Episode description

Elya describes how she took her eight-year-old niece out of Ukraine after a missile hit her home in Kharkiv last year. Elya was just 17 at the time. Now she’s returned to visit her parents and says: “It’s the most times I’ve seen my father cry.”

The BBC’s Francis Scarr reports on the assassination of a pro-war blogger in St Petersburg, a defection and suggestions that Ukraine may be willing to negotiate over Crimea.

And Ivan Chuvilyaev explains how the group Idite Lesom (Go By the Forest) is helping Russians afraid of mobilisation.

And finally Vitaly tells Victoria about the Ukrainian origins of the humble Easter egg.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Luke Radcliff. The technical producer was Jonny Hall. The series producer is Fiona Leach. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Audio credit: The Dossier Center