Ukraine: The Latest

Today, in a special short episode recorded in the frontline city of Kharkiv, Francis Dearnley interviews a woman who had to flee her home "the day the Russians came", and how life for her and her relatives has been changed forever.

Recorded by Adélie Pojzman-Pontay and Jack Leather. Edited by James Shield.

Video of Kharkiv Dispatch with Francis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi20lWX4Fyk

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,041

Today, we report how Azerbaijan's President accuses Russia of trying to "hush up" Moscow's responsibility for the doomed jet and we hear about a new Fellowship in the name of Ukrainian writer and friend to the podcast, Victoria Amelina.

Contributors:

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

Dr Sasha Dovzhyk (Director of Index Ukraine). @sasha_weirdsley on X.

Links:

Victoria Amelina Fellowship:

https://www.index-ukraine.org/news/victoria-amelina-fellowship

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,038

Today, we look at Russia’s Christmas day attack and the highly suspicious crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane, and we interview a former beautician based in Kharkiv, who decided to train as an explosive ordnance specialist after the war began.

Contributors:

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

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist & narrative podcast producer). @adeliepjz on X.

With thanks to Olga Ferodova, Lyudmila our translator, and Humanity and Inclusion. @HI_UK on X.

Humanity & Inclusion is one of four charities supported by this year’s Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal. If you want to support Humanity & Inclusion, which works directly on the front lines with volunteers and those most vulnerable like Tetiana, please click here. There’s also lots more information about the charity and their work. To make a donation, please visit telegraph.co.uk/2024appeal or call 0151 317 5247.

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Today, in a special episode recorded before his death, David Knowles attends a football match in Ukraine, exploring how 'the beautiful game' has served as an anchor in a country at war. Produced by Rachel Porter.

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,034

Today, in addition to military and political updates, we report speculations about potential offensives over the New Year period, and feature an interview we did in Kharkiv with a lady who lived under Russian occupation. Then, we end with music in David's memory.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

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

Video of Kharkiv Dispatch with Francis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi20lWX4Fyk

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

Learn more Portsmouth Cathedral Choir:

https://www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk/music

Articles Referenced:

N. Korea preparing for additional troop deployment, suicide drone supply to Russia (Yonhap News Agency, South Korea):

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241223002700315

Ukraine’s All-Robot Assault Force Just Won Its First Battle (Forbes):

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/12/21/ukraines-first-all-robot-assault-force-just-won-its-first-battle/

Trump to demand Nato nations spend 5pc of GDP on defence (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/20/donald-trump-nato-nations-demand-increase-defence-spends/

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,031

Today, as Kyiv comes under renewed intense bombardment, we speculate over a possible Russian advance in the South, and later, we interview a blind lawyer in Kharkiv.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

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

With thanks to Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist & narrative podcast producer). @adeliepjz on X.

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

Francis's Article on the Kharkiv underground School, with photos and clips:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/2024/12/17/inside-kharkivs-underground-school-for-ukrainian-children/

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Day : 1,030

Today, as continued attacks on civilians in the Kherson area suggest Russia’s so-called 'human safari' is ongoing, we report on Putin’s annual press conference, where he said Russia had ‘reached all its goals’ in Syria. Then, our latest dispatch from the frontline city of Kharkiv.

Contributors:

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

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

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

With thanks to our guests Luda and Ilia, and to Adélie Pojzman-Pontay.

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

Francis's Article on the Kharkiv underground School, with photos and clips:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/2024/12/17/inside-kharkivs-underground-school-for-ukrainian-children/

Articles Referenced:

Putin: Russia ‘getting closer’ to achieving goals in Ukraine (Telegraph Live Blog):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/19/putin-moscow-ukraine-zelensky/ 

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,029.

Today, as the fallout from the assassination in Moscow of General Kirillov continues, we report on the environmental damage being wrought along Russia’s Black Sea coast following the loss of shadow-fleet tankers and examine the possible poisoning of the mother of Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Contributors:

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

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

Daniel Hardaker (Foreign Correspondent). @DanielHardaker4 on X.

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,028.

Today, we react to the news that the Russian general in charge of the military’s nuclear and chemical weapons division has been assassinated in a scooter bomb attack, we hear live from the Joint Expeditionary Force summit in Estonia, and we hear our latest dispatch from the frontline city of Kharkiv.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

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

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

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

With thanks to Jack Leather and Adélie Pojzman-Pontay for photographs, videos, and recordings.

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

Francis's Article on the Kharkiv underground School, with photos and clips:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/2024/12/17/inside-kharkivs-underground-school-for-ukrainian-children/

Articles Referenced:

Why Russian blimps appearing on Nato’s border are a message from Moscow (James in The Telegraph)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/16/russia-mysterious-blimps-sow-fear-and-confusion-nato-border/

The 500-mile high speed rail line that can carry Nato troops to a war with Russia (James in The Telegraph)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/17/rail-baltica-nato-troops-russia-estonia-latvia-lithuania/

Russia’s War Economy Is Hitting Its Limits (Foreign Policy)

https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/11/14/russia-war-putin-economy-weapons-production-labor-shortage-demographics/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

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

Email: [email protected]

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

Day 1,027.

Today, as video evidence emerges of North Korean troops in combat, in a special episode we hear a report David Knowles recorded before his death which looks deeper into the question of Pyongyang’s early involvement in this war, and hear about the charity we are fundraising for this year, in David’s memory.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

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

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist & narrative podcast producer). @adeliepjz on X.

David Knowles (Host & Creator).

With thanks to Damien Spleeters (Director of Expeditionary Operations, Conflict Armament Research) @damspleet on X, Ihor Nalyvaiko (translator), and the team from Conflict Armament Research in Kyiv.

Donate to David's charity:

This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:

https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ 

Content Referenced:

Telegraph’s David Knowles, who launched Ukraine podcast, wins posthumous award (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/12/15/the-telegraph-david-knowles-ukraine-the-latest-award/

Russian oil tankers sink off coast of Crimea (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/15/russian-oil-tankers-sink-off-coast-of-crimea/

Covert Shores:

http://www.hisutton.com/

Ukraine delays critical minerals deal with US ‘so Trump can claim credit’ (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/15/ukraine-delays-critical-minerals-deal-us-trump-claim-credit/

Russia pulls hundreds of troops out of Damascus (Financial Times):

https://www.ft.com/content/6782dbd1-39cb-48b4-8b94-92925dbd60d5

North Korean missiles produced in 2024 used in Ukraine

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/15ae6ca767bc46a1b536ac7e2d962b66

North Korean missile relies on recent electronic components

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0814c6868bbd45a98b15693a31bd0e7f

Documenting a North Korean missile in Ukraine

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3a4e9d713f59426d9d1ea3881abecbf3

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

Email: [email protected]

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