Ukrainecast

In his first interview since the invasion of Ukraine, Putin claims ending the war is 'simple' by stopping weapon supplies. Experts analyze Putin's statements to understand his agenda. The hosts reflect on interviewing Putin and discuss the recent sacking of Ukraine's commander-in-chief. They also touch on President Zelensky's reputation and the popularity of General Zaluzhny. The podcast commemorates the two-year mark of Russia's invasion and invites listener questions.

Crimea: Ten years under Russian control. Guests Nick Sturdee, a journalist and Russia specialist, and Maria Tomak, head of the Crimea Platform, discuss the experiences of people living in Crimea, the imprisonment of citizen journalists, and the challenges faced under Russian control.

Vitalii Pashchenko discusses how young people in Ukraine feel about being called up to fight. Andriy Kostin and Victoria Prentis reveal Ukraine's war crimes investigation and UK's assistance. The podcast also explores anxiety, mobilization efforts, documenting war crimes, and the importance of accountability in Ukraine.

President Zelensky, Boris Johnson, Lloyd Austin, and António Guterres discuss the challenges of documenting a war and share their experiences. The podcast explores impactful moments from the documentary "Putin vs The West" and the peace proposals between Russia and Ukraine. It also delves into Russia's alliance with China and expresses gratitude to Tim for his insights.

Petro Yatsenko, a Ukrainian spokesman for the coordination for the treatment of prisoners of war, discusses the success of the 'I want to live' hotline that helps Russian soldiers defect. Simon Shuster, author and Time correspondent, talks about his new book 'The Showman' and how President Zelensky has changed during the war. The podcast also explores the escape process for Russian defectors, the risks they face, and Zelensky's surprising transformation from a comedian to a wartime leader.

A Russian plane has been shot down near the Russian-Ukraine border. Russia claims it was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were on their way to a prisoner swap. Ukraine claims it wasn’t told to secure airspace around Belgorod for the transportation of PoWs, as has happened in previous prisoner swaps. Earlier, Ukraine had claimed the plane had been carrying Russian weapons. So, who is to blame and what was on the plane? Victoria and Vitaly are joined by Olga Robinson of BBC Verify to discuss the latest. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producer was Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

The podcast covers recent Russian missile attacks in Ukraine, the significance of attacks on Russian soil, and the importance of Russia's Foreign Minister's address to the United Nations. It also highlights a football team for amputee veterans in Ukraine. Another chapter discusses the role of drones in the war and the development of anti-drone technology. Analysis of Slovakia's Prime Minister's comments on Ukraine giving up territory and the implications for the war with Russia and the alliance between Hungary's Prime Minister and Putin is also covered. The podcast concludes with a segment on amputee football and rehabilitation, as well as inspiring messages from listeners and an invitation from a British Army captain.

Ukraine's difficulty in recruiting soldiers, concerns about soldiers' long service duration, need for more soldiers in Ukraine, challenges faced by military families, emotional struggles of women with mobilized soldiers, issues of conscription, appreciation for guests, listener messages, contact info, and sponsor advertisement.

Lyudmila Huseynova was living and working in the Ukrainian border town of Novoazovs’k when she was arrested in 2019. As a Ukrainian patriot who refused to accept Russian citizenship, her actions angered Russian-backed separatists in the area, and she was taken to the notorious Izolyatsia prison. She tells Victoria and Vitaly about life in one of the world's most infamous prisons, and how she found out about the full-scale invasion of Ukraine while in captivity. And Samantha de Bendern from Chatham House explains what’s been happening at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as President Zelensky addresses world leaders there. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced the military aid package on a surprise visit to Ukraine where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. James Landale is travelling with the PM and sent us an update from on the ground.The Economist’s Defence editor, Shashank Joshi, is back with us to help explain what the visit and the money means. And we get reaction to how this has been received in Ukraine from former defence official, Alexander Khara.Also on today’s programme, we hear from Anastasia Taylor-Lind, a poet and photojournalist who has spent a decade documenting the war in Donbas.Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Cordelia Hemming. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord