Day 1,203. Today, as Ukraine fends off yet another overnight aerial bombardment, the first prisoners of war to return since the latest rounds of peace talks arrive in Ukraine. Meanwhile in London, we hear about NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte’s punchy speech at Chatham House yesterday. Finally, we talk with former Swedish Defence minister Peter Hulqvist. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X. Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholl...
Jun 10, 2025•51 min
Day 1,202. Today, we assess the overall strategic picture as Russia sets its sights on one of the regions not illegally annexed after one the most furious, but failed, aerial bombardments of the war. Then we hear more from the fallout of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s meeting with Donald Trump and from the Polish Presidential election last week, before hearing from a historian of the Cold War about the right, and wrong, lessons we take from that era. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive...
Jun 09, 2025•58 min
Day 1,199. Today, as Ukraine strikes more military targets deep inside Russia, Moscow responds by launching a massive missile and drone attack against civilian targets across much of Ukraine. We hear what life is like in the embattled city of Pokrovsk in the Donbas, and then the latest updates on resistance in the occupied territories with Dr Jade McGlynn. Later, we interview Lord Robertson - architect of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Aud...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Day 1,198. Today, as the true impact of the historic drone strikes on the Russian air fleet become clear, we reflect more deeply on their implications for the war, and what it tells us that Putin refused to reference them in televised remarks. Plus we share more on our experiences in the port city of Odesa this week, including recordings from inside a basement during an air raid. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Associate Edito...
Jun 05, 2025•45 min
Day 1,197. Today, after another series of deadly strikes on civilians in Sumy, Russia continue to push ahead in the north of the region. Meanwhile, we continue to assess the damages from Operation Spider’s Web and the Kerch Bridge explosion. We also dive into the UK’s Strategic Defence Review and what it means for Ukraine, while the UK promises 100,000 drones to Ukraine by Spring 2026. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X. Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign...
Jun 04, 2025•59 min
Day 1,196. Today, while fighting continues around the area of Pokrovsk, Ukraine claims yet another attack on crucial Russian infrastructure. This time, it is the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia to Crimea that was hit with underwater explosives. Meanwhile, in Istanbul yesterday, the Russia and Ukrainian delegations continue to be at a deadlock, despite agreeing on an exchange of POWs. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X. Roland Oliphant (Senior Forei...
Jun 03, 2025•40 min
Day 1,195. Today, after what some are calling the most successful special operation in modern history, we assess the strategic significance of Ukraine's strikes on Russia’s bomber fleet. We also discuss the Polish presidential elections and the Strategic Defence Review, coming out later today in the UK. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X. Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X. Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @...
Jun 02, 2025•49 min
Day 1,192. Today, while missiles and drones ran down on Ukraine, and especially on Kharkiv, Ukraine and its allies are still waiting for Russia’s memo on their terms for a potential ceasefire and peace talks next week in Istanbul. We also discuss the increase of electronic warfare on the battlefield and share an exclusive interview with former deputy assistant to the US president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on the U.S. National Security Council, Fiona Hill. Plus, Dom and...
May 30, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Day 1,191. Today, Ukraine targets Moscow with drone attacks for the second consecutive days and strikes several industrial plants linked to the war effort in Russia. Meanwhile, Russia proposes a new round of peace talks in Istanbul on June 2nd. We discuss the memorandums that both Ukraine and Russia are drafting ahead of the meeting and whether we’ll see a change from Russia’s maximalist stance from earlier this month. And we look ahead to the Polish presidential elections on Sunday. Finally, Fr...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Day 1,190. Today, as Ukraine reels from yet another record drone bombardment, we look at warnings that Russia is massing 50,000 troops near Sumy ahead of a new offensive. Plus we bring you some of the top lines from Chancellor Friederich Merz’s press conference with Vlodomyr Zelensky, where he announced that Germany would help Ukraine build long-range missiles. We’ll also be hearing Dom’s interview with Estonia’s defence minister about Moscow’s shadow fleet and how to protect critical infrastruc...
May 28, 2025•40 min
Day 1,189. Today, after Kyiv suffers some of the most intense bombardments of the war, we look at why more drones and ballistic missiles are piercing Ukrainian defences, and assess the significance of Donald Trump saying that Vladimir Putin has gone “absolutely crazy.” Plus we hear another interview from Dom’s trip to Estonia, and reflect on how the podcast began with Ukraine’s: The Latest ’s original producer. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. D...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Today is a public holiday here in the UK, and so we’re releasing a special episode on one of the great taboo subjects in the history of warfare: that of the role of gender and sexual violence. Firstly, Adelie speaks with Sofi Oksanen, who just published the viral essay 'Same River, Twice, Putin’s War on Women'. She discusses how historic attitudes to gender in Russia impacted post-Soviet history. The second interview is with Tetiana Tymoshenko, a therapist who works with survivors of rape in Ukr...
May 26, 2025•46 min
Day 1,185. Today, as Ukraine closes Moscow’s airspace for the third night in a row we get our regular update about resistance activities in the occupied territories, report from a NATO exercise in Sweden and, for a little pick me up at the end of the week, you’ll hear what happened when Francis and Dom were introduced to strong Ukrainian coffee. Contributors: Dom Nicholls (Associate Editor for Defence). @DomNicholls on X. Dr. Jade McGlynn (War Studies Department of King's College). @DrJadeMcGlyn...
May 23, 2025•47 min
Day 1,184. Today, as Moscow’s Airports are once again shut down by Ukrainian drones, we hear about Chechnan officers apparently assassinated in the occupied territories, as it’s revealed Trump told his European counterparts Putin does not want to end the war. Plus, we hear about the educational challenges faced by refugees, and the evolving nature of civil society in a country at war with the founder of one of Ukraine’s largest foundations. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Au...
May 22, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Day 1,183. Today, as Vladimir Putin makes his first visit to Kursk after the Kremlin erroneously claimed all Ukrainian soldiers had been completely pushed out of the territory, we look at the latest deep strikes on Russian infrastructure, hear from an ambulance convoy in Ukraine, and speak to a central advisor of the European Union on Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dom Nicholls (Associate Editor for Defence)....
May 21, 2025•53 min
Day 1,182. Today, we continue dissecting the phone call between Putin and Trump and what it means for the prospect of negotiations. We discuss the latest Russian ‘Frankenstein’ missile and tactics on the ground, plus a dive into a report investigating Russian strikes on hotels near the frontline in an effort to target journalists. Finally we hear a dispatch from Sweden and interview with a Swedish chief of defence staff on the Russian threat on the Finnish border. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Po...
May 20, 2025•56 min
Day 1,181. Today, just minutes after Presidents Putin and Trump spoke over the phone following the failed peace talks in Turkey last week, we react to the strategy being adopted by both sides: is Putin playing Trump like a fiddle? Then, later, we hear about the worst aerial bombardment Ukraine has experienced of the entire war, which took place not three years ago, but on Sunday. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dom Nicholls (Associate Editor fo...
May 19, 2025•52 min
Day 1,178. Today, as Ukraine and Russia hold their first direct negotiations in over three years today in Istanbul, we bring you live coverage from two major political and defence conferences in Europe, featuring key NATO and EU figures. How united is Europe in its stance on security and support for Ukraine? Plus, we speak with a former senior U.S. official to assess whether Donald Trump’s influence in American politics is beginning to fade, and hear about the new commander of Moscow’s ground fo...
May 16, 2025•1 hr
Day 1,177. Today, as Vladimir Putin rejects mounting Western pressure to attend peace talks in Turkey with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, attention turns to the controversial delegation he's sending in his place. Who are these representatives, and why are international diplomats describing their presence as an ‘insult’ to the peace process? Plus, we report on a new monument to Joseph Stalin unveiled in Moscow, and investigate how Russia’s military build-up is accelerating, not slowing, ...
May 15, 2025•48 min
Day 1,176. Today, we discuss reports of staged anti-Western protests ahead of Russia’s Victory Day parade last week, where ‘activists for hire’ chanted slogans in front of several EU embassies. We also look at the 17th package of sanctions agreed on by EU ambassadors, which will have severe ramifications for Vladimir Putin’s shadow fleet. Finally, we hear about the escalation of strikes on civilians since the beginning of 2025 and their consequences, especially for children. Please note this epi...
May 14, 2025•43 min
Day 1,175. Today, we look ahead to what might happen on Thursday in Istanbul. We discuss whether Putin will show up at all. We also dive into the potential 17th round of sanctions if Russia doesn’t agree to a ceasefire, and whether Europe can deliver on its promises. Finally, Francis has a robust conversation with the Hungarian Secretary of State for International Communication and Relations, Zoltán Kovács, at the Hungarian embassy in London. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Reporter and Pro...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Day 1,174. Today, we unpack a momentous weekend of diplomacy which began with the European leaders of Britain, Germany, France, and Poland assembling in Kyiv to demand an unconditional ceasefire, escalated with a late-night address from Vladimir Putin and fresh drone attacks, then culminated in a shock intervention from Donald Trump. Afterwards, we offer a detailed analysis on the strategic picture on the front lines. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley ...
May 12, 2025•54 min
Day 1,171. Today, as Vladimir Putin hosts world leaders in Moscow for his Victory Day Parade, we break down what was really on display: both in military hardware and political messaging. How much of the spectacle honored World War II, and how much signaled the rise of a militarised Russia? Then, we speak with a former Ukrainian MP and leader of the Sky Shield initiative about proposals for Kyiv’s allies to shoot down enemy missiles, and report on the latest resistance efforts in occupied territo...
May 09, 2025•55 min
Day 1,170. Today, as the end of the Second World War in Europe is marked in most European countries, we report how Vladimir Putin’s three-day ‘goodwill ceasefire’ designed to protect his own commemoration tomorrow appears to have been broken already, we examine three very strong and uncharacteristically critical comments by the United States administration about Russia, and we ask whether Friedrich Merz has hit the ground running, or fallen at the first hurdle. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Ex...
May 08, 2025•53 min
Day 1,169. Today, as – for the third day running – Ukrainian drones sow chaos in the skies above Moscow, we analyse the final preparations for Putin’s Victory Day parade, and discuss President Biden’s first interview since leaving office, hours after Friedrich Merz finally became Chancellor of Germany at a pivotal moment in modern European history. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X...
May 07, 2025•54 min
Day 1,168. Today, as Friedrich Merz suffers a “humiliating and unexpected setback” on his way to becoming German Chancellor, we report how the Kremlin is preparing for Friday’s Victory Day parade, all while nervously watching the skies for Ukrainian drones, after two successive nights of attacks on Moscow. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. With thanks to Ash Bhardwaj, an award-winn...
May 06, 2025•51 min
Today, on a public holiday in the UK, we answer questions submitted by listeners around the world. What's it like being shot at in a tank? What would happen in the US suddenly stopped supporting Ukraine? Why do missiles do more damage in Ukraine than in Israel? What could give the 'Coalition of the Willing' more bite? And is 2025 the year Russian economy finally collapses? Plus many more. See Dom, Francis and Adélie in our studio by watching this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9szTxRfF7TU ...
May 05, 2025•54 min
Day 1,164. Today, as a drone attack hits Russian airbases in occupied Crimea, we continue to unpack the minerals deal signed between the US and Ukraine and we contemplate whether the US might be pulling out of the peace negotiations. We also look at the latest news from Central Asia and we hear from a visual artist who donated a photograph to the Kherson Art Museum, which was looted by Russian soldiers in 2022. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Narrative Podcast Producer). @adeliepjz on X. Do...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 10 min
Day 1,163. Today, as the United States and Ukraine finally sign a much-revised minerals deal, we look at what it might mean for the future security of Ukraine – and we return to Germany to examine the first appointments of Friedrich Merz’s top team and ask why some commentators are questioning whether members of the German elite are really serious about rearmament, or would perhaps prefer a rapprochement with Russia. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X...
May 01, 2025•50 min
Day 1,162. Today, as Russian troops intensify offensive operations in several oblasts – Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson – we talk about the latest conversations amongst the coalition of the willing, where the tone is decidedly pessimistic. Then we do a deeper dive into the latest positions of China, Turkey, and Syria in relation to the war. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Narrative Podcast Producer) @Adeliepjz on X. Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. So...
Apr 30, 2025•40 min
