The story of Ukraine's heroic 'Iron People'

This week, Tom and Patrick take you inside Ukraine’s railways, the country’s lifeline since the full-scale Russian invasion began. With over 20,000 kilometres of track, they’ve evacuated millions, ferried troops and supplies to the front, and turned carriages into mobile hospitals. At the heart of this effort is Oleksandr Pertsovski, the CEO of Ukrainian Railways, who shares how his “Iron People” have kept the nation moving under daily bombardment. From evacuation scenes echoing Dunkirk, to VIP trains shuttling world leaders in and out of the capital, Kyiv, this is the untold story of logistics, resilience and national pride. The interview was recorded in July 2025.

Guest: Oleksandr Pertsovskyi 

Hosts: Tom Newton Dunn & General Sir Patrick Sanders

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk

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