The world’s #1 most listened-to podcast on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trusted by over 140 million listeners, every weekday The Telegraph’s award-winning team provides breaking news and expert analysis on military strategy, weaponry and the geopolitics of Vladimir Putin vs. Volodymyr Zelensky. And ask: where does Donald Trump fit in?
From frontline reporting and battlefield analysis to deep dives on military strategy, sanctions, energy markets, and global security, we cover the latest war updates alongside history, economics, culture, and daily life in Ukraine and Russia. Featuring expert insight on weapons systems, cyber warfare, humanitarian issues, and what happens next, it is widely considered the go-to source for understanding the conflict.
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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 nuc...
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 app...
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 organisat...
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 retur...
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, w...
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 Ukr...
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 p...
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 serv...
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 ...
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 war...
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 s...
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...
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-...
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 ...
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 o...
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...
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 si...
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 Ukrain...
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 pr...
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...
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, t...
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...
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...
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 mas...
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:...
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 repo...
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 t...
This episode discusses Donald Trump's exclusive interview threatening US withdrawal from NATO and his strategy for the Iran conflict, alongside new Russian "jousting" drones impacting the Ukrainian battlefield. It also covers the political hurdles for EU financial aid to Ukraine, Russia's internal efforts to fund the war, and an in-depth look at the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, connecting its legacy of displacement and nuclear violence to current events.
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...
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...
