Ukrainecast

On Friday, Ukraine’s air force said Russia had launched a record 539 drones and 11 missiles in overnight airstrikes. Kyiv was at the epicentre of the attack, with every district in the capital targeted. We’ve been speaking with two residents of the city, about their experiences - Dasha, who spent the night sheltering at a local metro station, and Oleksiy, who watched his business go up in flames on CCTV.

Also, on Monday Russia's Investigative Committee said that Vladimir Putin’s former transport minister Roman Starovoit had been found dead, apparently with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Victoria and Vitaly explain why the ex-Kursk governor’s death is driving intense speculation online.

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

After the US paused the delivery of some weapons to Ukraine pledged under the Biden administration, how soon will the impact be felt on the front line? As Russia claims full control of Luhansk, what is life like for Ukrainians living in occupied territories? And is Ukraine united behind the Russian opposition movement?

Lucy and Vitaly answer all that, and discuss French President Emmanuel Macron’s call with Vladimir Putin, alongside BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson, and our diplomatic correspondent James Landale.

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

Last week, a clip of BBC Ukrainian reporter Myroslava Petsa went viral, after President Trump asked a series of questions about her personal story during a press conference at the Nato summit. Myroslava tells us what was going through her mind at that moment, and what it has been like to cover the conflict while her husband fights for Ukraine.

We also hear from Matthew Savill at RUSI about the intensification of nightly Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian towns and cities. Can Russia sustain this level of aerial pressure? Is Ukraine’s effort to target manufacturing hubs actually effective? And why is President Zelensky so keen to buy new Patriot missile defence systems?

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

The Nato summit in The Hague did get member states to agree on ramping up their defence spending - and seemed to placate Donald Trump. But has this week changed anything for Ukraine? What happened to the prior US “two-week deadline” to agree a ceasefire - and will those sought-after Patriot missiles ever arrive in Kyiv? Jamie Coomarasamy and Vitaly Shevchenko answer all that, and discuss the knotty details of prosecuting alleged war crimes with BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson and the Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse.

Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 123 9480

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

As Nato leaders gather in the Hague, all eyes are on one man - President Trump. Member states have largely complied with his demand that they spend more on collective defence. But as Russia’s full-scale invasion continues, will his focus at this summit extend to Ukraine, or is he preoccupied with events in the Middle East?

For an insider perspective, we’re joined by the former US Permanent Representative to Nato, Julianne Smith. And two of our listeners from Nato’s newest members - Finland and Sweden - tell us how they feel about the threat from near neighbours, Russia.

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

As oil prices rise, is escalation in the Middle East between Israel and Iran a positive development for Russia? How successful has Ukraine been in downing Russia’s fibre optic drone capacity? And is the Kremlin really intent on extending its invasion beyond Nato borders?

Lucy and Vitaly answer all that, and discuss the impact of the latest western sanctions with BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson and Matthew Savill of the Royal United Services Institute.

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 the confrontation between Iran and Israel deepens, could Russia could reap the benefits of rising oil prices - or have the chance to act as a mediator?

And what consequences could this crisis have for Ukraine?

Also, what’s it like to join the Ukrainian armed forces? We catch up with friend of the pod Volodymyr, who recently volunteered for a drone unit and is going through basic training.

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

How are Russian POWs treated in Ukrainian captivity? Is Kyiv’s claim that Russia has suffered more than 1 million casualties during the war accurate? And during WW2 Britain used flat-pack bomb shelters - could they also now work in Ukraine?

These are just some of the questions you’ve been sending in to the Ukrainecast team. Jamie and Vitaly are joined by Olga Robinson from BBC Verify and Olga Ivshina from BBC Russian to answer them.

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

Bringing soldiers back home is one of the few areas where Russia and Ukraine have made progress together in recent months, and another large scale prisoner swap started this week.

We talk to Anastasia - the wife of a Ukrainian soldier held captive since 2022, and released in May. But his new found freedom came against a backdrop of continuing Russian attacks on cities across Ukraine. We talk about whether we are seeing the retaliation for operation 'Spider Web'.

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

What do the Spider Web drone attacks tell us about Ukraine’s tactics inside Russia going forward? Could the West limit Russian oil revenues by confiscating its 'shadow fleet'? And are we any closer to seeing high-precision laser weapons on the battlefield?

We answer all that and discuss what the implications could be for Ukraine after Poland elected a new conservative president, with the BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet and diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams.

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