Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,234.

Today, after a report finds Putin’s forces have gained 0.038 square kilometers of territory for every soldier it’s lost since July 2024, we look at the significance of new announcements by Ukraine’s allies in Rome and London, and discuss the Ukrainian theory of victory.

Contributors:

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

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

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

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

With thanks to Alina Frolova (Deputy Chairman of the Centre for Defence Strategies). @a_frolova_mod on X.

Content Referenced:

Film: ‘This is also Ukraine’ Trailer, tickets and detail: https://factoryinternational.org/whats-on/balmy-ukraine-this-is-also-ukraine/

Russia’s summer Ukraine offensive looks like its deadliest so far (The Economist):

https://www.economist.com/interactive/graphic-detail/2025/07/09/russias-summer-ukraine-offensive-looks-like-its-deadliest-so-far 

Zelensky considers Defense Minister Rustem Umerov for ambassador post in US (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-considers-defense-minister-rustem-umerov-to-become-ukraine-ambassador-to-us

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:

The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,233.

Today, as Kyiv endures yet another mass aerial attack and Pres Zel arr in Rome for the annual Ukraine Recovery Conference, we report on espionage activities inside Ukraine, and later we talk to the Chief Adoption Officer of the NATO Innovation Fund.

Contributors:

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

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

With thanks to John Ridge (Chief Adoption Officer of the NATO Innovation Fund).

Content Referenced:

Ukrainian spy assassinated by gunman in Kyiv (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/10/ukrainian-spy-assassinated-by-gunman-in-kyiv/ 

Chinese father and son arrested for spying on Ukraine’s missile programme (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/10/ukraine-arrests-chinese-father-son-spying-neptune-missile/ 

Russia grooms Ukrainian teens as spies and saboteurs  (Financial Times):

https://www.ft.com/content/5cb5ebf9-bfb3-4a50-bc2f-79540baf8f87 

Secret Russian Intelligence Document Shows Deep Suspicion of China (New York Times):

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/07/world/europe/china-russia-spies-documents-putin-war.html 

Gardaí investigate bomb found at Russian-owned refinery in Limerick (Irish Times):

https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2025/07/06/gardai-probe-bomb-found-at-russian-owned-refinery-in-limerick

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:

The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,232.

Today, as Donald Trump calls out Vladimir Putin’s “bullshit” and appears to back fresh US sanctions on Russia, we read between the lines of President Macron’s address to the British parliament, and get an update on the so-called ‘Coalition of the Willing’.

Contributors:

Venetia Rainey (Planning editor & Co-host Battle Lines podcast). @venetiarainey on X.

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

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

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

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

Content Referenced:

Join us in Scarborough *tonight*:

https://scarboroughfair.uk/events/putins-folly-the-war-in-ukraine-three-years-on/

Troop deployment plans abandoned in latest Coalition of the Willing talks (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/08/troop-deployment-plans-abandoned-coalition-of-the-willing/ 

Macron oozes charm with a hint of triumphalism as he seduces MPs

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/07/08/emmanuel-macron-parliament-visit-keir-starmer-king-charles/

Teach children how to catch Russian spies online, MPs told

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/09/teach-children-catch-russian-spies-online-mps-told/

Trump said he threatened to bomb Moscow if Putin attacked Ukraine

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/08/politics/trump-tape-putin-bomb-fundraiser

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:

The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,231.

Today, we report on the sudden death of Russia’s former transport minister within hours of his sacking by Vladimir Putin. Then we examine Donald Trump’s pledge to resume weapons deliveries to Ukraine and look ahead to President Macron’s visit to the UK. Finally, we hear an updated figure of the number of children kidnapped by Russia, and discuss their fate if the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab closes this autumn amid its funding being pulled.

Contributors:

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

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

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

Nathaniel Raymond (Lecturer & Executive Director Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale School of Public Health) @nattyray11 on X.

Content Referenced:

‘Help the Humanitarian Research Lab Keep Finding Ukraine’s Abducted Children ’:

https://medicine.yale.edu/lab/khoshnood/give-now/

Fired Russian minister ‘kills himself’ (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/07/russian-minister-found-dead-after-being-sacked-by-putin/ 

Trump U-turns on sending weapons to Ukraine (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/08/donald-trump-us-sends-weapons-ukraine/

Russian airlines face $254 million losses from just 2 days of Ukrainian drone strikes, Kremlin media reports (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/drone-disruptions-reportedly-cost-russian-airlines-254-million-exposing-economic-pressure-from-ukraines-campaign-06-2025/ 

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:

The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,230.

Today, as Ukraine was hit over the weekend in Kharkiv, Kherson, Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka, and Ukraine attacked Russia’s airfields and fleets, we discuss the positive phone call between Trump and Zelensky, and dive into political fractures in Ukraine. Then we speak with Sam Cook about his foundation and the role of history in wartime.

Contributors:

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

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

Sam Cooke (Founder, Borderlands Foundation). @SamuelPNCook on X.

Content Referenced:

Learn More about the Borderlands Foundation:

https://borderlands-foundation.org/

Link to The Ukraine Freedom Summit:

https://ukrainefreedomsummit.org/

Ukraine’s political infighting gets nasty (The Economist):

https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/07/06/ukraines-political-infighting-gets-nasty

Mark Rutte interview in The New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/05/magazine/mark-rutte-interview.html  

93rd Brigade Post:

https://x.com/93OMBr1/status/1941134571619393548 

Putin's choice of a long war in Ukraine (Le Monde)

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2025/07/07/putin-s-choice-of-a-long-war-in-ukraine_6743095_23.html

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:

The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,227.

Today, as Putin and Trump hung up the phones after an hour-long conversation yesterday, Kyiv headed to the shelters for another massive drone and missile attack and a long, sleepless night. This morning, Russia declared that it is ‘not possible’ to achieve their goals through diplomatic means after the phone call. We discuss all these stories, then hear from Dr Jade McGlynn for the latest on resistance in the occupied territories, and talk to a British band who chose to perform in Kyiv.

Contributors:

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

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

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

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

With thanks to Hardwicke Circus.

Content Referenced:

Learn more about the band Hardwicke Circus:

https://www.facebook.com/hardwickecircus/?locale=en_GB 

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:

The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,226.

Today, as the fallout from Donald Trump freezing US weapons to Ukraine continues, in a special dispatch, we join the Ukrainian navy out on the Black Sea during an air attack on Odesa. Then we speak to the creator of Wargame – the new podcast simulating an attack by Russia on British soil, and hear what lessons it offers countries across the Western world.

Contributors:

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

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

With thanks to our guest Deborah Haynes (Security and Defence Editor at Sky News). @haynesdeborah on X.

Content Referenced:

Our Black Sea Video Dispatch:

YouTube Version -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2YjuuQz414  

Telegraph Version - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/03/russia-attacks-cargo-ships-ports-black-sea-ukraine-war/

The Wargame - Sky News and Tortoise Media podcast simulates a Russian attack on UK: 

https://news.sky.com/story/the-wargame-new-sky-news-and-tortoise-media-podcast-series-simulates-a-russian-attack-on-uk-13371462 

North Korea is sending Putin 30,000 more troops, Kyiv says (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/03/north-korea-russia-troops-ukraine/ 

Trump Is Playing a Cynical Game With Ukraine (Jake Sullivan in The New York Times):

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/opinion/trump-ukraine-weapons.html 

Ukraine Can Still Win (Michael Carpenter in Foreign Affairs):

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/ukraine-can-still-win

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,225.

Today, as Donald Trump’s administration decides to halt shipments of certain air defence missiles bound for Ukraine, we assess the ramifications for trust in the United States, before hearing the latest domestic stories being reported inside Russia, and speak to a former Kremlin propagandist.

Contributors:

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

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

James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X.

With thanks to our guest Andrew Ryvkin.

Content Referenced:

Gig in Kyiv by British Band Hardwicke Circus: https://www.mezzanine.kyiv.ua/afisha/hardwicke-circus

Join us at Scarborough Fair in Northern England on 9th July:

https://scarboroughfair.uk/events/putins-folly-the-war-in-ukraine-three-years-on/ 

That Time I Was a Russian Propagandist (Andrew in The Atlantic):

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/09/russian-propaganda-putin-ukraine-invasion/680021/ 

Pentagon halting some promised munitions for Ukraine (POLITICO):

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/01/pentagon-munitions-ukraine 

In June 2025, Ukraine increased electricity exports by 2.5 times (ExPro):

https://expro.com.ua/en/tidings/in-june-2025-ukraine-increased-electricity-exports-by-25-times- 

Germany still weighing Taurus missile supply to Ukraine, Merz says (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/germany-still-weighing-taurus-missile-supply-to-ukraine-merz-says/

Learn more about the documentary ‘Kherson: Human Safari’:

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-society/4008998-american-journalist-documents-wartime-reality-in-kherson-human-safari.html 

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,224.

Today, after enduring weeks of drone and missile strikes, Kyiv hits back in a long-range attack on a factory deep inside Russia and on a site in occupied Crimea. Plus, we examine Moscow’s latest attempt to shift Donald Trump’s focus away from ceasefire demands and, later, Francis talks to an investigator for the Eyes on Russia project which works to expose human rights violations and threats to democracy through open source investigations and research.

Contributors:

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

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

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

With thanks to Joshua Scriven, an investigator for the Eyes on Russia project at the Centre for Information Resilience (@Cen4infoRes on X).

Content Referenced:

Learn more about the Centre for Information Resilience:

Website - https://www.info-res.org/

X - https://x.com/Cen4infoRes

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/centre-for-information-resilience/posts/?feedView=all

Learn more about BRAVE1:

https://brave1.gov.ua/en/

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,223.

Today, after Ukraine claims to have destroyed a litany of Russian aircraft, we discuss war crimes described on Russia state television committed against snipers, and a remarkable story about how Moscow is reportedly using nuns as spies to spread propaganda.

Contributors:

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

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

James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.

Content Referenced:

Russia ‘using nuns as spies to spread propaganda’ (James Rothwell in The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/21/russia-using-nuns-as-spies-to-spread-propaganda/ 

Germany’s crisis-hit car industry is the key to its rearmament (James Rothwell in The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/22/germany-car-industry-key-rearmament/ 

Inside Ukraine’s occupied territory where thousands of Russians are moving in (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/03/31/inside-occupied-ukraine-territory-russia-war-berdiansk/ 

'Mariupol is diseased': Residents deny Russian claims occupied city returning to normal (BBC):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6912mqp1go 

I lost half my weight in jail, but I'm not broken, says freed Belarus opposition leader (BBC):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czey1y6x6zzo 

Poland to boost howitzer shell output in face of Russian threat (Financial Times):

https://www.ft.com/content/425d4fab-6405-4bd8-b4a1-d6ec6a016f83 

Ukraine is inching towards robot-on-robot fighting (The Economist):

www.economist.com/europe/2025/06/26/ukraine-is-inching-towards-robot-on-robot-fighting

SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/  

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: [email protected]

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