Diplomatic Challenges in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Day 1,209.

Today, after Russia launches a combined missile and drone attack against Kremenchuk – right in the centre of Ukraine – we consider an intelligence operation in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad which caused $5 million worth of damage. Then we hear about a new play that has just opened in London about Ukraine's experience, after a deep dive into how Moscow hired African farmers to make shampoo, before sending them to war.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

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

Ben Farmer (Africa correspondent). @benfarmer on X.

With thanks to Josephine Burton and Simeon Kylsyi at Dash Arts.

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Content Referenced:

‘The Reckoning’ at the Arcola Theatre until 28th June:

https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/the-reckoning/ 

You can learn more and contact the team at:

https://www.dasharts.org.uk/contact 

Russia hired African farmers to make shampoo, then sent them to war (Ben Farmer in The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/09/russia-sent-african-shampoo-makers-die-ukraine-front-line/ 

The Russia affair in the Swiss secret service (Swiss Info):

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/foreign-affairs/the-russia-affair-in-the-swiss-secret-service/89461415 

How Russia recruited a teenage Canadian spy (Reuters):

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/europe-espionage-teen-spy/ 

Ukrainian intelligence agents attack Russian substation causing $5 million in damage (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/hur-agents-ignite-substation-in-russias-kaliningrad-in-sabotage-operation/ 

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