Ukrainecast

Norway detains a suspected Russian spy - the latest in a long string of expulsions and arrests. Victoria and Vitaly discuss Russian espionage with BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera. He explains how the war in Ukraine has made the job of a Russian spy in Europe harder. Also, we hear the poignant testimony of a Ukrainian soldier who is suffering from post-traumatic stress because of the fighting he witnessed. And as Russia doubles down on its claims that Ukraine is planning to use dirty bombs, we ask Chatham House’s Patricia Lewis how these bombs work and whether Russia’s allegations could lead the war to escalate. Today’s Ukrainecast was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Luke Radcliff and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer is Emma Crowe. 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.

How one man secretly filmed life in Kherson under Russian forces. Dmytro Bahnenko tells us why he and his family stayed there for months secretly filming everyday life under occupation. His footage and story have also been made into a BBC documentary called Occupied.The BBC’s Ukraine correspondent, James Waterhouse, has been talking to people in recently liberated areas. He also discusses why Russia is accusing Ukraine of planning to use a radioactive “dirty bomb,” something that the West has called “transparently false”. And former speech writer for Vladimir Putin, Abbas Gallyamov, calls the Russian president the “victim of his own propaganda” and lifts the lid on what he was really like when he worked for him.Today’s Ukrainecast is hosted by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.It was made by Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical director was Mike Regaard. The assistant editors are Alison Gee and Sam Bonham. The senior news editor was 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 0330 1239480.

Why is Iran helping Russia?Chief international anchor at CNN, Christiane Amanpour, and BBC chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, talk through Iran’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. And, as Zelensky reports that 30% of the country’s power stations have been destroyed by Russian missile strikes, we speak to Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, boss of Ukraine’s national energy company, about the struggles the country faces.Today’s Ukrainecast was hosted by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.It was made by Luke Radcliff. The technical director was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham. The senior news editor was 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 0330 1239480.

Tens of thousands of civilians and Russian appointed officials are being moved out of the occupied city of Kherson, raising fears of what might happen next. Belkis Wilke from Human Rights Watch spoke to dozens of civilians from the recently liberated town of Izyum. She tells Lucy and Vitaly how they described beatings, electric shocks, and waterboarding in the hands of Russian occupiers.And, amidst reports that Iran is ramping up its military support to Russia by allegedly supplying it with drones, missiles and training, we discuss what may motivate it to do so with Alex Vatanka, director of Iran programme at the Middle East Institute at Washington DC.Today’s Ukrainecast was presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Ivana Davidovic, Luke Radcliffe and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical director was Emma Crowe. The series producer is Estelle Doyle 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.

Russia has attacked the Ukrainian capital with drones that loiter above a target before attacking, then detonate on impact. The BBC’s defence correspondent Jonathan Beale explains to Victoria and Vitaly why Russian forces are now using these weapons. Ukrainian author Andrei Kurkov reflects on the life and death of the Ukrainian conductor Yuriy Kerpatenko. The musician was killed by Russians occupying Kherson for refusing to take part in a concert they had organised.Also, for several days now, the Russian city of Belgorod bordering Ukraine has been under attack. A former resident, Ksenia Mikhailik, tells us she left fearing for her daughter’s safety.And the BBC Russian’s Maria Kiseleva explains what may have motivated the mass shooting of Russian soldiers at a training ground, also in the Belgorod region.This episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. Today’s Ukrainecast was made by Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Luke Radcliffe. The technical director was Russell Newlove. The series producer is Estelle Doyle, the assistant editor Alison Gee. 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.

As the Russian-installed leader of the region calls on its citizens to evacuate and “save themselves”, Vitaliy and Victoria hear about life under occupation in Kherson. They talk to Tamila Imanova, a lawyer working for Memorial, the Russian human rights organisation just awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She explains why she agrees with the Ukrainians who insist the Russian people must bear collective responsibility for the war, but warns against the risk of Russophobia. Former NATO adviser and political risk consultant, Samantha De Bendern answers listener questions about the military position of Ukraine and its allies after a week of heavy Russian bombardment.And we hear from Iuliia Mendel, the former press secretary to President Zelensky, about his first and only meeting with President Putin in 2019. This episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. Today’s Ukrainecast was made by Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The planning producers are Louise Hidalgo and Luke Radcliff and the technical director was Russell Newlove. The series producer is Estelle Doyle 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.

The Ukrainian authorities says they believe thousands of the country’s orphans have been taken to Russia for adoption. The BBC Russian service’s Nina Nazarova investigates their claims and speaks to a Russian woman who shares her mixed feelings about adopting a child from Ukraine. Vitaly and Victoria speak to Gleb Irisov, a former Russia soldier who served under Russia’s new army commander, Sergey Surovikin. He explains why Surovikin was given the nickname Armageddon. This episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Luke Radcliff. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer, Michael Regaard. The assistant editor, 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.

Putin says missiles targeting Ukraine are revenge for the attack on the bridge linking Russia to Crimea at the weekend and threatens more strikes. The capital Kyiv and cities from Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia in the east to Lviv in the west have all been hit. Sabina, who lives in Kyiv, tells us one explosion went off just metres away from her car. Also, photographer Serhii Korovayny describes the scene he found when he reached the site of a missile strike in the capital. Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko explains the emotional impact of the attacks and says Ukraine has the resolve to fight on.And the BBC’s Will Vernon brings us reaction from Russia where state television has welcomed the attacks, but many civilians are worried about the war escalating further.Today’s episode of Ukrainecast is presented by Vitaly Shevchenko from BBC Monitoring, Lucy Hockings from BBC World News and Frank Gardner, the BBC security correspondent.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Luke Radcliff. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer, Emma Crowe. The assistant editor, 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.

Historian Orlando Figes explains why the mythologising of Russia’s past is crucial to understanding Putin’s world view and aspirations for his country. We have an update on Alice – the little girl who was separated from her mother when the Azovstal steelworks were evacuated. One her fifth birthday she got a phone call from her mum, who is being held prisoner by Russians.Russian lawyer Mikhail Benyash says young men and their families are turning to him to try to avoid being forced to fight in Ukraine. And President Zelensky explains what he meant when he talked about pre-emptive strikes on Russia. Today’s episode is presented by Gabriel Gatehouse and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer, Michael Regaard. The assistant editor, 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.

As Russia hits the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, Vitaly reflects on the impact the war is having on his home town – and the challenges he faces as a journalist to remain impartial, while his friends suffer and die. This episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The technical producer Dave O’Neill. 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.