Battleground

This week Saul and Patrick react to the news that Ukraine continues to make important gains on the battlefield, particularly south of Bakhmut and in western Zaporizhia, and has also been degrading Russia’s defensive capability in Crimea.

They also take a look away from the battlefield, where President Joe Biden doubled down on his support for Ukraine in a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, and they have a look at reports being spread by Russian opposition figures that Vladimir Putin’s staunch Chechen ally Ramzan Kadyrov, has either died in hospital or is seriously ill.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

Twitter: @PodBattleground

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For this week's big interview, we have some more material from our time in Ukraine, this time from the outskirts of Kyiv at a child psychiatry centre, where children are receiving treatment for war trauma. We spoke to Oksana Sliepova - the director of the children's club 'positive' and two of the club's members - 12 year old Nastia and 15 year old Sofia, who told us about their experiences of the war and about the club. 

We also have in the second half of the podcast, a moving interview with Oleg - a Bucha resident who buried some of the victims of Russian brutality in his hometown and described some harrowing accounts of his time there during its occupation by Russian forces. 

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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This week Patrick and Saul discuss the big news developments of the past week, Ukraine has taken out two Russian warships at the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in Sebastopol using cruise missiles. Also in the news, Vladimir Putin met North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in the far east of Russia, and there’s been some very encouraging predictions from US intelligence suggesting that a big Ukrainian breakthrough could come by the end of the year.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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In this episode of Battleground: Ukraine, Patrick and Saul have a fascinating interview with Taras Byk - a political strategist, who before the war worked with leading anti-corruption fighters, such as the mayor of Mikolaiv, and who is now working on a project that supports the breakup of the Russian Federation. 

Saul and Patrick also speak to a young Ukrainian couple, Lydia and Dennis, about their views and experiences of the war and their view of Ukraines future.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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In this episode Saul and Patrick digest the news that seemingly the Ukrainian counteroffensive is gaining some traction on the western Zaporizhia oblast front, reports that President Putin will be asking North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to help him out, and the rather negative development that there’s been another corruption scandal inside the army with President Zelensky announcing he has sacked the longtime minister of defence Oleksii Reznikov.

There is also some interesting insight into the capabilities of the F-16 fighter jet, and some fascinating listeners questions.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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This week we bring you more material recorded from our time in Ukraine, this time Saul speaks to Pete Smith - HALO's programme manager in Ukraine - who gave us a briefing on the situation regarding mines and unexploded ordinance in Ukraine, before taking us out to visit a minefield in the outskirts of Kyiv. Saul also speaks to the HALO teams translator Ivan, who tells us about how he managed to escape from Russian occupied Mariupol.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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Joining Saul on this significant week in the war in Ukraine, and stepping in for Patrick is the excellent Roger Moorhouse. Together, Saul and Roger digest the news that Ukraine is starting to make significant inroads into the main Russian defences, a pledge from Brussels to give the war-torn country EU membership by 2030 at the latest, and confirmation from Russia that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the boss of Wagner, was indeed on board that private jet that crashed between Moscow and St Petersburg.

They also discuss some thought provoking listeners thoughts and questions.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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In this week's big interview, Saul speaks to friend of the podcast Colonel Pavlo Khazan, for the first time in person from his base in an undisclosed location in Kyiv. They discuss what activities him and his soldiers have been involved in recently and also the significance of their experience and knowledge in drone warfare. Patrick and Saul also discuss their first impressions of Kyiv after their first full day in the Ukrainian capital.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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

In this episode - Saul and Patrick discuss what's been quite an eventful week, with the much welcome news that the Netherlands and Denmark, with American approval, will give at least 61 F-16 fighters to Ukraine when their pilots have completed the necessary training. There also look at some significant gains for Ukraine on the battlefield, controversial reports in the Washington Post, and a Russian missile strike on a theatre in Chernihiv.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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In this emergency podcast Saul and Patrick react to the extraordinary news that Yevgeny Prigozhin has died, after his private plane was shot down in Russian airspace near Moscow. They discuss what actually happened as well as who did it, what does it mean, and is Putin now weaker or stronger?

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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