Ukrainecast

As Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to make his latest pitch to Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, the US is yet to announce a decision on the delivery of long range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Could Washington have given the green light behind the scenes already? Are Ukrainian claims of frontline counteroffensives being exaggerated? And which side is coming out on top when it comes to drone technology?

To answer your questions, Lucy is joined by BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson and Mikey Kay from The Security Brief on the BBC news channel. The team also discuss Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, Nato military exercises and Halloween celebrations in Ukraine.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings.

The producers were Laurie Kalus and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Jonny Baker. The social producer was Joe Wilkinson. The series producer is Chris Flynn. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

After a peace agreement in the Middle East, is President Trump now turning his attention back to the situation in Ukraine? Victoria and James are joined by BBC filmmaker Jane Corbin to ask what, if anything, has changed when it comes to peace efforts in Europe.

And - we hear about some of the more unfamiliar jobs created by the war in Ukraine. Journalist Richard Pendry has been embedded with military recruiters pursuing draft dodgers, and one of the men responsible for informing families of the deaths of their loved ones in battle.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and James Waterhouse.

The producers were Laurie Kalus and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The social producer was Sophie Millward. The series producer is Chris Flynn. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

How might Russia respond to the potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine? What can Europe do to win round Hungary's Viktor Orbán? And what would a drone wall to protect Europe actually look like?

To answer your questions, Jamie and Vitaly are joined by Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse and BBC Verify's Olga Robinson. The team also discuss proxy wars, foreign troops and false flag operations.

Today’s episode is presented by Jamie Coomarasamy and Vitaly Shevchenko.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Vitaly’s home village of Verkhnya Krynytsya in the Zaporizhzhia region was occupied by Russia shortly after the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Now, in a Ukrainecast exclusive, he tells Victoria why it’s likely his childhood home is being used as a base by the Russian military.

Plus, BBC Verify has revealed a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries in recent months. Olga Robinson joins us in the studio to break down how the impact of these attacks is being felt inside the country.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Is Ukraine seeing an exodus of young men? Why does Russia have veto power over UN resolutions? And would Moscow defend Minsk if Nato allies invoked Article 5 in response to an attack by Belarus?

To answer your questions, Lucy Hockings is joined by senior digital journalist Laura Gozzi, and Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse. The team also discuss US aid, China’s role in the conflict, and whether Vladimir Putin is grooming a successor for the top job in the Kremlin.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

As a solution to the conflict remains elusive and casualties mount, what is it like to treat those injured while defending their country?

This week we are speaking with two surgeons, Dr Danylo Turkevich and Dr Shehan Hettiaratchy, who have witnessed the consequences of the fighting in Ukraine close up.

Plus Victoria is joined by our correspondent Sarah Rainsford to discuss a pro-EU election victory in Moldova, amid allegations of Russian interference.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

There was widespread surprise at the UN General Assembly this week, when Donald Trump appeared to drastically alter his tone on the war in Ukraine. His new insistence that Ukraine could win back all of its territory on the battlefield marks a significant departure from what has become the consensus view among military observers, and President Zelensky welcomed his comments as a "big shift". So, even as Russia dismisses the claims as "erroneous", could this change of rhetoric lead to a policy reset from the United States in its response to the conflict?

This week, Lucy and Vitaly are joined by the BBC's Europe Digital Editor, Paul Kirby, to answer your questions. They discuss whether this is an opportunity for Kyiv to reclaim international attention, after repeated Russian incursions of Nato airspace forced allies to focus on the defence of their own borders.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, repeated Russian violations of Nato airspace have prompted warnings from some Nato countries that Russia should expect jets to be shot down if they continue.

Secretary general Mark Rutte has insisted allied nations are ready to defend "every inch" of Nato's borders.

And, we react to the return of the Intervision international music contest in Moscow.

The producers were Laurie Kalus and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The social producer was Grace Braddock. The series producer is Chris Flynn. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Email [email protected] with your questions and comments.

You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

As Donald Trump is afforded a royal welcome by the United Kingdom, many are seeing his unprecedented second state visit as a test of whether soft power diplomacy still works. The trip comes as Washington insists it will only apply additional sanctions against Moscow if Europe stops buying Russian oil. So can Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer get the US president to change his position?

This week, Jamie and Vitaly are joined by the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent James Landale, who has been observing events in Windsor where King Charles III hosted President Trump.

Today’s episode is presented by Jamie Coomarasamy and Vitaly Shevchenko.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Russia and Belarus have been staging joint military drills in an apparent message of strength to the West, but the relationship between US President Donald Trump and authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko seems to be warming.

Dozens of political prisoners have been freed from Belarusian prisons as part of a deal between the two countries, and some sanctions on Belarus have been eased. President Trump even sent Mr Lukashenko some cufflinks as a birthday gift.

The BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg joins us to describe witnessing the drills close up, and give his take on the apparent thawing of relations.

Plus, we speak to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who’s currently in exile in Lithuania.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord