Episode description

And is Wagner setting up a camp in Belarus?

The BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen has hotfooted back from a whistle-stop trip to Kyiv to update us on what President Zelensky’s military advisers are thinking.

Artyom Shraibman, from the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, explains how Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko stands to benefit from harbouring some of Putin’s nuclear warheads.

And we hear from independent Russian journalist Elena Milashina on the role Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov might play as Vladimir Putin seeks to shore up his position within the Kremlin.

Today’s episode is hosted by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic, Stephanie Mitcalf, Jack Taylor, Drew Hyndman and Tom Smithard. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate and the senior news 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.