Day 1,079.

Today, we mark the six month anniversary of the Kursk offensive, talk about how Russian spies may be involved in bombings at Ukrainian army recruitment offices, and discuss how politicians in Ukraine have been quietly pushing the profiles looking ahead to elections at the end of the war. We're also on the ground in Ukraine at the demining headquarters of Irpin.

Contributors:

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Narrative Podcast Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Content Referenced:

On French fighter jets delivered to Ukraine:

Le Monde: Can France's Mirage 2000-5 jets help the Ukrainian army?

Le Monde: By sending Mirage fighters, France steps up support for Kyiv

Kyiv Independent: First French Mirage fighter jets reportedly arrive in Ukraine — here's what they can do

On the ‘unofficial’ presidential campaign underway in Ukraine:

Le Monde: Unofficial presidential campaign gets underway in Ukraine

Politico: Ukraine freaks out as US and Russia push for elections

Kyiv Independent: Ukraine won't hold elections until Russia's war is over, Ukraine's envoy to US says

East Piano, by Ukrainian musician and now soldier John Object, on BBC Radio 3:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0027db3

Interview with John Object, musician turned solider, from 2022:

https://mixmag.net/feature/ukraine-kyiv-war-john-object-artist-producer-soldier-interview

Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,078.

Today, as British Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrives for talks in Kyiv we hear how a special tribunal to prosecute Russia’s leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine gets a step closer, and we hear from Finland’s Foreign Minister who says that sanctions against the Kremlin are working and ‘serious cracks’ are starting to appear in Russia’s economy.

Contributors:

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Memphis Barker (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @MemphisBarker on X.

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor, Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

With special thanks to our friends at PEN Ukraine. @PENUkraine on X.

https://pen.org.ua/en

Content Referenced:

Journalist Tim White on destroyed boats near Kherson

https://x.com/TWMCLtd/status/1887044034465517988

David Lammy promises £55m in support for Ukraine on visit to war-torn country

https://news.sky.com/story/david-lammy-promises-55m-in-support-for-ukraine-on-visit-to-war-torn-country-13303301

Kyiv Independent, Ukrainian FM calls Putin’s remarks on Zelensky’s legitimacy 'absurd'

https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-fm-calls-putins-remarks-on-zelenskys-legitimacy-absurd/

Episode from November 20th, where Francis Dearnley and Hanna Ustynova talk about David's memorial plaque in PEN Ukraine's offices and exhibition space, in Kyiv

https://shows.acast.com/6583012e715d5300169dcdcb/episodes/673dd91593bec8617f2f26cf?

Thread from PEN Ukraine's X account about David's memorial

https://x.com/PenUkraine/status/1855248806217920530

Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,077.

Today, we discuss the slashing of USAID and how Trump wants to access Ukraine’s rare minerals in exchange for military support, and we report on Russia having more losses over the last two months than at any other point since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

Contributors:

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Narrative Podcast Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor, Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

With special thanks to Asami Terajima (Reporter at The Kyiv Independent). @AsamiTerajima on X.

Content Referenced:

Battle Lines, our sister podcast, exploring wider global affairs:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/trump-edition-americas-ai-war-with-china-what-his/id1712903296?i=1000687394662

Trump wants Ukrainian rare earths deal in return for US military support (FT):

https://www.ft.com/content/94efcd8a-93ce-4ca6-bd07-061bfed1fdbf?shareType=nongift

Biden administration slowed Ukraine arms shipments until his term was nearly done (Reuters):

https://www.reuters.com/investigations/biden-administration-beset-by-doubts-slowed-ukraine-weapons-shipments-until-2025-02-03/

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's article for Russia in Global Affairs magazine, “The UN Charter as the legal foundation of a multipolar world”:

https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/1994357/?lang=en

Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,076.

Today, as Britain’s Prime Minister prepares to hold defence and security talks with EU leaders for the first time since Brexit, we report from the front line near Pokrovsk in the Donbas and, later, interview a West Point Professor who says negotiating with Moscow is a doomed enterprise.

Contributors:

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @RolandOliphant on X.

Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X.

Inna Varenytsia (Ukrainian Journalist). @InnaVarenytsia on X.

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor, Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

With special thanks to our guest Dr. Robert Person (Associate Professor of International Relations at the United States Military Academy at West Point). @RTPerson3

Content Referenced:

Battle Lines, our sister podcast, exploring wider global affairs:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/trump-edition-americas-ai-war-with-china-what-his/id1712903296?i=1000687394662

Why Ukraine Shouldn’t Negotiate with Putin (Dr Robert Person in Journal of Democracy):

https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/why-ukraine-shouldnt-negotiate-with-putin/

UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine press release:

https://ukraine.ohchr.org/en/Alarming-Rise-in-Executions-of-Captured-Ukrainian-Military-Personnel

Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,073.

Today, we hear the latest acts of resistance in the occupied territories, report on new deep strikes into Russia – reaching as far as the city formerly called Stalingrad – and discuss deficiencies in military training, and how it needs to change.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X

Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @RolandOliphant on X.

Hamish De Bretton-Gordon (Former British Army Tank Commander). @HamishDBG on X

With thanks to Dr. Jade McGlynn (War Studies Department of King's College). @DrJadeMcGlynn on X.

Content Referenced:

Battle Lines, our sister podcast, exploring wider global affairs:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/trump-edition-americas-ai-war-with-china-what-his/id1712903296?i=1000687394662

Kyiv Independent launches fundraiser to support front-line media after US aid freeze:

https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-independent-launches-fundraiser-to-support-ukrainian-front-line-media-after-us-aid-freeze

North Korean Troops No Longer Seen on Front Lines Fighting Ukraine (New York Times):

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/world/europe/north-korea-troops-ukraine-russia.html

Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,072.

Today, we join the dots of coordinated efforts to destroy Putin's war machine, discuss the opportunities of a Europe no longer dependent on Russian energy, hear about a mysterious ship trawling the coast of Britain, and learn about another podcast about Ukraine.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X

Memphis Barker (Senior Foreign Correspondant). @memphisbarker on X

With thanks to our guests Nate Darling and Dr Taras Mahlay of The Cleveland Ukraine Podcast. @cleuapodcast on X

Content Referenced:

Cleveland Ukraine Podcast:

https://clevelandukrainepodcast.com/

Cleveland Maidan Association:

https://www.clevelandmaidan.info/

The Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Cleveland:

https://umacleveland.org/

Media Development Foundation (Journalists Network in Ukraine):

https://x.com/mediadvpt

Ukrainian Action:

https://www.ukrainianaction.com/

Ukraine reels from ‘worst-case scenario’ suspension of US foreign aid (The Guardian):

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/29/ukraine-trump-suspension-us-foreign-aid-usaid

The Russian spy ship in Britain’s waters preparing ground for war (Memphis in The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/29/russian-spy-ship-british-waters-preparing-war/

Ukraine is now on track to completely destroy russia’s oil industry (Kyiv Insider):

https://kyivinsider.com/ukraine-is-now-on-track-to-completely-destroy-russias-oil-industry/

EU debates return to Russian gas as part of Ukraine peace deal (Financial Times):

https://www.ft.com/content/a19aa690-fb54-41ea-9885-10972b11ab24

Top EU-US officials discuss war in Ukraine (Bloomberg):

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-28/top-eu-us-diplomats-discuss-pressuring-russia-over-ukraine-war

Putin has "ground up" the entire legacy of the Soviet military-industrial complex (The Insider):

https://theins.ru/politika/277994

Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,071.

Today, following the news a Ukrainian drone attack hit yet another oil depot last night, and as Trump threatens to lower the price of oil and stall Russian exports, we focus on oil. We also talk tank action with our guest Hamish De Bretton-Gordon.

Contributors:

Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Narrative Podcast Producer). @Adeliepjz on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Hamish De Bretton-Gordon (Former Tank Commander). @HamishDBG on X.

With special thanks to our guest, Dr. Yuri Shevchuk.

Content Referenced:

Economist Robin Brooks on Russian oil imports to Europe

https://x.com/robin_j_brooks/status/1884215985357668862

Reuters on China and India staling their imports of Russian oil https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/russia-oil-trade-china-india-stalls-sanctions-drive-up-shipping-costs-2025-01-28/

The Kyiv Independent on Trump’s first week in office and what that means for Ukraine

https://kyivindependent.com/what-trumps-first-week-in-office-says-about-his-stance-on-ukraine/

Radio Free Europe on Putin refusing to engage in peace talks with ‘Illegitimate’ Zelensky

https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-ready-peace-talks-not-with-illegitimate-zelenskiy-/33294979.html

Trump urges Opec countries to slash oil prices

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c17ewl98kgvo

Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,070.

Today, we analyse Russian attempts at encirclement around Pokrovsk, hear of a North Korean retreat in Kursk, discuss new stories of Russian activities in the occupied territories, and hear how the landscape of Ukraine has been forever transformed by the violence of war.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor, Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

With thanks to Dr. Emily Channell-Justice, Director of the Temerty Contemporary Ukraine Program at Harvard.

Content Referenced:

Harvard Conference:

Landscapes of War, Landscapes of Victory: Ukraine’s Changing Environment

https://www.huri.harvard.edu/tcup-conference

Russia introduces history textbook that redefines war against Ukraine as justified defense (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/russia-introduces-history-textbook-that-redefines-ukraine-war-as-justified-defense/?mc_cid=f937bbdadf&mc_eid=08d0680a95

The battle for the soul of Serbia (New Statesman):

https://www.newstatesman.com/international-content/2025/01/serbia-mining-protest-environment-lithium

Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.