijing-meeting-russia-china/  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:Putin and Xi: ‘Colonial’ world order has failedBritish PM accused of ‘killing of Ukrainian soldiers’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2026

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):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/drone-attacks-putin-doesnt-want-russians-see-ukraine/  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-2From Stalin to Putin – Russia’s history of torture: https://youtu.be/p7Ei6mAf3mQExposing Russia’s indoctrination of Ukrainian children: https://youtu.be/RZGmv2EQdGkInvestigation: Uncovering the secret Russian FSB operation to loot Ukraine's museumshttps://kyivindependent.com/investigation-uncovering-fsbs-secret-operation-to-steal-ukraines-valuable-art/The Kyiv Independent doesn’t have a paywall or an owner and is supported by acommunity 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 townThe drone attacks Putin ‘doesn't want you to see’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2026

Day 1,544.Today, after Ukraine unleashes a sweeping wave of retaliatory strikes in response to last week’s Russian attacks – shutting down Moscow airports, damaging naval assets, and sending huge fireballs into the sky above Russian oil infrastructure – the Kremlin signals it may once again be open to peace talks, potentially even reopening channels with the European Union. We ask whether Moscow may also need urgent talks with Beijing after one of its Shahed drones reportedly struck a Chinese cargo ship just days before Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. We also hear from Berlin on how Europe is accelerating efforts to rearm in the face of growing Russian aggression and deepening American disengagement. And later, we speak to an adviser to the Ukrainian government about Kyiv’s mounting military recruitment crisis after intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov warned that voluntary enlistment alone can no longer meet the army’s needs. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.With thanks to Olesia Horiainova of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center. 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: Europe’s sleeping giant rearms (James Rothwell & Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/11/europes-sleeping-giant-rearms-germany-weapons-war-russia/  Putin gifted upper hand as Trump triggers European missile crisis (James Rothwell & Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/18/europes-deep-strike-dilemma-and-how-it-untangles-itself/  Ukraine launches biggest attack on Moscow in a year (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/17/ukraine-launches-biggest-attack-on-moscow-in-a-year/  Ukrainian drones destroy £30m Russian plane at airbase (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/16/ukrainian-drones-destroy-russian-aircraft-airbase/  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 ‘attacks Chinese ship’ in Black SeaUkraine hits Moscow in biggest strike of 2026 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2026

Day 1,541.Today, after the two days of near continuous strikes against Ukraine with over 1,600 drones and missiles fired on the country – with at least 12 killed by a single projectile – we hear the latest round of American withdrawals of thousands of troops from Europe, and a sobering assessment from experts at Chatham House about the direction of the war. Then we have an extraordinary exclusive interview with a Russian FSB agent who claims he fled Moscow in a dead cow. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Roland Oliphant (Chief Foreign Analyst). @RolandOliphant on X.Hayley Dixon (Special Correspondent). @HaylesDixon on X. 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: ‘Putin won’t last’: Russian agent who fled Moscow in a dead cow (The Telegraph):Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng7-LI7VK8MLong Read: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/14/dmitry-senin-russia-fsb-escaped-putin-in-dead-cow/  Pentagon cancels deployment of thousands of troops to Europe (The Telegraph):https://kyivindependent.com/us-cancels-planned-deployment-of-4-000-troops-to-poland/?mc_cid=d10bd88d37&mc_eid=08d0680a95  Russia issues Ben Wallace with arrest warrant for ‘justifying terrorism’ (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/13/russia-ben-wallace-arrest-warrant-justifying-terrorism/  How a Ukrainian air assault on Russia led to the resignation of a Latvian prime minister (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/how-2-ukrainian-drones-sparked-political-turmoil-in-latvia/  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: Exclusive: ‘Putin won’t last’ – Russian agent who fled Moscow in a dead cowZelensky’s ‘revenge’ attacks after three days of huge strikes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2026

Day 1,540.Today, as Russia pummels Ukraine with over 1500 missiles and drones since yesterday, targeting civilians and energy infrastructure, Ukraine hits three energy facilities in Russia. We then focus on the issue of children who have been deported from Ukraine to Russia or to unknown locations in the occupied territories. The EU and UK announced further sanctions while the high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukraine Children on Monday in Brussels pledged funds and support towards tracing, tracking and returning children from Russia. Contributors:Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Co-host of Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X. Johanna Baxter, Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South. @JohannaBaxter on X. Maksym Maksymov, director of Bring Kids Back. @BringKidsBackUA on X. CONTENT REFERENCED:Returning the Stolen Children of Ukraine, Johanna Baxter, UK Friends of Ukrainehttps://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/582a1916-4c98-42de-936a-f74780c73b02/downloads/6c23bef6-a43d-4acd-a781-3b749bb46174/Report_%20Returning%20the%20Stolen%20Children%20of%20Ukrai.pdf?ver=1750937088779 Bringing Ukraine's kids back: Almost 60 countries unite to stop Russia's genocidal kidnapping of children (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/bringing-ukraines-kids-back-almost-60-countries-unite-to-stop-russias-genocidal-kidnapping-of-children/ 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:- 'Longest massive attack': Russia fires 2000 drones and missiles in 24 hours- 60 nations sign historic pledge to 'track down' 20,000 stolen kids Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

Day 1,539.Today, while Russia unleashes another huge aerial assault across Ukraine – as President Donald Trump insists the war could end soon – we examine Kyiv’s race to develop a new weapon and report on a deadly strike that the United Nations says hit one of its trucks. Then we bring you the latest from the NATO Eastern Flank summit in Romania as allies confront mounting fears over regional security, before looking at an investigation into a sunken Russian ship that was allegedly carrying nuclear reactors to North Korea. And later, in a special report from Kherson, a Telegraph journalist is forced to flee for cover as Russian drones hunt targets above the city. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Adrian Blomfield (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @Adrianblomfield on X. CONTENT REFERENCED:I was hunted in Russia’s 'drone safari' in Kherson (Adrian Blomfield for The Telegraph):Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNQSY6NaPhY Long Read: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/72-Hours-in-Kherson-red-zone/  Is Ukraine winning the war? The three facets of the 2026 counter-offensive (Dom’s film for The Telegraph incl. discussion of Kyiv's use of data):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-LWZtJBCwY  German soldiers attacked at Nato base ‘by masked assailants’ (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/12/german-soldiers-attacked-nato-base-masked-assailants/  Zelenskiy meets Palantir CEO as Ukraine expands use of AI in war (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-meets-palantir-ceo-ukraine-expands-use-ai-war-2026-05-12/  A Russian ship sank in mysterious circumstances. It may have been carrying submarine nuclear reactors to North Korea (CNN):https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/12/world/a-russian-ship-sank-in-mysterious-circumstances-it-may-have-been-carrying-nuclear-reactors-to-north-korea  NATO’s frontline countries jockey for US troops after Trump’s Germany withdrawal (POLITICO):https://www.politico.eu/article/nato-frontline-countries-jockey-for-us-troops-after-donald-trump-germany-withdrawal/  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:-  Exclusive: 72 hours dodging Russia’s ‘drone safari’ in Kherson- Did NATO sink this Russian ship carrying nuclear reactors to North Korea? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2026

Day 1,538.Today, as Andrii Yermak is charged with money laundering, we ask: should President Zelensky be disappointed in his former chief of staff or worried that the scandal is coming closer to him? We report that Poland has moved first and secured a third of the 150 billion Euro SAFE funding and we get our regular view from James Kilner of what’s happening inside Russia. Plus, we take a short foray into Africa, asking what Russia’s ejection from Mali says about the Kremlin's international appeal.  Contributors:Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on XAlex Nichol (Telegraph Journalist)James Kilner (Russia Expert ). @jkjourno on X CONTENT REFERENCED:Inside the Ukrainian war room turning the tide on Russiahttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/12/ukraine-war-drones-tech-russian-soldier-attacks/ Too paranoid to meet strangers, Putin fakes a street chat for cameras, by Antonia Langfordhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/12/putin-fakes-a-street-chat-for-cameras/ Putin expands world’s largest drone factory as it ramps up exports to Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/11/putin-expands-worlds-largest-drone-factory/ Help shape the future of Ukraine: The Latest. Share your thoughts in this quick survey:https://tinyurl.com/ukrainethelatestContact 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:- Zelensky former 'right-hand man' charged with corruption - WhatRussia’s ejection from Mali says about the Kremlin's international appeal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2026

Day 1,537.Today, as the final day draws to a close of the ceasefire supposedly brokered by the US to see Russia’s Victory Day parade on Saturday pass unscathed, we ask: what happened to the supposed prisoner swap that had been part of the deal? Plus Brussels Correspondent Joe Barnes asks Estonia’s PM and a Ukrainian defence analyst what the weekend’s events - or lack thereof - tells us about the state of the war. And we also hear updates on the work of the Come Back Alive charity, the organisation securing battle-winning technology for Ukraine, and a firm favourite of this podcast’s creator, David Knowles.  Contributors:Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. Joe Barnes (The Telegraph's Brussels Correspondent) @Barnes_Joe on XMykola Bielieskov (Defence Analyst) @MBielieskov on X Help shape the future of Ukraine: The Latest. Share your thoughts in this quick survey:https://tinyurl.com/ukrainethelatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Don’t abandon Nato’s eastern flank, Estonian PM tells Starmerhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/10/dont-leave-nato-eastern-flank-defenceless-estonia-starmer/ Help shape the future of Ukraine: The Latest. Share your thoughts in this quick survey:https://tinyurl.com/ukrainethelatestContact 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:- EU dismisses 'sham' offer for Putin’s 'buddy' to be mediator in Ukraine peace talks- With no tanks or missiles on parade, Putin claims 'this matter is coming to an end' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2026

Day 1,534.Today, as President Zelensky said he "doesn't recommend" that foreign representatives attend tomorrow’s May Day parade in Moscow, we report on the Kremlin’s cool and measured response to the threat of Ukrainian strikes, with Russian State Duma deputies threatening the use of Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles against Kyiv whilst, for reasons known only to them, warning that these statements are Russia’s “last warning to Brussels”. And, as the Azov Corps say they have returned to occupied Mariupol - albeit using strike drones - somewhat fittingly we have our regular update of resistance activity in the occupied areas.  Help shape the future of Ukraine: The Latest. Share your thoughts in this quick survey:https://tinyurl.com/ukrainethelatest Contributors:Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X. Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Dr Jade McGlynn (Occupied Territories Expert, King’s College London). 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:Will Ukrainian drones spoil Putin’s Victory Day parade? (The Spectator)https://spectator.com/article/will-ukrainian-drones-spoil-putins-victory-day-parade/ Rosenberg: Russia's Victory Day parade with no tanks a sign Ukraine war not going to plan (BBC)https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy2gj2jlr8o Is Frustration With Armenia’s Pashinyan Enough to Bring the Pro-Russia Opposition to Power? (Carnegie Endowment)https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2026/04/vojna-mir-i-socseti-kuda-vedet-predvybornaya-kampaniya-v-armenii 'They are stealing the election': How Armenia became the next Russia-EU battlefieldhttps://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20260419-stealing-election-how-armenia-became-next-russia-eu-battlefield EU prepares for ‘potential’ talks with Vladimir Putin, says official (Financial Times) https://www.ft.com/content/b093dae1-939b-47b4-96e4-40f212e87430?shareType=nongift&syn-25a6b1a6=1 Ukraine war 'led me to surrogacy' to earn money but a new law could end those plans (BBC)https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyp4kp687go 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: Putin running scared with pared back V-Day parade plans Zelensky visits brigades on the frontline Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2026

Day 1,533.Today, as Russia refused to follow Kyiv’s proposed ceasefire, killing at least 26 civilians, Kyiv responded by hitting targets 1500 km into Russia’s territory. Meanwhile, the corruption scandal uncovered in Ukraine last summer continues to send shockwaves across the country, possibly touching Zelensky himself. Ukraine’s Chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, himself under investigation in the probe, arrives in Miami for the first talks since the beginning of the war against Iran. Finally, we dive into Russia’s latest online disinformation campaign. Help shape the future of Ukraine: The Latest. Share your thoughts in this quick survey:https://tinyurl.com/ukrainethelatest Contributors:Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X. Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. Stephanie Baker (Investigative Journalist, Bloomberg). @StephaniBaker on X. 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:United Nations: At least 70 killed and over 500 injured in attacks across Ukraine since 1 Mayhttps://ukraine.ohchr.org/en/At-least-70-killed-and-over-500-injured-in-attacks-across-Ukraine-since-1-May?brid=YWdncwHX0NkpD1nGtCFuHnR85dYK The corruption scandal Volodymyr Zelensky won't confront, (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/corruption-scandal-closes-in-zelensky-looks-away/ Stephanie Baker’s investigation: Russia’s Disinformation War Most Potent Weapon is Bending Realities (Bloomberg): https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-russia-disinformation-storm-1516-videos/?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc3ODE2NTI0OCwiZXhwIjoxNzc4NzcwMDQ4LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJURTY3T0lLR1pBTE4wMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCNDdEQUVDNEVGNDE0NzBGOTAzNzRFM0U3NTNCQzg2QyJ9.TxyN9Bm4h-wlv29fjwocnYUdF0Q33zG8veGgtjMq49o How To Spot a Russian Deefake, Bloomberg: https://youtu.be/X9GQiouEdJ8?si=9Tuc4AK0KpGsxk4H Stephanie Baker’s work: https://stephaniebakerwriter.com/ Adélie’s event with the Ukrainian Institute, London: The Newest Testament - Literature as Testimony to Ukraine's Defence.https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-newest-testament-literature-as-testimony-to-ukraines-defence-tickets-1986991762851?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=1*97sdgn*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTU3NTk1NjMyNC4xNzc4MTc0MDM1*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*czE3NzgxNzQwMzQkbzEkZzAkdDE3NzgxNzQwMzQkajYwJGwwJGgw 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:Ukraine strikes refinery 1500 km inside Russia violates ceasefire 1,820 timesLeaked tapes from Ukraine’s widest corruption scandal cast doubt on Zelensky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2026

Day 1,532.Today, Vladimir Putin gives his answer to President Zelensky’s offer of an open-ended ceasefire: a brutal attack on the civilians of Ukraine which killed 20, including 12 in a single strike. What does this mean for the likelihood of a ceasefire over May 8 and 9th for Moscow’s Victory Day parade? Then we hear the latest from Kyiv, and hear the latest from Russia, including how Putin has banned staff from using phones amid assassination fears. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. With thanks to freelance journalist Antonia Langford in Kyiv. 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:Help shape the future of Ukraine: The Latest. Share your thoughts in this quick survey:https://tinyurl.com/ukrainethelatest  As Ukraine strikes deeper inside Russia, Putin retreats further into paranoia (Antonia Langford in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/05/paranoid-putin-cornered-ukrain-morphing-deep-strike-tactics/  Putin bans staff from using phones amid assassination fears (Antonia Langford in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/04/putin-bans-staff-using-phones-assassination-fears/  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: Vladimir Putin gives his answer to President Zelensky’s ceasefire offer A brutal attack on the civilians of Ukraine kills 20, including 12 in a single strike Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2026

Day 1,531.Today, after a weekend in which Zelensky joined more than 30 European leaders – along with the prime minister of Canada – at the European Political Community summit in Armenia, a country Moscow considers a close ally in the South Caucasus, and Ukraine calls Russia’s bluff over “ceasefires”, we report on further shadow fleet sanctions activity – from new regulations to unexplained explosions. And later, we look ahead to May Day celebrations in Russia and ask whether a Ukrainian drone penetrating Moscow’s layers of air defence suggests the parade could go off with a real bang. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to Yuliya Sotska of Ukrainian charity ‘Children of Heroes’. 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 ‘Children of Heroes’:https://childrenheroes.org/en/  Francis’s Long Interview with Silicon Curtain:Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vopvERNHGtg Audio: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qwPAXSkPTvScvGtdKa2rm Zelensky challenges Putin to new ceasefire (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/04/zelensky-challenges-putin-to-new-ceasefire/  Starmer to lobby Macron for closer EU ties (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/03/keir-starmer-join-eu-defence-fund-loan-ukraine/  Zelensky has scrapped open-ended military contracts to attract new recruits (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/01/zelensky-scraps-indefinite-contracts-soldiers-recruits/  Europe fears Putin’s ‘window of opportunity’ is now (Politico):https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-fears-valdimir-putin-window-opportunity-nato-test/ 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: Putin challenged to new ceasefire by Zelensky Fears NATO 'disintegrating' as Trump pulls thousands of troops from Europe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2026

Day 1,527.Today, we take you to Lviv and hear an update from Dom’s week in the west of the country – including a visit to a prisoner of war camp and speaking to soldiers who fought for Russia. Then we bring you the latest on strikes by both sides, as Tuapse refinery is hit for the fourth time in a fortnight, before discussing the end of what’s being called the biggest military exercise involving European forces since the end of the Cold War. NOTE: Monday is a bank holiday in the UK. Normal service will resume on Tuesday. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. 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:Russia's Leningrad Oblast 'now a front-line region,' local governor says (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/russias-leningrad-oblast-now-a-frontline-region-local-governor-says-following-recent-ukrainian-attacks/  Venice Biennale jury resigns after row over Russian entry (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/30/venice-biennale-jury-resigns-row-russian-artists/  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:Exclusive: ‘My face-to-face with Russian prisoners of war’ Europe ends largest military drill since the Cold War Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2026

Day 1,526.Today, as President Putin once again dangles a ceasefire in front of President Trump to avoid any risk of disruption to his Victory Day commemorations, he discuss reports that US president might be considering pulling American forces out of Germany while, at the same, the Pentagon finally unlocks a $400 million military aid package. We also bring you the latest on Ukraine’s strike campaign and how it’s turned one of Russia’s strengths – its size – into a weakness, before hearing from a Ukrainian Olympian diver about the decision by World Aquatics to permit Russian athletics to compete under the Russian flag once more. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to Telegraph reporters Lily Shanagher and Alisa Butterwick, plus Ukrainian Olympic diver Oleksiy Sereda. 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:Ukrainian drones destroy £18m Russian helicopters behind enemy lines (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/30/ukrainian-drones-destroy-18m-russian-helicopters/  Trump threatens to pull troops out of Germany (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/04/29/trump-germany-troops-friedrich-merz/  Putin’s ‘altar boy’ is finally in Ukraine’s sights (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/30/putin-altar-boy-finally-in-ukraine-sights/  Japanese drone maker doubles down on Ukraine as Tokyo eases arms rules (The Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/terra-drone-moves-deeper-into-ukraine-with-second-investment-as-tokyo-loosens-arms-rules/  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: Ukraine ‘vaporises’ Russian helicopters mid-flight behind enemy linesPutin proposes ‘brief’ ceasefire in Trump call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2026

Day 1,525.Today, following a 1500 kilometer Ukrainian deep strike on a Russian oil facility, we hear how – for the first time in 18 years – Moscow’s Victory Day parade will feature no military kit as Vladimir Putin’s paranoia continues. Then we take you to Washington, where King Charles III sought to charm the Trump administration by deploying pomp, circumstance, and a sprinkling of history, before speaking to a war artist about what it’s like painting soldiers on the frontline in an active warzone. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. With thanks to war artist Max Denison-Pender. 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 Max Denison-Pender’s war art:https://www.denisonpender.com/ukraine  ‘If France can seize Russia’s oil tankers, so can Britain’ (Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/29/ukraine-tells-starmer-to-hunt-russian-shadow-fleet/  King brings the House down on day of jokes, ovations and warm words (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2026/04/28/king-state-visit-congress-trump-house-down-jokes/  Hezbollah attacks Israeli military helicopter with fibre optic drones (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/28/hezbollah-attack-israeli-idf-helicopter-fibre-optic-drones/b  US ambassador to Ukraine to leave over differences with Donald Trump (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/33d5d8d4-a7db-4647-9751-c21de8ebecb8?syn-25a6b1a6=1 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:Moscow’s Victory Day parade will feature no military kitKing Charles III charms the Trump administration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2026

Day 1,524. At what point do frontline soldiers in Ukraine reach a breaking point? Today, as Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery is hit yet again, we discuss a new study underscoring the strain on troops in Ukraine, with many now serving longer in “the kill zone” than in some of the deadliest wars of the 20th century. We also report on a new museum in North Korea dedicated to soldiers killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, highlighting deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. And later, Joe Barnes speaks to Ukraine’s international sanctions representative about what more can be done to tighten sanctions on Russia and weaken the Kremlin’s war effort. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X. With thanks to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy of Ukraine. 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:Joe Barnes’s Pieces for The Telegraph:‘Britain and France should lead new European Nato, says ex-chief’ –https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/25/britain-france-european-nato-coalition-willing-ukraine/ Britain and allies could pool weapons funding in ‘defence bank’ – https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/26/britain-allies-pool-weapons-fund/  Putin humiliated as Russian mercenaries in Africa forced to withdraw (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/27/putin-humiliated-after-russian-mercenaries-africa-withdraw/  The heroic postmen of war-torn Ukraine putting Royal Mail to shame (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/heroic-postmen-of-ukraine-delivering-faster-royal-mail/  North Korea Displays US M1A1 and Leopard 2A4 Tanks Likely Sourced from Russia for Study of Western Armor (Army Recognition Group):https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2026/north-korea-displays-us-m1a1-and-leopard-2a4-tanks-likely-sourced-from-russia-for-study-of-western-armor 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:Frontline psychological 'breaking point' discovered Exclusive interview with Ukraine sanctions chief Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2026

Day 1,523.Today, after one of the deadliest bombardments Ukraine has endured this year, we hear of new Russian infiltration missions on the frontlines, how a masked Ukrainian soldier crashed a Zoom call at a Russian military recruitment event – telling students he would be forced to kill them if they joined the army – and more evidence that the US seeks to bring Moscow out of the cold by inviting them to the G20. Then we bring you a special update from the world of chess, and how names familiar to us – like Peskov and Shoigu – are involved in the Chess Federation, while the game is utilised as a tool of control in the occupied territories. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Malcolm Pein (Telegraph Chess Correspondent). @TelegraphChess on X. With thanks to the former coach of two chess world champions – and a Grandmaster himself – Peter Heine Nielsen. 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:Robot rescues Ukrainian pensioner from front-line village (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/27/robot-rescues-ukrainian-pensioner-front-line-village-russia/  I was in the room with Trump as the shots rang out (Connor Stringer in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/04/26/donald-trump-white-house-correspondents-dinner  Ukrainian soldier crashes Zoom call with Russian recruits (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/24/ukrainian-soldier-crashes-zoom-call-with-russian-recruits/  British fighter jets scrambled after Russian strike on Nato border (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/25/british-fighter-jets-scrambled-after-russian-strike-on-nato/ 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: Ukrainian soldier hacks Zoom call with Russian recruitsHow chess is weaponised in the occupied territories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 April 2026

Day 1,520.Today, as black rain continues to fall over the Russian city of Tuapse following Ukrainian strikes on an oil refinery, some residents are drawing comparisons to Hiroshima. We examine the latest developments in drone warfare, including new interceptor drones launched from fixed-wing aircraft in flight, and report on Prince Harry’s visit to a demining charity in Ukraine after his recent rebuke by Donald Trump. And later, we bring you our regular update on resistance activity in Russian-occupied Ukraine, along with a special report marking the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to Dr Jade McGlynn of King’s College, London, and Simon Evans, director of the Chornobyl Program at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. 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:Dom’s Video with Ukrainian Resistance leader:https://youtu.be/nLERq02oexs  Dom’s long read on the Resistance: ‘The Ukrainian saboteur waging a revenge war on Russia’ (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/24/the-ukrainian-saboteur-waging-a-revenge-war-on-russia/ Ukraine kills 12 Russian FSB officers in drone strike (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/23/ukraine-kills-12-russian-fsb-officers-in-drone-strike/  Married pensioners killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/24/married-pensioners-killed-russian-strikes-on-ukraine/  The €500mn hole in Chernobyl’s roof (The Financial Times)https://www.ft.com/content/c0f1ff87-cd28-4e7f-8f4c-6e4799ce53e5?syn-25a6b1a6=1 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 refinery inferno spews black rainUkraine kills 12 Russian FSB officers in strike Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2026

Day 1,519.Today, in a global first, we bring you an exclusive interview with a leading member of Ukraine’s resistance movement operating inside Russian-occupied territory. We also give you updates as President Zelensky arrives in Cyprus met with confirmation that the European Union has not only formally approved the €90 billion loan for Ukraine, but also a 20th package of sanctions against Russia. We report on Ukrainian strikes against a major Russian counterintelligence unit, before examining how the US military has begun deploying Ukrainian counter-drone technology at an air base in Saudi Arabia to defend against Iran. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Petro of the Ukrainian resistance, and Dr Jade McGlynn and the Centre for Statecraft and National Security at King’s College London for assisting with this interview. 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:Dom’s Video Interview: ‘Inside the Ukrainian resistance in Russia’s occupied territories’:https://youtu.be/nLERq02oexs  My grandfather ended Stalinism – now Putin has labelled me a ‘foreign agent’ (Iona Cleave in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/21/nina-khrushcheva-putin-bringing-back-stalinism-russia/  US turns to Ukrainian counter-drone tech after Iran attacks, sources say (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-turns-ukrainian-counter-drone-tech-after-iran-attacks-sources-say-2026-04-22/  Russia could be ready for NATO conflict year after Ukraine, Dutch warn (Defense News):https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/04/22/russia-could-be-ready-for-nato-conflict-year-after-ukraine-dutch-warn/ Public Annual Report 2025 Military Intelligence and Security Service (Dutch Intelligence):https://www.defensie.nl/documenten/2026/04/21/openbaar-jaarverslag-2025-militaire-inlichtingen--en-veiligheidsdienst 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:First ever interview with a Ukrainian resistance leader Updates as Zelensky finally gets EU’s €90bn loan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2026

Day 1,518.Today, after months of back-room negotiations, delays and doubts, we go live to Brussels as the EU finally approves the €90 billion loan for Ukraine. How significant is this decision for Kyiv’s war effort – and what happens now that the funding is secured? We also report on the proposal of “Donnyland”, a suggested name for territory in Donbas Ukraine may dedicate to Donald Trump. Then we round up the latest headlines from Russia and Central Asia. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. 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:Ukraine to launch EU-funded weapons spending spree after Orban defeat (Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/21/ukraine-to-spend-90bn-eu-windfall-on-patriots-and-storm-sha/  The Ukrainian negotiator who can silence Russia’s guns with one call (Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/20/ukrainian-peacemaker-swapping-prisoners  Ukraine proposes creating ‘Donnyland’ to satisfy Trump (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/22/ukraine-proposes-creating-donnyland-to-satisfy-trump/  A banking crisis made in the Kremlin is gripping Russia (Melissa Lawford in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/22/a-banking-crisis-made-in-the-kremlin-is-gripping-russia/  Putin closes major oil pipeline to Germany (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/22/putin-stokes-european-fuel-crisis-cutting-off-oil-germany/  Russian economy is faltering despite oil windfall, Sweden warns (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/04a9d05d-2502-44d4-b7e0-041aaa4f83cd?syn-25a6b1a6=1  ‘Donnyland’? Ukraine Proposes Naming Part of the Donbas in Trump’s Honor (New York Times):https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/us/politics/donnyland-ukraine-donbas-trump.html  Russia and North Korea Celebrate Joining of First Road Bridge (Moscow Times):https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/04/21/russia-and-north-korea-celebrate-joining-of-first-road-bridge-a92556  New biography on author Mikhail Bulgakov labeled under 'drug propaganda' law in Russia (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/amid-growing-censorship-laws-book-on-author-mikhail-bulgakov-labeled-drug-propaganda-in-russia/?mc_cid=9364e648a5&mc_eid=08d0680a95  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: EU approves €90 billion loan for Ukraine.A territory in the Donbas region of Ukraine may be named ‘Donnyland’ in tribute to Donald Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2026

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):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/20/world-faces-new-nuclear-arms-race-head-of-un-atomic-agency/  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?article77848Personal Website: colinlebedev.fr Jude Law plays Putin in a film shot in Riga. Latvian officials say it serves Kremlin propaganda (Meduza):https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/03/07/jude-law-plays-putin-in-a-film-shot-in-riga-latvian-officials-say-it-serves-kremlin-propaganda  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):https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-pushing-to-produce-home-grown-ballistic-defense-system-within-a-year-zelensky-says/ 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.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2026

Day 1,516.Today, as President Zelensky warns of increased Russian military activity in neighbouring Belarus, we discuss weekend Ukrainian air raids targeting oil refineries around Moscow. We then examine a shock election result that has brought another pro-Russia leader to power within both the EU and NATO, following in the footsteps of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. And later, we speak to a veteran foreign correspondent who spent 25 years in Russia – and has made more than a dozen trips to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion – for his memories of how Vladimir Putin built a system of ever greater repression and violence. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Marc Bennetts – foreign correspondent at The Times of London. 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:Marc Bennetts’ book, ‘The Descent: Witnessing Russia's Spiral into Madness Under Putin’:https://amzn.eu/d/0euJ6Dc6  Pro-Russian fighter pilot wins crushing victory in Bulgaria election (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/20/rumen-radev-bulgaria-election-win-pro-russia-progressive  Moscow-born gunman kills six in Kyiv supermarket ‘terror attack’ (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/18/moscow-born-gunman-shoots-five-people-dead-in-kyiv-attack/  BBC’s Steve Rosenberg: I’m walking a tightrope in Russia. It could all end tomorrow (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/20/steve-rosenberg-on-putins-russia/ 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 April 2026

Day 1,513.Today, as Hungary’s new prime minister Péter Magyar signals he will not veto the €90 billion European Union loan for Ukraine – and Slovakia’s opposition to the package appears to be crumbling – we ask whether Brussels can finally get the funding approved. We report on a continued surge in Ukrainian airstrikes against high-value Russian targets, and consider whether the air war in Russia’s war against Ukraine is beginning to tilt in Kyiv’s favour. We also examine developments in Ukraine’s domestic politics, as former presidential aide Andriy Yermak faces scrutiny from the country’s anti-corruption authorities. And later, we bring you a special interview from Adélie’s recent trip to Ukraine with Asami Terajima on the military’s efforts to prevent troops going AWOL and visiting a Kharkiv morgue. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.With thanks to Asami Terajima – frontline reporter 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:Top Zelensky allies Yermak, Arakhamia targeted in new searches, summons, source says (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/yermak/  The Mushroom Captivating Wartime Ukraine (New Lines):https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/the-mushroom-captivating-wartime-ukraine/  Russian air defenses are collapsing. Now Ukrainian warplanes can hit harder (Euromaidan):https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/04/15/donetsk-airport-raid/ Inside Ukraine's AWOL and military desertion crisishttps://kyivindependent.com/inside-ukraines-awol-and-desertion-crisis/ As Ukraine war deaths mount, Kharkiv morgue strains to identify the truthhttps://kyivindependent.com/you-cant-turn-off-your-emotion-inside-a-ukrainian-morgue-as-war-deaths-mount/ Coming of age during war, where mistakes can cost a lifehttps://kyivindependent.com/coming-of-age-during-war-where-mistakes-can-cost-a-life/ War Notes Newsletterhttps://kyivindependent.com/newsletters/war-notes/ The Kyiv Independent doesn’t have a paywall or an owner and is supported by acommunity of readers who make this work possible: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=membership-offline-arcola-theatre&utm_medium=offline&utm_campaign=pr 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2026

Day 1,512.Today, as Russian forces suffer more than 35,000 casualties in Ukraine in a single month – the highest rate of the war so far – we report on fresh strikes across Ukraine that have killed at least 17 civilians, including a 12 year old boy. We assess the outcome of the latest Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, and examine the dramatic first moves of Hungary’s new prime minister, who has vowed to shut down state television, describing it as “North Korean-style propaganda”. And later, we bring you the latest from Russia, including reaction in Moscow to the political fall of Viktor Orbán. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. 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:Child among 14 killed in Russian strikes (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/16/wave-of-russian-strikes-kills-14-in-ukraine/  Ukraine’s drones dent Russia’s war-fuelled oil windfall (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/d49e288f-b74e-44a8-a2f3-ec87f7cb5c27?syn-25a6b1a6=1  ‘The pope versus the president: how Leo became Trump’s fearless foe’ (Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/4f67aa87-9210-402d-bfef-b71b294d65cb?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Pope Pius II’s memoirs (Vol. I; Harvard University Press):https://itatti.harvard.edu/publications/commentaries  The Border by Erika Fatland: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57950362-the-border  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2026

Day 1,511.Today, as the 50-nation Ukraine Defence Contact Group meets in Berlin just hours after President Zelensky signs a new defence cooperation pact with Germany, we assess the first moves of Hungary’s new prime minister and what they could mean for European support for Ukraine. We then take a deep dive into Russian military tactics and campaign design – including how Moscow consolidates control over occupied territories – with an expert from the Institute for the Study of War. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Karolina Hird of the Institute for the Study of War. 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:Karolina Hird’s Occupation Updates for the ISW:https://understandingwar.org/people/karolina-hird/  The SBU detained an FSB informant who, while working as a school principal in Kramatorsk, corrected shelling of the city (Ukrainian Government):https://ssu.gov.ua/novyny/sbu-zatrymala-informatorku-fsb-yaka-pratsiuiuchy-zavuchem-shkoly-u-kramatorsku-koryhuvala-obstrily-mista 17-year-old Lithuanian who won the Norwegian Mathematical Olympiad donated the entire prize to Ukraine (LRT):https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/svietimas/45/2887345/norvegijos-matematikos-olimpiadoje-laimejes-17-metis-lietuvis-visa-priza-paaukojo-ukrainai  Ukraine opens first Africa food supply center in Ghana (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-links-food-aid-and-trade-with-ghana-agrohub/?mc_cid=d5c797f2f4&mc_eid=08d0680a95  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2026

Day 1,510.Today, as new evidence emerges that Russia is increasing sign-on bonuses to recruit more soldiers for its war in Ukraine, we report on efforts to ramp up defences around Vladimir Putin’s palace. We also examine dramatic political developments in Hungary, where the new prime minister has vowed to expose alleged Russian links – amid reports of document shredding by allies of former leader Viktor Orbán. And later, we speak to a former CIA operative about Russian disinformation tactics, the failures of Kremlin intelligence services, and what they have learned – and not learned – from the war. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to former CIA operative Sean M. Wiswesser. 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:Sean M. Wiswesser’s book, ‘Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin's Secret War’:https://a.co/d/04TANzGg  Putin has lost his best friend inside the EU. Who can he rely on now Orban has gone? (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/14/putin-loses-best-friend-orban/  Ukraine ‘forces Russians to surrender using only robots’ (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/14/ukraine-forces-russians-to-surrender-using-only-robots/  Putin’s house now protected by 27 air defence systems (Antonia Langford in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/13/putins-house-now-protected-27-air-defence-systems-drones/  Zelensky's Ukraine's Defense Industry Worker Day Address (President's Office):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Br_kdXR-sk&t=56s Starmer accused of ‘corrosive complacency’ over defence (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/14/starmer-accused-complacency-former-nato-chief-defence/ 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2026

Day 1,509.Today, as Ukraine and the wider world react to the apparent rejection of Viktor Orbán’s model of “illiberal democracy” in Hungary, we ask: who is Péter Magyar, and what does his rise mean for Hungarian politics and Europe? As Hungarians confront a potential new political era, we examine whether real change is coming in Budapest – and how the European Union will handle the unresolved вопрос of the €90 billion loan for Ukraine. We also assess how much fighting actually paused during the Orthodox Easter ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine, and ask whether Vladimir Putin is ultimately a winner or loser from the recent global attacks on oil infrastructure. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Crisp (Europe Editor). @JamesCrisp6 on X. 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:Orban ousted in Hungarian election landslide (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/12/orban-concedes-defeat-hungarian-election/  How Orban’s ousting in Hungary undermines Putin (James Crisp in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/13/orbans-ousting-hungary-undermines-putin/  What it’s like to be hunted by drones in Ukraine (Antonia Langford in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/13/what-its-like-to-be-hunted-by-drones-in-ukraine/ Learn more about ‘The Light of Freedom – A Night for Ukraine’ fundraiser tomorrow:https://www.tickettailor.com/events/supportukraine/2051898  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 April 2026

Day 1,506.Today, as Putin finally agrees to a brief ceasefire this weekend to mark Orthodox Easter - trying to pass the initiative off as his own generosity - we examine what a ceasefire is and, importantly, what it is not. We report how the next round of so-called peace talks have run into the sand and we have our regular update about resistance operations in the occupied territories. Plus, a special report from Adelie, for which discretion is advised, about how Russian troops are using sexual violence as a tactic in their war. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.With thanks to Dr Jade McGlynn and Sara Cincurova. 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:Putin announces Easter ceasefire in Ukrainehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/09/zelensky-trump-is-ignoring-russias-role-in-iran-attacks/ Ukrainian Women Tell Their Stories of Sexual Violence by Russian Soldiershttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/world/europe/russian-soldiers-sexual-violence-ukraine.html Three Years After Bucha’s Liberation, Ukrainian Women Still Struggle for Justicehttps://www.moretoherstory.com/stories/three-years-after-buchas-liberation-ukrainian-women-still-struggle-for-justice 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2026

Day 1,505.Today, as Russian shadow fleet tankers steam through the English channel backed up by warships, The Telegraph’s acting defence editor Tom Cotterill, was also floating nearby to witness PM Sir Keir Starmer’s new shadow fleet policy in action. We report on Russia's secret submarine operation in British waters. Ukraine claims that it has put Russia's last remaining ferry in the Kerch Strait out of action, potentially isolating occupied Crimea. And we hear that Hungary has uncovered a massive Ukrainian money laundering operation just days ahead of the general election. Plus we hear from our resident Russia-watcher James Kilner, and ask: is Moscow’s jeering a sign that the Kremlin no longer fears Donald Trump? Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.James Kilner. @jkjourno on X 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 Russian warship loomed above me, bristling with firepower and brazen menace, by Tom Cotterill: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/09/russian-warship-loomed-above-me-bristling-with-firepower Russia ran secret submarine operation in British waters: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/09/russia-ran-secret-submarine-operation-in-british-waters/ Ukrainian intelligence called it “the last Russian railway ferry in the Kerch Strait still afloat” — now it’s out of action toohttps://euromaidanpress.com/2026/04/08/ukrainian-intelligence-called-it-the-last-russian-railway-ferry-in-the-kerch-strait-still-afloat-now-its-out-of-action-too/ 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2026

Day 1,504.Today Ukraine praises the news of an apparent ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha saying: “American decisiveness works”. We report on an FBI operation to protect US citizens from Russian cyberhackers and take in the aromas of a fishing port in NW France, where Breton fishermen are donating their old nets to Ukraine to protect against drones. Plus, Francis has a second dispatch with Orban’s team on the upcoming Hungary elections. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. 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:Francis’s Hungary Documentaries –Part I: Ukraine & Russia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o Part II: Immigration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuGB9mgdHvE The French fishing village helping Ukraine catch Russian drones, by Henry Samuel: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/08/french-fishing-village-helping-ukraine-catch-russian-drones/ Justice Department Conducts Court-Authorized Disruption of DNS Hijacking Network Controlled by a Russian Military Intelligence Unithttps://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-conducts-court-authorized-disruption-dns-hijacking-network-controlled NATO Internship Programmehttps://www.nato.int/en/work-with-us/careers/internship-programme?srcDelegationsatNATOEN 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2026

Day 1,503.Today after another set of attacks on Russian oil and gas infrastructure, it's clear Ukraine is not going to heed calls by some international leaders to stop striking Russian energy facilities. President Zelensky has continued his whirlwind diplomatic tour visiting Syria and Turkey over Easter, and we hear from our Senior Foreign Correspondent, Adrian Blomfield, about how a drone designed for herding cattle helped destroy a bridge being used by Russia. Plus, Francis has a special report on the upcoming Hungarian elections. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adrian Blomfield (Telegraph Senior Foreign Correspondent). @adrianblomfield on X 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:Francis’s Hungary Documentaries –Part I: Ukraine & Russia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o Part II: Immigration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuGB9mgdHvE Adrian Blomfield’s article: Exclusive: British drones destroy Russian-controlled bridge: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/07/british-drones-destroy-russian-controlled-bridge-dnipro/ Picture credit: Credit: Ukraine's 426th Unmanned Systems Regiment 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2026

Day 1,498.Today, as President Donald Trump threatens to withdraw from the key US initiative that enables allies to purchase American weapons for Ukraine, we analyse new footage of emerging drone technologies on the frontline, before exposing the brutal realities of Russia’s battlefield economy and the corruption sustaining Vladimir Putin’s war effort. We also report on record crime rates in Russia since the invasion, as returning soldiers strain domestic stability, and hear expert analysis on this pivotal moment in Ukrainian politics. **Ukraine: The Latest will return after Easter on Tuesday 7th of April.** Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to freelance journalist Antonia Langford and Deputy Editor of the Kyiv Independent, Oleksiy Sorokin. 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:‘Rapists and murderers’ in Russian army rampage while home from front (Antonia Langford in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/01/rapists-murderers-russian-army-rampage-home-from-front/  Trump threatened to stop weapons for Ukraine unless Europe joined Hormuz coalition (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/d304071a-ca97-4b3b-be93-ff880a6645c3?syn-25a6b1a6=1  On the front lines, Russian soldiers pay officers to stay alive (The Economist):https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/04/01/on-the-front-lines-russian-soldiers-pay-officers-to-stay-alive 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2026

Day 1,497.Today, as The Telegraph publishes an exclusive interview with Donald Trump in which he threatens to withdraw the United States from NATO, we examine the potential consequences for European security and Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion. We also analyse dramatic footage of new Russian “jousting” drones reportedly being deployed on the battlefield, before looking at Vladimir Putin’s latest appeal to Russia’s billionaire oligarchs to help sustain the country’s wartime economy. And later, we reflect on the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and the enduring legacy of the nuclear catastrophe that still shapes Ukraine’s environmental and security landscape. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Connor Stringer (Washington Correspondent). @connor_stringer on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. With thanks to Dr Sasha Dovzhyk. 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:Trump interview: I am strongly considering pulling out of Nato (Connor Stringer in The Telegraph).https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/01/donald-trump-strongly-considering-pulling-us-out-of-nato/  Russian drone skewers Ukrainian aircraft in mid-air (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/31/russian-drone-skewers-ukrainian-aircraft-in-mid-air/  Learn more about INDEX:https://www.index-ukraine.org/en  Learn more about NOXAID:https://noxaiduk.org/ Specific fundraiser for Fire truck:https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/james-clarke-512?utm_medium=CF&utm_source=CL  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2026

Day 1,496.Today, as Ukraine offers to assist in re-opening the Strait of Hormuz, we hear reports of the Ukrainians being warned off attacking oil energy infrastructure as the world continues to reel from the war in Iran, before examining leaked calls between the Russian and Hungarian foreign ministers that suggest an even closer relationship between Moscow and Budapest than previously understood. Finally, we reflect on the anniversary of the Bucha massacre – one of the most notorious atrocities of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and hear the view from the battlefield with frontline reporter Francis Farrell. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to Francis Farrell of 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:Francis’s Documentary on Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o Chernobyl Event Tomorrow by the Ukrainian Institute of London/Royal Society of the Arts:https://www.thersa.org/events/2026/04/40-years-on-chornobyls-legacy-and-european-environmental-security/  Kremlin hotline: Hungary colluded with Russia to delist sanctioned oligarchs, companies and banks (The Insider and others):https://theins.press/en/inv/290911  Foreign fighters in Russian ranks rise above 27,000, Ukraine says (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/foreign-fighters-in-russian-ranks-rise-to-27-407-ukraine-says/?mc_cid=84888effdc&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Interview exclusive de Sergueï Lavrov, ministre des Affaires étrangères russe (France 2):https://www.franceinfo.fr/monde/russie/video-nous-nous-prononcons-pour-la-defense-des-interets-de-l-iran-regardez-l-interview-exclusive-de-serguei-lavrov-ministre-des-affaires-etrangeres-russe-sur-france-2_7896044.html Pourquoi et dans quelles conditions la rédaction de France Télévisions a-t-elle réalisé l'interview de Sergueï Lavrov, chef de la diplomatie russe ? (France Info): https://www.franceinfo.fr/une-information-transparente-franceinfo/transparence-pourquoi-et-dans-quelles-conditions-la-redaction-de-france-televisions-a-t-elle-realise-l-interview-de-serguei-lavrov-chef-de-la-diplomatie-russe_7897925.html Francis Farrell’s recent journalism for The Kyiv Independent:https://kyivindependent.com/author/francis-farrell/  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2026

Day 1,495.Today, as the full extent of the damage from Ukrainian strikes in the Baltic region becomes clearer, we assess the impact on Russia’s oil infrastructure and the wider war economy. We also examine stalled offensives on the ground, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces struggling to make significant gains along the frontline. Then we turn to President Zelensky’s “Gulf Grand Tour”, as he signs defence agreements with Gulf states seeking Ukrainian assistance against Iranian drone threats as Moscow is accused of helping Tehran to destroy one of its most valuable aircraft. And later, we look at a row in Germany after a major defence company claimed Ukrainian drones were “built by housewives”, and ask whether a European Union member state such as Hungary could lose its voting rights amid growing pressure to unlock a €90 billion loan for Kyiv. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X. 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:Francis’s Documentary on Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o  Zelensky looks to Gulf to protect him from Putin (Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/zelensky-needs-patriot-missiles-answer-in-gulf/  Orban on the brink – but his rival may spring a surprise on the EU (James Crisp in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/eu-viktor-orban-hungary-election/  How Iran destroyed US base’s $500m battlefield nerve centre (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/how-iran-destroyed-500m-battlefield-nerve-centre-at-us-base/  Hungarian Journalist Faces Spy Charges After Reports on Election Meddling (New York Times):https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/world/europe/hungary-journalist-election-meddling-espionage.html  Russians dubious as bomb shelters appear 1,000km from Ukraine (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/russia-building-bomb-shelters-1-000-km-from-border-as-ukraines-strike-reach-grows/?mc_cid=6c83d4505d&mc_eid=08d0680a95  Russian losses in the war with Ukraine: updated (Mediazona and BBC):https://en.zona.media/article/2026/03/27/casualties_eng-trl  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 March 2026

Day 1,492.Today, as Ukraine continues its strikes on Russian oil terminals on the Baltic Sea, we explore how Russia’s oil exports and wider economy are benefiting from the war in Iran. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky is in Saudi Arabia seeking to strengthen defence cooperation in the Middle East. And later, we bring several updates from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, along with the first episode from Francis’s new documentary series dedicated to Hungary – widely seen as the chief barrier to the European Union’s efforts to support Kyiv. Contributors:Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest).Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest).With thanks to Dr Jade McGlynn. 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:Francis’s Hungary film will top this playlist as soon as it’s live at c.20:00 GMT/15:00 ET:https://youtu.be/fIILzKnFs2o?si=6pkMUNstkZjtYxfW  Accompanying article:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/hungary-russia-ukraine-viktor-orban-war-explained-dispatch/  How Ukraine killed Putin’s plan to make billions from Iran war (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/ukraine-killed-putins-plan-make-millions-iran-war/  Exclusive: Trump's Iran war pushes India to rekindle old friendship with Russia (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trumps-iran-war-pushes-india-rekindle-old-friendship-with-russia-2026-03-27/ Why Ukraine’s Russian oil strikes are backfiring (The Spectator):https://spectator.com/article/why-ukraines-russian-oil-strikes-are-backfiring/ Willing Accomplices: Gazprom and Rosneft’s role in the transport and indoctrination of children (Yale School of Public Health, HUmanitarian Research Lab):https://files-profile.medicine.yale.edu/documents/685979f1-6c89-4295-a765-d6fee48357e3 Welcome to ‘New Russia’: How the Kremlin is remaking occupied Ukraine (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/investigations/welcome-new-russia-how-kremlin-is-remaking-occupied-ukraine-2026-03-26/ How Russia attempts to legalize the occupation of Crimea (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/how-russia-attempts-to-legalize-the-occupation-of-crimea/  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2026

Day 1,491.Today, as extraordinary Ukrainian strikes in the Baltic region reportedly knock out around 40 per cent of Russia’s crude oil export capacity in a single attack – and achieve the first known successful strike on a Russian military ship in the Baltic Sea, hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine – we assess the strategic impact on Russia’s war economy. We also take the temperature from high-level meetings in Germany and Finland, and examine reports that Moscow is supplying Iran with vital assistance in its confrontation with the United States and Israel. What vulnerabilities has this widening conflict exposed for Washington? Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Dr Robert Person, nonresident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. 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:Ukraine drone attacks wipe out power for 500,000 Russians (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/25/ukraine-russia-drone-attacks-power-cut-500k-kyiv/  Trump denies it – but two wars are becoming one (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/26/converging-wars-leave-europe-panicked-and-putin-emboldened/  Exclusive: At least 40% of Russia's oil export capacity halted (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/least-40-russias-oil-export-capacity-halted-reuters-calculations-show-2026-03-25/  Russia sending drones to Iran, western intelligence says (The Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/d5d7291b-8a53-42cd-b10a-4e02fbcf9047?syn-25a6b1a6=1  Russian government ordered Moscow internet blackout, The Bell reports (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/orders-to-shut-down-internet-in-moscow-came-from-government-independent-russian-outlets-sources-confirm/?mc_cid=acf8847d40&mc_eid=08d0680a95  Pentagon considers diverting Ukraine military aid to the Middle East (The Washington Post):https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/26/us-iran-war-ukraine-missile-defense/  Over 5000 munitions shot in the first 96 hours of Iran war (Foreign Policy Institute):https://www.fpri.org/article/2026/03/over-5000-munitions-shot-in-the-first-96-hours-of-the-iran-war/ Drone Warfare Has Come to the United States (National Interest):https://nationalinterest.org/feature/drone-warfare-has-come-to-the-united-states  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2026

Day 1,490.Today, as Ukraine suffers the largest wave of Russian attacks of the entire war – including a rare daytime aerial assault across much of the country – we examine the scale and impact of the bombardment. We also report on Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russia’s Baltic ports, with some drones reportedly reaching Estonia and Latvia. Then we reveal behind-the-scenes details of talks in Florida between Ukrainian and American officials, as the first investment linked to the US-Ukraine minerals deal becomes public. And later, we explore the evolution of international law since the Nuremberg Trials and how it underpins the post–World War II security architecture, in conversation with a former director of Human Rights Watch. 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 journalist and author Steve Crawshaw. 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:Steve Crawshaw’s book – Prosecuting the Powerful: War Crimes and the Battle for Justice:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prosecuting-Powerful-Crimes-Battle-Justice/dp/0349128952/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0  Russia bombards Ukraine with largest daytime attack (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/24/wave-of-russian-strikes-kill-five-in-ukraine/  Ukrainian Institute of London’s Language School:Spring-Summer Term info: https://uil.org.uk/language-school/Intensive Course booking: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ukrainianinstitutelondon/2125172 Registration form: https://forms.gle/hdeuf36UxxrJpUKe9 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2026

Day 1,489.Today, amid confirmation that Vladimir Putin’s spring offensive in Russia’s war in Ukraine has begun, we report on the assaults along the frontline that have driven a sharp rise in Russian casualty figures. We then examine the truth behind growing rumours of unrest and widespread internet outages in Moscow. We also speak to a senior official in the office of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán about allegations that Budapest’s diplomats shared details of European Union meetings with Kremlin officials. And later, we look at the controversial cases of Ukrainians who fought for Russia and are now prisoners of war in Ukraine – asking what drove them to switch sides in the conflict. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.With thanks to parliamentary state secretary of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Cabinet Office, Balázs Hidvéghi, and freelance journalist Jen Stout. 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:Wave of Russian strikes kill five in Ukraine (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/24/wave-of-russian-strikes-kill-five-in-ukraine/  Ukraine strikes Russian oil export hub (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/23/ukraine-strikes-russias-largest-baltic-oil-terminal/  Ukraine names Hungarian officer allegedly behind spy network busted in 2025 (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-names-hungarian-officer-allegedly-behind-spy-network-busted-in-2025/  What makes a traitor? Interviews with Ukrainians who fought for Russia reveal how they became Putin’s soldiers (Jen Stout in Prospect):https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/europe/ukraine/72210/what-makes-a-traitor  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2026

Day 1,488.Today, after another weekend of so-called peace talks over Russia’s war in Ukraine, we search for signs of a diplomatic breakthrough (spoiler: there isn’t one). We report on a fresh wave of long-range Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia that forced at least 15 Russian airports to suspend flight operations and also examine the so-called “Gamechanger” plot – allegations of a plan to stage a fake assassination attempt on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to boost his chances in next month’s election. Later, we catch-up with Michael Bohnert at the RAND Corporation, and ask whether Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles and interceptor drones are now setting the pace for aerial warfare and military innovation. Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Michael Bohnert of RAND. 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:Putin tells Trump: I’ll stop giving Iran intel if you cut off Ukraine (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/03/20/putin-trump-iran-intel-ukraine/  What the Ukraine war tells us about the Iran conflict (Valerii Zaluzhnyi in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/21/ukraine-war-tells-us-about-iran-conflict/  President Stubb of Finland: ‘We must face reality – the West has split’ (David Blair’s Interview in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/22/president-stubb-finland-interview/  How Telegram became a death sentence for Russian soldiers (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/20/how-telegram-became-a-death-sentence-for-russian-soldiers/  Ukrainians in disbelief over West’s failure to stop Iran’s deadly drones (Adrian Blomfield in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/20/trump-iran-ukraine-russia-drone-warfare/  What Is Ukraine’s Interceptor, One of the World’s Most In-Demand Drones? (UNITED24):https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/what-is-ukraines-interceptor-one-of-the-worlds-most-in-demand-drones-17055 To tilt Hungarian election, Russians proposed staging assassination attempt of Orban (Washington Post):https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/03/21/hungary-election-interference-russia-orban/  WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:Our weekly newsletter includes maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons, answers your questions, provides recommended reading, and gives exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights.. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. Join here – http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 March 2026

Day 1,485.Three days into Russia’s so called ‘spring offensive’, there are barely any advances on the ground yet casualties continue to rise. A Ukrainian delegation is on its way to Washington to resume talks tomorrow after the latest round in the diary was postponed by the war in Iran. Meanwhile the European Union stalls again in providing Ukraine with financial relief. Contributors:Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute. @Jack_Watling on X. 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: Why Iran's new leader survived & how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Iran: The Latesthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exclusive-why-irans-new-leader-survived-how-to-reopen/id1712903296?i=1000755619719 United 24: 110-Truck “Humanitarian” Convoy From Central Asia Heads To Iran—But What’s Inside?https://united24media.com/latest-news/110-truck-humanitarian-convoy-from-central-asia-heads-to-iran-but-whats-inside-17049 Exclusive: Ukraine has few options if Hungary keeps EU funding frozen, Kyiv Independenthttps://kyivindependent.com/exclusive-ukraine-has-few-options-if-hungary-keeps-eu-funding-frozen/ We interviewed Iran’s envoy to Ukraine and it was absolutely wild, Kyiv Independenthttps://kyivindependent.com/we-interviewed-irans-envoy-in-ukraine-and-it-was-absolutely-wild/ Russia uneasy as Trump's envoy quietly courts Moscow's closest ally, Kytiv Independenthttps://kyivindependent.com/russia-uneasy-as-trumps-envoy-quietly-courts-moscows-closest-ally/ Oscar-nominated ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ exposes Russian passivity, Kyiv Independenthttps://kyivindependent.com/oscar-nominated-film-shows-russias-enduring-small-person-complex/ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:Our weekly newsletter includes maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons, answers your questions, provides recommended reading, and gives exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights.. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. Join here – http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2026