The Documentary Podcast

The incredibly story of Ivan Skyba, the sole survivor of one of the worst atrocities of the war in Ukraine. In March 2022, Russian troops shot dead eight unarmed men in a mass execution in the town of Bucha, outside Kiev. But incredibly, one man who the Russians thought they’d killed , managed to survive the massacre. The BBC’s special correspondent Fergal Keane traveled to Ukraine to uncover what happened and meet Ivan Skyba, the man who came back from the dead.

Photo: Ivan Skyba who survived the massacre at 144 Yablunska Street in Bucha, Ukraine (BBC)

Reporter: Fergal Keane

Deep in the jungles of Bangladesh, a small group of women secretly practise army-style drills. This small team, made exclusively of female village residents, are fighting a global economic force - the world’s insatiable appetite for shrimp. The BBC's Faarea Masud investigates as the demand for shrimp is destroying the land the women have farmed for centuries, and they are willing to do everything they can to protect it from the illegal intensive farming which renders their farmland rapidly unusable. With allegations of payments made to corrupt officials to turn a blind eye, and with little financial clout themselves, the women have taken matters into their own hands in the battle with the global shrimp industry.

Less than three years after winning a landslide victory, the UK’s Conservative party Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned. It follows a series of political scandals, election defeats and his own party’s loss of trust and confidence in his leadership. During his time in office, Johnson had to deal with a number of unexpected global situations: a pandemic, the economic fallout of war in Ukraine and the ongoing cost of living crisis. But it was questions about his character that brought him down and scandals such as ‘Partygate’ where he attended group gatherings at 10 Downing Street, during lockdowns. Two journalists in Belgium and France discuss Boris Johnson’s reputation abroad and the reaction of European leaders with host James Reynolds.

How would you cope it you were at the centre of a war?

(Photo Credit: Mari Margun)

The city of Macapá is in the middle of a river archipelago with around 50 villages and 14,000 inhabitants, where the Amazon meets the Atlantic Ocean. Some of these communities are almost impossible to reach, with dense mangroves and fluctuating water levels making the journey dangerous. For a long time, conflicts were resolved by local leaders, from theft, to land disputes, to rape. The machete was often the quickest recourse to justice. Judge Sueli Pini visited Macapá 20 years ago. Seeing the problem, she founded a system that’s unique in the world, the “floating court.”

It is being described as the deadliest human smuggling incident in US history after more than 50 men, women and children were found dead in an abandoned truck in San Antonio, Texas, in the United States. The temperature inside was close to 40 degrees Celsius - more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. One police chief called it a “crime against humanity”. The incident has once again provoked discussion about those who risk their lives to fulfil their dream of getting into America. Host James Reynolds hears conversations with Latinos in Texas, talking about their experiences of growing up within two cultures.

When President Abiy Ahmed came to power in Ethiopia he was seen as a reformer who was heralding a new era of hope. In 2019 he was even awarded the Nobel Peace prize. But less than a year later he ordered a military offensive against regional forces in Tigray in the north of the country. He said he did so in response to an attack on a military base housing government troops there. It’s a conflict that has been characterised by an almost constant media blackout in Tigray. In the absence of detailed reporting, rumour, denial and misinformation has been rife. But a few dedicated journalists have been working hard to get at the truth. Chloe Hadjimatheou hears from one of them as she tries to unpick fact from fiction in Ethiopia’s information war. Produced and presented by Chloe Hadjimatheou Editor Penny Murphy Studio mix by Neil Churchill Production coordinators Iona Hammond and Gemma Ashman

Thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing to Israel – joining a million-plus former Soviets who have already moved to this Middle Eastern nation, with profound consequences for both Israel and the region. Tim Samuels investigates this very modern ‘exodus’ of Jews, once again running from Eastern Europe, a journey so many of their ancestors made before. He meets Ukrainian refugees in a Tel Aviv immigration hotel trying to start a new life for themselves after fleeing from the horrors of the conflict, but also finding themselves sharing the same facilities as Russians who have left their country too for Israel.

Music featured:

Back in February, when Russian forces began their invasion of Ukraine, their tanks were heading towards Kyiv. The Russians retreated before making it to the centre of the city, but left devastation in every area that had been fought over in those weeks. In a café in Kyiv, the BBC’s correspondent Joe Inwood met up those now living and working in the city to hear how it is changing and recoverin. The District One Foundation is a 1000-strong team of volunteers dedicated to helping restore damaged homes, schools and hospitals, and give whatever support they can to people returning to live in the city. The work is challenging, but they say it’s energised them and given them a sense of great positivity. He also talks to, two photographers and an artist who how their day to day work has changed, but their art can be put to essential use on social media and beyond, informing the rest of the world about the war and how life is in Ukraine.

Kenyan politicians are spending millions of dollars on campaigns to win lucrative political office in August's crucial elections. With 75 percent of Kenyans under the age of 35, securing the youth vote will be key. But amid a youth unemployment crisis, many have grown disillusioned about the chance for real change. Dickens Olewe travels to Nairobi to meet the young Kenyans who instead see the election campaign as a new business opportunity, a new "hustle" to extract cash from competing candidates. Photo: Supporters gather at Kenyan election rally. (AFP/Getty Images)