The man behind the Magnitsky Act on Trump, hybrid warfare and fighting the Kremlin. Sir William Browder is an American investor who made a fortune in post-Soviet Russia before falling foul of Vladimir Putin. He’s now a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin - and today he’s in the Ukrainecast studio to discuss why the rouble is tanking, what it’s like to draw the ire of the Russian president and whether an end to the war is near. Today’s episode is presented by Jamie Coomarasamy and Frank Gar...
Dec 03, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Can Donald Trump end the war in Ukraine? Is negotiating with Russia a realistic option? What can President Biden accomplish in the final weeks of his term? John Sullivan, former US Ambassador to Russia under President Trump, joins Ukrainecast to share his experience of working with Russians and explains why continued US support for Ukraine is in the nation’s best interest. Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ben Carter. The ...
Nov 26, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Your questions answered on ATACMS, land mines and the risk of escalation Jamie and Vitaly are joined by the defence editor of the Economist, Shashank Joshi, to examine how useful ATACMS can be for Ukraine, what exactly are anti-personnel land-mines and whether we should take Russia's change to its nuclear doctrine seriously. Today’s episode is presented by Jamie Coomarasamy and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer was Ben Carter. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Wal...
Nov 20, 2024•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Three Ukrainians on how their lives have changed and their hopes for peace. Victoria, James and Vitaly are in the studio to reflect on 1000 days of the conflict. They’re joined by student Vitalii, teacher Olga and young mum Iryna - three friends of the podcast whose stories we’ve followed over the last few years. They also answer listener questions. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire, James Waterhouse and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Clare Williamson, Bella Saltiel, Ars...
Nov 19, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast US President Joe Biden has given the green light for Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by US to strike Russia. But what could the deployment of these missiles mean for Ukraine? And why has President Biden done this now? Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer was Ben Carter. The technical producer was Stephen Bailey. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sara Wadeson. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your question...
Nov 17, 2024•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Will Donald Trump pull out of Nato? What should we make of his recent appointments? How worried should we be about the threat of nuclear war? Jens Stoltenberg, who stood down as Nato secretary general last month is in the studio and answers all these questions… and more. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ben Carter. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor i...
Nov 13, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast We'll have a special episode with you tomorrow (Wednesday)... Stay tuned!
Nov 12, 2024•44 sec•Transcript available on Metacast Hear Donald Trump’s former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, in conversation with Ukrainecast back in May. He discusses what his old boss really thinks about Ukraine, and what another Trump presidency could mean for the war. He also talks about whether he’d take another top job in the White House - something which, in recent days, he’s been widely tipped to get. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor i...
Nov 08, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Trump has won the US election and will make a historic return to the White House. He’s said he’d end the war in 24 hours but…..can he? We hear from Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse in Kyiv, Russia editor Steve Rosenberg in Sochi and Victoria in Washington DC. They discuss what Trump’s re-election actually mean for Ukraine. Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ben Carter. The technical producer was Hannah Montgome...
Nov 06, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast America goes to the polls – but what could that mean for the future of US politics… and Ukraine? The veteran Watergate journalist, Bob Woodward, joins us to talk about his latest book, ‘War’. He’s spent the last couple of years talking to people inside the Biden administration and shares his insights on what he learned about how they planned for and dealt with the aftermath of the full-scale invasion. Victoria is in Washington to assess what the mood is like on election day. And we hear from San...
Nov 05, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Two men's stories of avoiding the draft. To satisfy a growing need for soldiers, authorities in Ukraine appear to be taking ever more drastic measures, including forcibly pulling men off the street to check their credentials. But many men in Ukraine feel the war is not for them, and decide to flee overseas rather than to stay and fight. We speak to Artem and Oleh, two young men who avoided the draft, and ask them why they left and whether they regret their decision. Today’s episode is presented ...
Oct 29, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is peace with Russia possible? Could any North Korean involvement in the war mean escalation? And has the world ever been more dangerous in recent times? In his first BBC interview since standing down as chief of the general staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders joins us to discuss why he thinks the world order is under threat and why Ukraine must prevail. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Diane Richardson. The technica...
Oct 22, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast What do digital trails tell us about the conflict? How did TikTok videos help identify Russian troop movements ahead of the full-scale invasion? And what’s it like to draw the ire of the Kremlin? The Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins also tells Victoria and Vitaly whether he’s a CIA spy and where the name of his organisation came from. And, are North Korean troops being sent to Russia’s frontline? We have more… Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The produce...
Oct 15, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast As President Zelensky conducts a whistle stop tour of Europe…. we answer your questions on whether the West is out of touch with the reality of the war and what impact elections in the US and Europe could have on support for Ukraine’s war effort. Victoria is joined by our correspondent in Kyiv Sarah Rainsford and Cold War historian Sergey Radchenko. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and Nick Sturdee. The technical producer w...
Oct 11, 2024•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast How could peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine pan out and are they even a possibility right now? Conflict negotiator Oliver McTernan and former UK ambassador to Russia Sir Laurie Bristow discuss the likelihood of both countries coming to the table and what role the US presidential election could play. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and James Waterhouse. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard...
Oct 08, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russia has revealed it will boost its defence spending by a quarter to $145 billion in 2025. But is Putin’s war economy sustainable? What does all this mean for life in the country? And how could it impact the war? The BBC’s Steve Rosenberg joins us from a Moscow supermarket, Russian citizen ‘Gleb’ explains why there are dozens of types of cola in shops, and Bloomberg’s Stephanie Baker joins Carnegie’s Alexander Gabuev to discuss whether Russians are feeling the pinch. Today’s episode is present...
Oct 04, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ambassador John Bolton, who served as National Security Adviser under President Donald Trump, tells Ukrainecast that another Trump presidency would leave Ukraine in a very difficult position and that if re-elected Trump would cut off US aid. He also warns against the democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, insisting that neither option would be good for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. And he gives his verdict on Russia’s President Putin who he has met on several occasions - calling him...
Oct 01, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Trump has held a last-minute meeting with President Zelensky despite repeated criticism of the Ukrainian leader on the campaign trail, and a row which erupted with with the Republican party. So is the former president hardening his stance on Ukraine? And how do Ukrainians feel about the forthcoming US election? Victoria and Vitaly are joined by Americast co-presenter Anthony Zurcher and two Ukrainians based in Kyiv. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko...
Sep 27, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Zelensky’s in the US for a diplomatic mission to try and sell President Biden his ‘victory plan’. But what’s in it? And can he persuade the Americans to back it? Two friends of the pod, defence expert Matthew Savill and Russia expert Angela Stent, join Lyse to assess how it might go down with the President, and the two candidates hoping to succeed him, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Today’s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and J...
Sep 24, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast More than half of Ukrainians say they suffer from some kind of mental health issue as a result of the war. Volunteer paramedic, Olha Mamusheva, joins us to discuss her mental health working on the frontline. And journalist Olena Kuk explains why she helped set up ‘Svidok’ – an online war journal where people can share their feelings anonymously. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and Julie Ball. The tech...
Sep 20, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sasha Skochilenko spent over two years behind Russian bars before being part of the biggest prisoner exchange since the Cold War. She explains why supermarkets are effective places for protest, what helped her survive in prison and how western prisoners were put in business class on the flight home following her release. And a friend of Ukrainecast makes a surprise appearance… Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Cordel...
Sep 17, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast The former head of the CIA, General David Petraeus, tells Ukrainecast why he thinks President Putin is bluffing after he warned the West against allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons to target Russia. Lucy is in Washington DC where the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, is meeting President Biden to discuss Ukraine. There are strong indications that they will agree to lift restrictions on Ukraine using such missiles against targets inside Russia. And James Waterhouse gives reaction on how...
Sep 13, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Your questions answered on the US election, Pokrovsk and guerrilla warfare… With Donald Trump and Kamala Harris facing-off in their only scheduled presidential debate this week, we assess whether the election might accelerate any potential peace deal in Ukraine. BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera joins Vitaly and Lucy to also discuss how strategically important the capture of Pokrovsk is for both sides and what evidence we have that Ukraine is waging a guerrilla war in the Russian occupied...
Sep 10, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast With Russia launching nearly daily attacks against Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, the UK’s former defence secretary, Sir Ben Wallace, is in the Ukrainecast studio to give his take on what the strikes signify. He also reflects on his visit to Moscow which took place just 10 days before the full-scale invasion. And we hear from residents in Lviv and Kyiv who were hit by the attacks this week. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire, James Waterhouse and Vitaly Shevchenko. The produc...
Sep 06, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast A Russian missile strike has killed dozens of people in the Ukrainian city of Poltava. Hundreds more are reported to have been wounded in what Ukraine's Ministry of Defence has called a "barbaric attack". We have the latest updates and analysis as the story unfolds. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Clare Williamson, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The...
Sep 03, 2024•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Has Kyiv’s gamble to take Kursk paid off? Lyse and Vitaly examine whether Russian advances on the key Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk raise questions about the success of the cross-border incursion, as well as answer some of your questions. And we hear from Ukraine's Paralympic swimmer, Yaroslav Denysenko, who shares how the Russian full-scale invasion has impacted his life and training. Today’s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Diane Richa...
Aug 30, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russia has launched another wave of strikes on Ukraine, with at least four people killed, a day after one of its biggest air attacks of the war. We assess whether the strikes are a retaliation for Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region which began three weeks ago. Nicholas Connolly, correspondent for Deutsche Welle, gives us the view from Kyiv, just one of the areas targeted. He also recently visited Sudzha, the Russian border-town in the Kursk region which is held by Ukraine, and explains ho...
Aug 27, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Broadcaster and writer Stephen Fry has travelled to Ukraine to see how war is impacting the country’s mental health. He joins Lyse and Vitaly in the studio to discuss his new documentary ‘Stephen Fry into Ukraine’, in which he speaks to those affected and asks whether there is sufficient government support. He also reflects on his own struggles with mental health and why Ukraine matters to him. ‘Stephen Fry into Ukraine’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FO6ZJL26eM If you have been affected by a...
Aug 23, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ukrainian forces entered Russia two weeks ago, but just how vulnerable has their advance left them? We hear from Ostap, a Ukrainian Officer on the frontline in Pokrovsk. And English teacher, Anastasia tells us how the incursion has left Ukrainians feeling in Kharkiv. Plus, BBC Ukraine correspondent, James Waterhouse, is on hand to help us understand what’s been happening on the Ukraine-Russia border. Today’s episode is presented by Jamie Coomarasamy and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Ben ...
Aug 20, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast What’s life like in Kursk, following Ukraine’s cross-border offensive? We hear from Zhenya, a Kursk resident, who gives us a rare glimpse into life in the region since the Ukrainian incursion began. And the defence expert Matthew Savill from the Royal United Services Institute is in the studio to answer your listener questions. What’s Kursk like? How long can Ukraine feasibly hold it? And is a Russian nuclear response on the cards? Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevche...
Aug 16, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
