Day 1,346. Today, as Ukrainian forces hang on in Pokrovsk, we discuss more reports coming out of the city of Russian troops fighting in civilian clothes – a clear war crime. Plus, we hear about Ukraine’s latest long range strikes inside Russia and look at a worrying message from the International Atomic Energy Agency that accuses Moscow of targeting three of Ukraine's nuclear power plants. Later, we hear how a Ukrainian opera lost for 250 years premiered earlier this month in Chernivtsi, accompa...
Oct 31, 2025•42 min
Day 1,345. Today, as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet in South Korea, we ask whether Ukraine can ever expect China to face real consequences for its support of Russia throughout the war. We also examine Vladimir Putin’s ongoing air campaign to cripple Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – including last night’s major assault – and bring you the latest stories from inside the Russian Federation, from renewed public protests to fresh signs of deepening economic stagnation. Contributors: Francis Dearnl...
Oct 30, 2025•39 min
Day 1,344. Today, as the situation around the frontline city of Pokrovsk continues to worsen, we examine Ukraine’s latest wave of deep strikes targeting Russia’s military infrastructure. Then we turn to Brussels, where frustration mounts after European nations failed to agree on how to unlock frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv’s war effort. Then we hear about the motorway some believe could save NATO from Vladimir Putin’s aggression. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio)...
Oct 29, 2025•44 min
Day 1,343. Today, as the fierce battle for Pokrovsk rages on – with Russian troops now inside the city and 15 armoured vehicles destroyed on its outskirts – we report on the dramatic destruction of a dam in Russia that has cut off Moscow’s forces inside Ukraine. Later, we speak to one of the leading architects behind the Western initiative to seize $300 billion in frozen Russian state assets, exploring how close this unprecedented move is to becoming reality – and what it could mean for the futu...
Oct 28, 2025•52 min
Day 1,342. Today, after a weekend of Russian bombardments on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities – with fires killing multiple civilians – we examine Moscow’s failed diplomatic bid to block Donald Trump’s latest sanctions on Russian energy. Then we consider how Vladimir Putin’s unveiling of a “next-generation” cruise missile reveals growing unease in the Kremlin. Later, we sit down with Ukrainian historian Serhii Plokhy, to discuss the Cold War arms race, and how Kyiv could have retained nuclear wea...
Oct 27, 2025•48 min
In this special live episode recorded at the Honourable Artillery Company in London, we take stock of the war as it grinds into its fourth calendar year. Joined by General Sir Richard Barrons – former head of UK Joint Forces Command and co-author of Britain’s Strategic Defence Review – and Orysia Lutsevych OBE – head of the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House – hosts Dom Nicholls, Francis Dearnley, and Adélie Pojzman-Pontay debate the state of the conflict, Donald Trump’s renewed deadlines and ultima...
Oct 25, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Day 1,339. Today, as President Zelensky meets the Coalition of the Willing in London, we discuss the shock felt in Brussels after European countries failed to come to a deal on the use of frozen Russian assets. We also hear the latest updates on the Ukrainian resistance, and Francis reports not from the frontline but the front row, as he attends a Ukrainian fashion show. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjzon X. Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence)....
Oct 24, 2025•55 min
Day 1,338. Today, as Donald Trump unveils sweeping new sanctions on Russia’s energy giants, we analyse what recent developments reveal about the shifting power dynamics between Moscow and Washington. We also investigate an alleged Russian war crime in Donetsk and what it exposes about the brutal nature of the fighting there, before exploring why NATO nations continue to pour vast resources into tank production and modernisation. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @Franc...
Oct 23, 2025•41 min
Day 1,337. Today, after Vladimir Putin defied Donald Trump to wreck the proposed Budapest peace talks, we report how overnight attacks ended with children having to be evacuated from a burning kindergarten in Kharkiv after it was hit in a Russian drone strike. Plus, British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles hit their targets in Russia and, later, we hear about how for civilians in Ukraine, learning the specific sound of drones can be a matter of life or death… and how their buzzing can stay ...
Oct 22, 2025•38 min
Day 1,336. Today, amid growing signs the planned Trump-Putin summit in Hungary is already in jeopardy, we assess a breakthrough in Europe that could see finally frozen Russian state assets loaned to Ukraine. Then we uncover disturbing accounts revealing the dire state of Russia’s armed forces, and bring you the latest stories from Moscow as the economy continues to display signs of fracture. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Ass...
Oct 21, 2025•48 min
Day 1,335. Today, as the world digests the outcome of the White House meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, we examine why the lack of progress on Tomahawk missiles caught many observers off guard. We also explore the significance – if any – of Trump’s planned talks with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, widely seen as part of the Kremlin’s strategy to stall for time. Plus, we report on another slow weekend at the front, continued Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil and gas faci...
Oct 20, 2025•53 min
Day 1,332. Today, as President Zelensky meets Donald Trump at the White House, we unpack Vladimir Putin’s emergency – if predictable – intervention: an unscheduled call with the US President that may have derailed Kyiv’s hopes of securing Tomahawk missiles. Then, in a special cultural dispatch, we dive into the world of Ukrainian classical music. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. With thanks to Hobart Earle, Music Director and Principal Conductor...
Oct 17, 2025•57 min
Day 1,331. Today, as President Zelensky heads to Washington for another high-stakes meeting with Donald Trump, we break down the latest from the frontlines as NATO vows to ramp up its military support for Ukraine. We also examine a rare protest in St Petersburg calling for Vladimir Putin’s death, explore how recent drone incursions are reshaping German attitudes toward the war, and ask why Syria’s president – once a sworn enemy of the Kremlin – has now met the Russian President in Moscow. Contri...
Oct 16, 2025•46 min
Day 1,330. Today, as NATO defence ministers meet in Brussels with the US representative to NATO warning Russia of “consequences” if the Kremlin doesn’t move towards a peace agreement, we report how Mexican and Colombian drug cartels have infiltrated the Ukrainian military to learn how to fly kamikaze drones. Plus we take a deep dive into the current political crisis in France and examine what impact it could have on the war. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicho...
Oct 15, 2025•42 min
Day 1,329. Today, as Donald Trump vows to harness the momentum of the Gaza ceasefire to bring peace to Ukraine, we examine global reaction – or the striking silence – after a UN convoy was attacked by Russian forces. Then we assess reports of a possible chemical weapons attack in Donetsk and take a deep dive into stories emerging from inside Russia – revealing the cracks in its economy and the growing strains within its society. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @Franc...
Oct 14, 2025•44 min
Day 1,328. Today, as we learn the Donald Trump administration has been sharing intelligence enabling Kyiv to strike at Russian energy facilities, we reflect on the likelihood that Tomahawk missiles are incoming, and the fallout from the US President not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Then we hear live from the country of Georgia, where protests continue and tensions remain high, before Francis ends with an appeal on a neglected subject: animals in war. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive...
Oct 13, 2025•42 min
Day 1,325. Today, after another wave of intense Russian bombardments, we explore what the Gaza ceasefire could mean for the war. Will it bring renewed international attention, or further distraction? Plus, we deliver our latest fortnightly update on resistance inside the occupied territories, and ask: how strong is America’s commitment to Europe’s defense now, with insights from one of the U.S. Army’s former top generals. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearn...
Oct 10, 2025•52 min
Day 1,324. Today, Ukraine hits yet another pipeline and oil plant, while fuel shortage in Russia approaches 20 percent. Meanwhile, more than half of Ukraine's natural gas production capacity has been destroyed by Russian strikes. We also discuss the state of US-Russia relations and what will happen to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty when it expires. Finally Dom speaks with Benjamin Tallis about the use of AI in defence. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepj...
Oct 09, 2025•45 min
Day 1,323 Today, as Moscow tightens restrictions on gas sales and mobile networks amid Ukraine’s escalating campaign against Moscow’s oil industry, reports emerge that Russian workers are being told to halt operations as “preemptive measures” against drone attacks. We also discuss Dom and Francis’s appearance on Russian state TV, and speak with Australia’s military representative to NATO and the EU about the broader implications for the war. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of De...
Oct 08, 2025•38 min
Day 1,322 Today, we examine the escalating conflict in Ukraine after another night of bombardments, looking at the potential impact of US Tomahawk missiles if supplied to Kyiv, along with new Western weapons innovations shaping the battlefield. We also discuss another mysterious death in Moscow and what it reveals about the power struggles inside Russia. Finally, we explore whether the post-World War II reconstruction of Germany offers a realistic blueprint for rebuilding Ukraine once the war en...
Oct 07, 2025•58 min
Day 1,321. Today, we break down Ukraine’s escalating drone war targeting Russian industry and examine how Ukrainian intelligence claims China supplied satellite imagery of US-funded factories. We also cover the latest riots in Georgia and election results in Czechia, analysing what they reveal about European political stability. Later, following a weekend of explosions across Russia and occupied Crimea, a RAND Corporation analyst joins us to assess Putin’s weakening oil industry, the potential b...
Oct 06, 2025•56 min
Day 1,318. Today, after yet another drone incursion forces the closure of a major European airport - this time in Germany - we examine growing calls from officials to take tougher measures, including shooting drones down on sight. We’ll also look at one of Ukraine’s most far-reaching strikes to date, more than 1,400 kilometers inside Russia, before turning to some of the lighter, more curious moments in encounters between Russian presidents and world leaders. Later, we bring you our latest dispa...
Oct 03, 2025•41 min
Day 1,317. Today, as Donald Trump reportedly provides Ukraine with intelligence for long-range missile strikes against Russia, we assess just how serious the economic situation is becoming amid reports of gas shortages. Then, as European leaders join President Zelensky in Copenhagen, we hear about the new 'drone wall' and how Moscow has upgraded its missiles to better evade Patriot air defense systems. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Ni...
Oct 02, 2025•29 min
Day 1,316. Today, as fears are sounded over the state of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, we hear how Princess Anne has made a surprise visit to Kyiv to “demonstrate solidarity” with Ukrainian children and families affected by the conflict. Then we report how French authorities have seized a shadow fleet tanker and Polish police arrested a Ukrainian man for the Nordstream 2 pipeline sabotage. Later, you’ll hear Dom’s interview with the UN’s Special Rapporteur for Torture, Alice Edwards, and...
Oct 01, 2025•1 hr 9 min
Day 1,315. Today, Ukraine assassinates a Russian senior officer from the National Guard and Moscow launches the biggest autumn conscription round since 2016. We look at Russian influence of European politics, from the UK to Hungary, and General David Petraeus offers his candid reflections on what Ukraine needs to win. We also speak with a Ukrainian-American poet, Ilya Kaminsky, whose award-winning book about a fictional village resisting occupation has now been adapted to the stage. Contributors...
Sep 30, 2025•54 min
Day 1,314. Today, amid heavy assaults on Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, while Ukraine attacks more energy sites deep inside Russia, we hear about the evacuation of families from eastern Ukraine, where Moscow’s offensive continues to flatten whole cities – and about the half-marathon Dom ran to help raise money for one charity trying to help. Plus, we reflect on the historic election result in Moldova, and why it's bad news for Moscow. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @Francis...
Sep 29, 2025•53 min
Day 1,311. Today, as Ukraine’s bombardments against Russian energy facilities finally spark gas shortages in Moscow, we assess the gaping hole in Europe’s drone defences amid yet more violations, before leaving you with one more documentary from David Knowles, who visits the site of one of the worst Nazi war crimes to take place in Ukraine during World War II. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomN...
Sep 26, 2025•55 min
Day 1,310. Today, as drones once again cause alarm in Denmark, and Ukrainian strikes inside Russia add to Vladimir Putin’s fuel woes, we report on President Zelensky’s speech at the United Nations in New York, and hear from Dr Jade McGlynn in our latest fortnightly update on resistance activities in the occupied territories. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X. Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dr. Jade McGlynn (War ...
Sep 25, 2025•50 min
Day 1,309. Today, as the world digests Donald Trump's apparent U-turn on support for Ukraine, we examine developments in New York. Plus, we hear about a story of American citizens being lured to Russia on so-called "anti-woke visas", and hear from a global health expert about the latest of the health crisis, and that to come, in Ukraine. You watch a special video version of part of today's discussion here: https://youtu.be/bgCj0V47pNc?si=pRF8xLrAfUaWddUI Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive...
Sep 24, 2025•50 min
Day 1,308. Today, amid more violations of European airspace by Moscow, we assess the reactions of NATO, including extraordinary remarks by the Polish deputy prime minister at the UN Security Council. Then – in a world first – we interview a Ukrainian woman whose stolen daughter has been adopted in Russia by one of Vladimir Putin's allies. She tells us about her fight to bring her back. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Associate...
Sep 23, 2025•49 min
