
Ukrainecast
The BBC’s only English language programme entirely dedicated to the war in Ukraine and its fallout, Ukrainecast is your go-to podcast which investigates the biggest issues around the conflict: Could Putin push the nuclear button? How could Donald Trump end the war in 24 hours? What is the price for peace? The podcast is hosted by Newsnight presenter Victoria Derbyshire and BBC Monitoring’s Vitaly Shevchenko. Ukrainecast covers the most important topics around the conflict and speaks to the real people who’ve lived through several years of war. It also brings you agenda-setting interviews with special guests each week such as UK foreign secretary David Cameron, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and pre-eminent Russia expert Fiona Hill.
GET IN TOUCH: You can join our Ukrainecastonline community here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to +443301239480 Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk
You can listen to the latest episode of Ukrainecast anytime on your smart speaker by saying “Alexa, Ask BBC Sounds for Ukrainecast."
If you enjoy Ukrainecast (and if you’re reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below. The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd The Today Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r Americast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p07h19zz Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p05299nl
Latest episodes

Nov 16, 2022 • 34min
Who fired the missile into Poland?
After a fraught few hours, Nato said the missile that hit Poland - one of its members - was most likely fired by Ukraine in defence. The organisation says it was not intentional.We hear reaction from Ukraine, the US and Russia, with analysis from the BBC’s Security Correspondent Frank Gardner and Sam de Bendern , a political analyst with Chatham House and a former adviser to Nato.We also hear a moving account of life on the front line from a team of Ukrainian medics in the Donbas. Today’s episode is presented by the BBC’s chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, and Vitaliy Shevchenko, the head of the BBC’s Russia monitoring team. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson, Luke Radcliff and Fiona Leach. The technical coordinator was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.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 1239480.

Nov 16, 2022 • 11min
A missile hits Poland: How will Nato respond?
Nato is deciding how to respond after a missile hit Poland, which is one of its members, killing two people. In this emergency episode of Ukrainecast, the BBC’s chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, is joined by Vitaliy Shevhenko and Sam de Bendern , a political analyst with Chatham House and a former adviser with Nato. They discuss what we know and what Nato might do next. We’ll be back with a full edition of Ukrainecast as usual at the end of the day. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Fiona Leach. The technical coordinator is Dave O’Neill. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.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 1239480.

Nov 14, 2022 • 33min
What does Kherson mean for Putin?
President Zelensky has visited the liberated city of Kherson and spoke of a “long and difficult path” ahead. The change in control of the city is seen as a major setback in Moscow, but the Kremlin still insists that Kherson is part of Russian territory. The BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner looks at what could happen next. Also, Mark Galeotti, author of Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine, assesses the impact on President Putin and his leadership.Today’s episode was presented by Vitaly Shevchenko and Victoria Derbyshire.The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical coordinator is Michael Regaard. The series producer is Estelle Doyle, the assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.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 1239480.

Nov 11, 2022 • 29min
Ukraine retakes Kherson
There’s jubilation on Kherson’s streets as people welcome Ukrainian soldiers to the city after Russia withdrew its troops. It’s a hugely significant moment as Ukraine takes back control of the strategically important city.BBC international editor Jeremy Bowen assesses the situation on the ground and we hear from military expert Prof Gwythian Prins, a former advisor to the UN, Nato and the Ministry of Defence, on the significance of Russia’s retreat and what happens next.
Also reporter Hilary Anderson tells us about piecing together the story of Irina, the woman whose image was seen around the world as she was carried, pregnant, on a stretcher from the destroyed maternity hospital in Mariupol. Her husband, Ivan, talks of his devastation over the death of his wife and their baby.
Today’s episode was presented by Vitaliy Shevchenko and Victoria Derbyshire.
The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical director was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.
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 1239480.

Nov 9, 2022 • 38min
Kherson: Russian retreat?
Russia has ordered its military to pull out of Kherson, the only regional capital it captured after invading Ukraine in February. The BBC’s Jeremy Bowen gives us his appraisal of whether we can believe what Russia says about troop movements.
The news came shortly after the announcement that the Russian-appointed official in the region, Kirill Stremousov, had been killed in a car crash. BBC investigative reporter Tim Whewell tells Vitaly about the significance of Stremousov’s death.We hear from Anthony Zurcher, BBC’s North America reporter, about the US mid-term elections and what the ramifications might mean for the country’s support for Ukraine. And we hear from Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s former foreign minister, who tells Victoria and Vitaliy how the war has brought Ukraine and Poland closer together.Today’s episode was presented by Vitaliy Shevchenko and Victoria Derbyshire.The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical coordinator is Emma Crowe. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.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 1239480.

Nov 7, 2022 • 35min
The full horror of Mariupol - a BBC investigation
We hear from BBC Panorama reporter Hilary Anderson about her documentary on the devastating siege of Mariupol. She travelled over 3,000 miles through Ukraine and Europe hearing survivors’ stories and retrieving the wiped phone footage from witnesses to the city’s tragedy.Also - for months Natalia was unaware of her husband's fate: a Ukrainian soldier, he was captured and made prisoner by Russian forces after the siege of Azovstal in Mariupol. But then she received a phone call. She tells Victoria and Vitaliy what happened next and how hope for a future family together gave them both the strength not to give up. And as power cuts become more severe across the country, we get the latest from the BBC’s Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse on the possible full evacuation of Kyiv if there is a total loss of power.Today’s episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers: Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical director: Gareth Jones. And the editor: Jonathan Aspinwall.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 1239480.

Nov 4, 2022 • 38min
A mother’s plea to get her teenage son back
The Ukrainian school boy was beaten, detained and threatened. Victoria and Vitaly hear from the mother of a Ukrainian school boy, beaten up and detained by Russian soldiers; and how she’s now trying to get him out the occupied area.The BBC’s International Editor Jeremy Bowen brings us the latest on the Kherson offensive; and James, who has stayed in Kherson throughout the occupation, tells us about life in the besieged city and why he feels brave enough to speak out.Today’s episode was produced by Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical director was Michael Regaard. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Sam Bonham. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.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 1239480.

Nov 2, 2022 • 30min
The great-grandmother attacked in her own home
The BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen has been travelling around south-eastern Ukraine, to areas liberated from Russian control. He spoke to Liudmyla, a 75- year-old great-grandmother who was brutally attacked by a soldier in her own home. As winter approaches, we also hear how hard it is to survive in some places with no running water and energy blackouts. And Alexander Kamyshin, the head of Ukraine’s national rail company, Ukrzaliznytsia, describes how he and his team have been removing mines from tracks. Ukrainecast is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers are Clare Williamson, Luke Radcliff and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer is Michael Regaard. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. 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 1239480.

Oct 31, 2022 • 35min
What next for Ukrainian refugees?
The Ukrainian government has asked refugees not to come home before the spring – they’re worried about pressure on the energy system. But what does this mean for host countries? We discuss the implications with Sarah Nathan from the UK charity Refugees at Home and Stephanie Hegarty, the BBC’s global population correspondent. Also, the BBC’s Tim Whewell has an update on Viktoria Kovalenko’s situation. After losing her husband and daughter to the war, she was held captive in a basement in appalling conditions. She eventually made her way out of Ukraine and has been waiting for a UK visa since April. And BBC Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse joins us from Zaporizhzhia, one of the many cities hit by another wave of missile attacks.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Luke Radcliff and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical director, Michael Regaard. The assistant editor, Alison Gee. The senior news editor, Jonathan Aspinwall. 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 1239480.Please rate or review us if your podcast provider allows it. It will help others find us!

Oct 28, 2022 • 43min
‘Dad, you have five days to get us’
The story of a Ukrainian father who survived the siege of Mariupol, only to be arrested at a Russian filtration camp and separated from his three young children, who were exiled to Russia. Ukrainecast producer Arsenii Sokolov and Nina Nazarova from the BBC’s Russian service join Vitaly to tell us more about this shocking case.
The BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner takes listener questions about the latest on the situation in Ukraine: Russia’s claims on dirty bombs, how this conflict compares to others, among others.
Today’s Ukrainecast was hosted by Vitaliy Shevchenko and Frank Gardner.
The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Luke Radcliff and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical director, Michael Regaard. The senior news editor , Jonathan Aspinwall.
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 1239480