Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,513. Today, as Hungary’s new prime minister Péter Magyar signals he will not veto the €90 billion European Union loan for Ukraine – and Slovakia’s opposition to the package appears to be crumbling – we ask whether Brussels can finally get the funding approved. We report on a continued surge in Ukrainian airstrikes against high-value Russian targets, and consider whether the air war in Russia’s war against Ukraine is beginning to tilt in Kyiv’s favour. We also examine developments in Ukraine’s domestic politics, as former presidential aide Andriy Yermak faces scrutiny from the country’s anti-corruption authorities. And later, we bring you a special interview from Adélie’s recent trip to Ukraine with Asami Terajima on the military’s efforts to prevent troops going AWOL and visiting a Kharkiv morgue. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to Asami Terajima – frontline reporter at the Kyiv Independent. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Top Zelensky allies Yermak, Arakhamia targeted in new searches, summons, source says (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/yermak/ The Mushroom Captivating Wartime Ukraine (New Lines): https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/the-mushroom-captivating-wartime-ukraine/ Russian air defenses are collapsing. Now Ukrainian warplanes can hit harder (Euromaidan): https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/04/15/donetsk-airport-raid/ Inside Ukraine's AWOL and military desertion crisis https://kyivindependent.com/inside-ukraines-awol-and-desertion-crisis/ As Ukraine war deaths mount, Kharkiv morgue strains to identify the truth https://kyivindependent.com/you-cant-turn-off-your-emotion-inside-a-ukrainian-morgue-as-war-deaths-mount/ Coming of age during war, where mistakes can cost a life https://kyivindependent.com/coming-of-age-during-war-where-mistakes-can-cost-a-life/ War Notes Newsletter https://kyivindependent.com/newsletters/war-notes/ The Kyiv Independent doesn’t have a paywall or an owner and is supported by a community of readers who make this work possible: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=membership-offline-arcola-theatre&utm_medium=offline&utm_campaign=pr EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,512. Today, as Russian forces suffer more than 35,000 casualties in Ukraine in a single month – the highest rate of the war so far – we report on fresh strikes across Ukraine that have killed at least 17 civilians, including a 12 year old boy. We assess the outcome of the latest Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, and examine the dramatic first moves of Hungary’s new prime minister, who has vowed to shut down state television, describing it as “North Korean-style propaganda”. And later, we bring you the latest from Russia, including reaction in Moscow to the political fall of Viktor Orbán. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Child among 14 killed in Russian strikes (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/16/wave-of-russian-strikes-kills-14-in-ukraine/ Ukraine’s drones dent Russia’s war-fuelled oil windfall (Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/d49e288f-b74e-44a8-a2f3-ec87f7cb5c27?syn-25a6b1a6=1 ‘The pope versus the president: how Leo became Trump’s fearless foe’ (Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/4f67aa87-9210-402d-bfef-b71b294d65cb?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Pope Pius II’s memoirs (Vol. I; Harvard University Press): https://itatti.harvard.edu/publications/commentaries The Border by Erika Fatland: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57950362-the-border EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,511. Today, as the 50-nation Ukraine Defence Contact Group meets in Berlin just hours after President Zelensky signs a new defence cooperation pact with Germany, we assess the first moves of Hungary’s new prime minister and what they could mean for European support for Ukraine. We then take a deep dive into Russian military tactics and campaign design – including how Moscow consolidates control over occupied territories – with an expert from the Institute for the Study of War. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. With thanks to Karolina Hird of the Institute for the Study of War. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Karolina Hird’s Occupation Updates for the ISW: https://understandingwar.org/people/karolina-hird/ The SBU detained an FSB informant who, while working as a school principal in Kramatorsk, corrected shelling of the city (Ukrainian Government): https://ssu.gov.ua/novyny/sbu-zatrymala-informatorku-fsb-yaka-pratsiuiuchy-zavuchem-shkoly-u-kramatorsku-koryhuvala-obstrily-mista 17-year-old Lithuanian who won the Norwegian Mathematical Olympiad donated the entire prize to Ukraine (LRT): https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/svietimas/45/2887345/norvegijos-matematikos-olimpiadoje-laimejes-17-metis-lietuvis-visa-priza-paaukojo-ukrainai Ukraine opens first Africa food supply center in Ghana (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-links-food-aid-and-trade-with-ghana-agrohub/?mc_cid=d5c797f2f4&mc_eid=08d0680a95 EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,510. Today, as new evidence emerges that Russia is increasing sign-on bonuses to recruit more soldiers for its war in Ukraine, we report on efforts to ramp up defences around Vladimir Putin’s palace. We also examine dramatic political developments in Hungary, where the new prime minister has vowed to expose alleged Russian links – amid reports of document shredding by allies of former leader Viktor Orbán. And later, we speak to a former CIA operative about Russian disinformation tactics, the failures of Kremlin intelligence services, and what they have learned – and not learned – from the war. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. With thanks to former CIA operative Sean M. Wiswesser. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Sean M. Wiswesser’s book, ‘Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin's Secret War’: https://a.co/d/04TANzGg Putin has lost his best friend inside the EU. Who can he rely on now Orban has gone? (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/14/putin-loses-best-friend-orban/ Ukraine ‘forces Russians to surrender using only robots’ (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/14/ukraine-forces-russians-to-surrender-using-only-robots/ Putin’s house now protected by 27 air defence systems (Antonia Langford in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/13/putins-house-now-protected-27-air-defence-systems-drones/ Zelensky's Ukraine's Defense Industry Worker Day Address (President's Office): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Br_kdXR-sk&t=56s Starmer accused of ‘corrosive complacency’ over defence (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/14/starmer-accused-complacency-former-nato-chief-defence/ EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,509. Today, as Ukraine and the wider world react to the apparent rejection of Viktor Orbán’s model of “illiberal democracy” in Hungary, we ask: who is Péter Magyar, and what does his rise mean for Hungarian politics and Europe? As Hungarians confront a potential new political era, we examine whether real change is coming in Budapest – and how the European Union will handle the unresolved вопрос of the €90 billion loan for Ukraine. We also assess how much fighting actually paused during the Orthodox Easter ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine, and ask whether Vladimir Putin is ultimately a winner or loser from the recent global attacks on oil infrastructure. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. James Crisp (Europe Editor). @JamesCrisp6 on X. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Orban ousted in Hungarian election landslide (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/12/orban-concedes-defeat-hungarian-election/ How Orban’s ousting in Hungary undermines Putin (James Crisp in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/13/orbans-ousting-hungary-undermines-putin/ What it’s like to be hunted by drones in Ukraine (Antonia Langford in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/13/what-its-like-to-be-hunted-by-drones-in-ukraine/ Learn more about ‘The Light of Freedom – A Night for Ukraine’ fundraiser tomorrow: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/supportukraine/2051898 EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,506. Today, as Putin finally agrees to a brief ceasefire this weekend to mark Orthodox Easter - trying to pass the initiative off as his own generosity - we examine what a ceasefire is and, importantly, what it is not. We report how the next round of so-called peace talks have run into the sand and we have our regular update about resistance operations in the occupied territories. Plus, a special report from Adelie, for which discretion is advised, about how Russian troops are using sexual violence as a tactic in their war. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to Dr Jade McGlynn and Sara Cincurova. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Putin announces Easter ceasefire in Ukraine https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/09/zelensky-trump-is-ignoring-russias-role-in-iran-attacks/ Ukrainian Women Tell Their Stories of Sexual Violence by Russian Soldiers https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/world/europe/russian-soldiers-sexual-violence-ukraine.html Three Years After Bucha’s Liberation, Ukrainian Women Still Struggle for Justice https://www.moretoherstory.com/stories/three-years-after-buchas-liberation-ukrainian-women-still-struggle-for-justice EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,505. Today, as Russian shadow fleet tankers steam through the English channel backed up by warships, The Telegraph’s acting defence editor Tom Cotterill, was also floating nearby to witness PM Sir Keir Starmer’s new shadow fleet policy in action. We report on Russia's secret submarine operation in British waters. Ukraine claims that it has put Russia's last remaining ferry in the Kerch Strait out of action, potentially isolating occupied Crimea. And we hear that Hungary has uncovered a massive Ukrainian money laundering operation just days ahead of the general election. Plus we hear from our resident Russia-watcher James Kilner, and ask: is Moscow’s jeering a sign that the Kremlin no longer fears Donald Trump? Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. James Kilner. @jkjourno on X NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Ukrainian intelligence called it “the last Russian railway ferry in the Kerch Strait still afloat” — now it’s out of action too https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/04/08/ukrainian-intelligence-called-it-the-last-russian-railway-ferry-in-the-kerch-strait-still-afloat-now-its-out-of-action-too/ EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,504. Today Ukraine praises the news of an apparent ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha saying: “American decisiveness works”. We report on an FBI operation to protect US citizens from Russian cyberhackers and take in the aromas of a fishing port in NW France, where Breton fishermen are donating their old nets to Ukraine to protect against drones. Plus, Francis has a second dispatch with Orban’s team on the upcoming Hungary elections. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Francis’s Hungary Documentaries – Part I: Ukraine & Russia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o Part II: Immigration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuGB9mgdHvE Justice Department Conducts Court-Authorized Disruption of DNS Hijacking Network Controlled by a Russian Military Intelligence Unit https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-conducts-court-authorized-disruption-dns-hijacking-network-controlled NATO Internship Programme https://www.nato.int/en/work-with-us/careers/internship-programme?srcDelegationsatNATOEN EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,503. Today after another set of attacks on Russian oil and gas infrastructure, it's clear Ukraine is not going to heed calls by some international leaders to stop striking Russian energy facilities. President Zelensky has continued his whirlwind diplomatic tour visiting Syria and Turkey over Easter, and we hear from our Senior Foreign Correspondent, Adrian Blomfield, about how a drone designed for herding cattle helped destroy a bridge being used by Russia. Plus, Francis has a special report on the upcoming Hungarian elections. Contributors: Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Adrian Blomfield (Telegraph Senior Foreign Correspondent). @adrianblomfield on X NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Francis’s Hungary Documentaries – Part I: Ukraine & Russia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o Part II: Immigration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuGB9mgdHvE Adrian Blomfield’s article: Exclusive: British drones destroy Russian-controlled bridge: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/07/british-drones-destroy-russian-controlled-bridge-dnipro/ Picture credit: Credit: Ukraine's 426th Unmanned Systems Regiment EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,498. Today, as President Donald Trump threatens to withdraw from the key US initiative that enables allies to purchase American weapons for Ukraine, we analyse new footage of emerging drone technologies on the frontline, before exposing the brutal realities of Russia’s battlefield economy and the corruption sustaining Vladimir Putin’s war effort. We also report on record crime rates in Russia since the invasion, as returning soldiers strain domestic stability, and hear expert analysis on this pivotal moment in Ukrainian politics. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to freelance journalist Antonia Langford and Deputy Editor of the Kyiv Independent, Oleksiy Sorokin. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: ‘Rapists and murderers’ in Russian army rampage while home from front (Antonia Langford in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/01/rapists-murderers-russian-army-rampage-home-from-front/ Trump threatened to stop weapons for Ukraine unless Europe joined Hormuz coalition (Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/d304071a-ca97-4b3b-be93-ff880a6645c3?syn-25a6b1a6=1 On the front lines, Russian soldiers pay officers to stay alive (The Economist): https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/04/01/on-the-front-lines-russian-soldiers-pay-officers-to-stay-alive EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,497. Today, as The Telegraph publishes an exclusive interview with Donald Trump in which he threatens to withdraw the United States from NATO, we examine the potential consequences for European security and Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion. We also analyse dramatic footage of new Russian “jousting” drones reportedly being deployed on the battlefield, before looking at Vladimir Putin’s latest appeal to Russia’s billionaire oligarchs to help sustain the country’s wartime economy. And later, we reflect on the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and the enduring legacy of the nuclear catastrophe that still shapes Ukraine’s environmental and security landscape. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Connor Stringer (Washington Correspondent). @connor_stringer on X. James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. With thanks to Dr Sasha Dovzhyk. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Trump interview: I am strongly considering pulling out of Nato (Connor Stringer in The Telegraph). https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/01/donald-trump-strongly-considering-pulling-us-out-of-nato/ Russian drone skewers Ukrainian aircraft in mid-air (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/31/russian-drone-skewers-ukrainian-aircraft-in-mid-air/ Learn more about INDEX: https://www.index-ukraine.org/en Learn more about NOXAID: https://noxaiduk.org/ Specific fundraiser for Fire truck: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/james-clarke-512?utm_medium=CF&utm_source=CL EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,496. Today, as Ukraine offers to assist in re-opening the Strait of Hormuz, we hear reports of the Ukrainians being warned off attacking oil energy infrastructure as the world continues to reel from the war in Iran, before examining leaked calls between the Russian and Hungarian foreign ministers that suggest an even closer relationship between Moscow and Budapest than previously understood. Finally, we reflect on the anniversary of the Bucha massacre – one of the most notorious atrocities of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and hear the view from the battlefield with frontline reporter Francis Farrell. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to Francis Farrell of the Kyiv Independent. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Francis’s Documentary on Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o Chernobyl Event Tomorrow by the Ukrainian Institute of London/Royal Society of the Arts: https://www.thersa.org/events/2026/04/40-years-on-chornobyls-legacy-and-european-environmental-security/ Kremlin hotline: Hungary colluded with Russia to delist sanctioned oligarchs, companies and banks (The Insider and others): https://theins.press/en/inv/290911 Foreign fighters in Russian ranks rise above 27,000, Ukraine says (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/foreign-fighters-in-russian-ranks-rise-to-27-407-ukraine-says/?mc_cid=84888effdc&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Interview exclusive de Sergueï Lavrov, ministre des Affaires étrangères russe (France 2): https://www.franceinfo.fr/monde/russie/video-nous-nous-prononcons-pour-la-defense-des-interets-de-l-iran-regardez-l-interview-exclusive-de-serguei-lavrov-ministre-des-affaires-etrangeres-russe-sur-france-2_7896044.html Pourquoi et dans quelles conditions la rédaction de France Télévisions a-t-elle réalisé l'interview de Sergueï Lavrov, chef de la diplomatie russe ? (France Info): https://www.franceinfo.fr/une-information-transparente-franceinfo/transparence-pourquoi-et-dans-quelles-conditions-la-redaction-de-france-televisions-a-t-elle-realise-l-interview-de-serguei-lavrov-chef-de-la-diplomatie-russe_7897925.html Francis Farrell’s recent journalism for The Kyiv Independent: https://kyivindependent.com/author/francis-farrell/ EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,495. Today, as the full extent of the damage from Ukrainian strikes in the Baltic region becomes clearer, we assess the impact on Russia’s oil infrastructure and the wider war economy. We also examine stalled offensives on the ground, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces struggling to make significant gains along the frontline. Then we turn to President Zelensky’s “Gulf Grand Tour”, as he signs defence agreements with Gulf states seeking Ukrainian assistance against Iranian drone threats as Moscow is accused of helping Tehran to destroy one of its most valuable aircraft. And later, we look at a row in Germany after a major defence company claimed Ukrainian drones were “built by housewives”, and ask whether a European Union member state such as Hungary could lose its voting rights amid growing pressure to unlock a €90 billion loan for Kyiv. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X. Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Francis’s Documentary on Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o Zelensky looks to Gulf to protect him from Putin (Joe Barnes in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/zelensky-needs-patriot-missiles-answer-in-gulf/ Orban on the brink – but his rival may spring a surprise on the EU (James Crisp in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/eu-viktor-orban-hungary-election/ How Iran destroyed US base’s $500m battlefield nerve centre (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/how-iran-destroyed-500m-battlefield-nerve-centre-at-us-base/ Hungarian Journalist Faces Spy Charges After Reports on Election Meddling (New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/world/europe/hungary-journalist-election-meddling-espionage.html Russians dubious as bomb shelters appear 1,000km from Ukraine (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/russia-building-bomb-shelters-1-000-km-from-border-as-ukraines-strike-reach-grows/?mc_cid=6c83d4505d&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Russian losses in the war with Ukraine: updated (Mediazona and BBC): https://en.zona.media/article/2026/03/27/casualties_eng-trl EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,492. Today, as Ukraine continues its strikes on Russian oil terminals on the Baltic Sea, we explore how Russia’s oil exports and wider economy are benefiting from the war in Iran. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky is in Saudi Arabia seeking to strengthen defence cooperation in the Middle East. And later, we bring several updates from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, along with the first episode from Francis’s new documentary series dedicated to Hungary – widely seen as the chief barrier to the European Union’s efforts to support Kyiv. Contributors: Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). With thanks to Dr Jade McGlynn. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Francis’s Hungary film will top this playlist as soon as it’s live at c.19:00 GMT/14:00 ET: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAIeCVx8Y3YYc45BteWOB9Z&si=0BN7pQ6S5hM_3S-5 Accompanying article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/hungary-russia-ukraine-viktor-orban-war-explained-dispatch/ How Ukraine killed Putin’s plan to make billions from Iran war (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/ukraine-killed-putins-plan-make-millions-iran-war/ Exclusive: Trump's Iran war pushes India to rekindle old friendship with Russia (Reuters): https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trumps-iran-war-pushes-india-rekindle-old-friendship-with-russia-2026-03-27/ Why Ukraine’s Russian oil strikes are backfiring (The Spectator): https://spectator.com/article/why-ukraines-russian-oil-strikes-are-backfiring/ Willing Accomplices: Gazprom and Rosneft’s role in the transport and indoctrination of children (Yale School of Public Health, HUmanitarian Research Lab): https://files-profile.medicine.yale.edu/documents/685979f1-6c89-4295-a765-d6fee48357e3 Welcome to ‘New Russia’: How the Kremlin is remaking occupied Ukraine (Reuters): https://www.reuters.com/investigations/welcome-new-russia-how-kremlin-is-remaking-occupied-ukraine-2026-03-26/ How Russia attempts to legalize the occupation of Crimea (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/how-russia-attempts-to-legalize-the-occupation-of-crimea/ EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,491. Today, as extraordinary Ukrainian strikes in the Baltic region reportedly knock out around 40 per cent of Russia’s crude oil export capacity in a single attack – and achieve the first known successful strike on a Russian military ship in the Baltic Sea, hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine – we assess the strategic impact on Russia’s war economy. We also take the temperature from high-level meetings in Germany and Finland, and examine reports that Moscow is supplying Iran with vital assistance in its confrontation with the United States and Israel. What vulnerabilities has this widening conflict exposed for Washington? Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. With thanks to Dr Robert Person, nonresident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Ukraine drone attacks wipe out power for 500,000 Russians (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/25/ukraine-russia-drone-attacks-power-cut-500k-kyiv/ Trump denies it – but two wars are becoming one (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/26/converging-wars-leave-europe-panicked-and-putin-emboldened/ Exclusive: At least 40% of Russia's oil export capacity halted (Reuters): https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/least-40-russias-oil-export-capacity-halted-reuters-calculations-show-2026-03-25/ Russia sending drones to Iran, western intelligence says (The Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/d5d7291b-8a53-42cd-b10a-4e02fbcf9047?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Russian government ordered Moscow internet blackout, The Bell reports (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/orders-to-shut-down-internet-in-moscow-came-from-government-independent-russian-outlets-sources-confirm/?mc_cid=acf8847d40&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Pentagon considers diverting Ukraine military aid to the Middle East (The Washington Post): https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/26/us-iran-war-ukraine-missile-defense/ Over 5000 munitions shot in the first 96 hours of Iran war (Foreign Policy Institute): https://www.fpri.org/article/2026/03/over-5000-munitions-shot-in-the-first-96-hours-of-the-iran-war/ Drone Warfare Has Come to the United States (National Interest): https://nationalinterest.org/feature/drone-warfare-has-come-to-the-united-states EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,490. Today, as Ukraine suffers the largest wave of Russian attacks of the entire war – including a rare daytime aerial assault across much of the country – we examine the scale and impact of the bombardment. We also report on Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russia’s Baltic ports, with some drones reportedly reaching Estonia and Latvia. Then we reveal behind-the-scenes details of talks in Florida between Ukrainian and American officials, as the first investment linked to the US-Ukraine minerals deal becomes public. And later, we explore the evolution of international law since the Nuremberg Trials and how it underpins the post–World War II security architecture, in conversation with a former director of Human Rights Watch. Contributors: Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. With thanks to journalist and author Steve Crawshaw. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Steve Crawshaw’s book – Prosecuting the Powerful: War Crimes and the Battle for Justice: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prosecuting-Powerful-Crimes-Battle-Justice/dp/0349128952/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 Russia bombards Ukraine with largest daytime attack (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/24/wave-of-russian-strikes-kill-five-in-ukraine/ Ukrainian Institute of London’s Language School: Spring-Summer Term info: https://uil.org.uk/language-school/ Intensive Course booking: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ukrainianinstitutelondon/2125172 Registration form: https://forms.gle/hdeuf36UxxrJpUKe9 EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,489. Today, amid confirmation that Vladimir Putin’s spring offensive in Russia’s war in Ukraine has begun, we report on the assaults along the frontline that have driven a sharp rise in Russian casualty figures. We then examine the truth behind growing rumours of unrest and widespread internet outages in Moscow. We also speak to a senior official in the office of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán about allegations that Budapest’s diplomats shared details of European Union meetings with Kremlin officials. And later, we look at the controversial cases of Ukrainians who fought for Russia and are now prisoners of war in Ukraine – asking what drove them to switch sides in the conflict. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X. Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. With thanks to parliamentary state secretary of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Cabinet Office, Balázs Hidvéghi, and freelance journalist Jen Stoat. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Wave of Russian strikes kill five in Ukraine (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/24/wave-of-russian-strikes-kill-five-in-ukraine/ Ukraine strikes Russian oil export hub (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/23/ukraine-strikes-russias-largest-baltic-oil-terminal/ Ukraine names Hungarian officer allegedly behind spy network busted in 2025 (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-names-hungarian-officer-allegedly-behind-spy-network-busted-in-2025/ What makes a traitor? Interviews with Ukrainians who fought for Russia reveal how they became Putin’s soldiers (Jen Stout in Prospect): https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/europe/ukraine/72210/what-makes-a-traitor EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,488. Today, after another weekend of so-called peace talks over Russia’s war in Ukraine, we search for signs of a diplomatic breakthrough (spoiler: there isn’t one). We report on a fresh wave of long-range Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia that forced at least 15 Russian airports to suspend flight operations and also examine the so-called “Gamechanger” plot – allegations of a plan to stage a fake assassination attempt on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to boost his chances in next month’s election. Later, we catch-up with Michael Bohnert at the RAND Corporation, and ask whether Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles and interceptor drones are now setting the pace for aerial warfare and military innovation. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. With thanks to Michael Bohnert of RAND. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Putin tells Trump: I’ll stop giving Iran intel if you cut off Ukraine (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/03/20/putin-trump-iran-intel-ukraine/ What the Ukraine war tells us about the Iran conflict (Valerii Zaluzhnyi in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/21/ukraine-war-tells-us-about-iran-conflict/ President Stubb of Finland: ‘We must face reality – the West has split’ (David Blair’s Interview in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/22/president-stubb-finland-interview/ How Telegram became a death sentence for Russian soldiers (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/20/how-telegram-became-a-death-sentence-for-russian-soldiers/ Ukrainians in disbelief over West’s failure to stop Iran’s deadly drones (Adrian Blomfield in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/20/trump-iran-ukraine-russia-drone-warfare/ What Is Ukraine’s Interceptor, One of the World’s Most In-Demand Drones? (UNITED24): https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/what-is-ukraines-interceptor-one-of-the-worlds-most-in-demand-drones-17055 To tilt Hungarian election, Russians proposed staging assassination attempt of Orban (Washington Post): https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/03/21/hungary-election-interference-russia-orban/ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Our weekly newsletter includes maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons, answers your questions, provides recommended reading, and gives exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights.. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. Join here – http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,485. Three days into Russia’s so called ‘spring offensive’, there are barely any advances on the ground yet casualties continue to rise. A Ukrainian delegation is on its way to Washington to resume talks tomorrow after the latest round in the diary was postponed by the war in Iran. Meanwhile the European Union stalls again in providing Ukraine with financial relief. Contributors: Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X. Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. With thanks to Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute. @Jack_Watling on X. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: United 24: 110-Truck “Humanitarian” Convoy From Central Asia Heads To Iran—But What’s Inside? https://united24media.com/latest-news/110-truck-humanitarian-convoy-from-central-asia-heads-to-iran-but-whats-inside-17049 Exclusive: Ukraine has few options if Hungary keeps EU funding frozen, Kyiv Independent https://kyivindependent.com/exclusive-ukraine-has-few-options-if-hungary-keeps-eu-funding-frozen/ We interviewed Iran’s envoy to Ukraine and it was absolutely wild, Kyiv Independent https://kyivindependent.com/we-interviewed-irans-envoy-in-ukraine-and-it-was-absolutely-wild/ Russia uneasy as Trump's envoy quietly courts Moscow's closest ally, Kytiv Independent https://kyivindependent.com/russia-uneasy-as-trumps-envoy-quietly-courts-moscows-closest-ally/ Oscar-nominated ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ exposes Russian passivity, Kyiv Independent https://kyivindependent.com/oscar-nominated-film-shows-russias-enduring-small-person-complex/ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Our weekly newsletter includes maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons, answers your questions, provides recommended reading, and gives exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights.. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. Join here – http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,484. Today, as Russian casualty figures continue to climb, we ask whether Moscow’s long-anticipated spring offensive has already begun. We also return to the situation in Moscow, where Vladimir Putin has been absent from public view for several days, as a formerly loyal supporter issues a dramatic call for the Russian president to step down. Then we examine the significance of comments by the CIA director on Moscow’s involvement with Iran, before speaking to one of Britain’s leading historians of strategy about where the war now stands – and the key mistakes made by both Russia and Ukraine. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. With thanks to historian Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman. NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE: Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Sir Lawrence Freedman’s book, ‘On Strategists and Strategy: Collected Essays, 2014-2024’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strategists-Strategy-Collected-Essays-2014-2024-ebook/dp/B0F7GFDDNF Jürgen Habermas, eminent philosopher who sought to help Germany overcome its postwar spiritual ruin (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2026/03/15/jurgen-habermas-eminent-german-spiritual-philosopher/ Ukraine agrees to pump Russian oil to Hungary to secure EU loan (The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/18/ukraine-agrees-pump-russian-oil-to-hungary-secure-eu-loan/ ‘Put him on trial’: pro-Kremlin loyalist turns on Putin in rare outburst (The Guardian): https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/18/pro-kremlin-loyalist-turns-on-putin-ilya-remeslo-russia?CMP=share_btn_url Russia unveils plans to resettle occupied Ukrainian territories, media reports (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/russia-unveils-plans-to-resettle-occupied-ukrainian-territories-media-reports/?mc_cid=6dd8571311&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Two shipments of Russian oil and gas head to Cuba in defiance of US (Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/bdb055d0-62c3-445c-ba89-349c63c82c1f?syn-25a6b1a6=1 WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Our weekly newsletter includes maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons, answers your questions, provides recommended reading, and gives exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights.. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. Join here – http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter EMAIL US: Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.