Ukraine: The Latest

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 [email protected] . 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 [email protected] . 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 [email protected] . 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.20:00 GMT/15:00 ET:
https://youtu.be/fIILzKnFs2o?si=6pkMUNstkZjtYxfW

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 [email protected] . 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 [email protected] . 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.