Ukrainecast

BBC News

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Jun 27, 2022 • 28min

The shopping mall

Russian missile strike hits a shopping centre in central-eastern Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky says that more than 1,000 people were inside. Vadym Yudenko lives in the city and tells us what he saw. Diplomatic Editor, James Landale updates us on the G7 meeting in Germany where leaders have pledged their continuing support for Ukraine. And we hear from the BBC’s Joel Gunter who has just returned from Saltivka, in Kharkiv, where he met residents still living in their bombed-out apartments. Host Vitaly is joined by Kateryna Khinkulova from BBC World Service. Today’s podcast was produced by Clare Williamson, Ivana Davidovic, Osman Iqbal and Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer was Frank Mcweeny. 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 to +44 0330 1239480.
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Jun 24, 2022 • 40min

The Resistance

A former Soviet soldier describes how he’s now helping resistance groups in the Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine by advising them how to mount an insurgency. UNICEF’s Pete Manfield describes how the war in Ukraine is taking its toll in Somalia, and BBC Africa correspondent Catherine Byaruhanga explains why some Africans are taking a pro-Russian stance. Also, a listener in Russia explains how he’s using bank notes to protest against the war. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Estelle Doyle with Natalie Ktena and Osman Iqbal. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The editor is Alison Gee. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 0330 1239480.
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Jun 22, 2022 • 37min

The forgotten POW

Imane Saaudun, the sister of captured Moroccan fighter Brahim Saaudun tells us why she feels her own country has betrayed her brother. A Russian exclave sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania called Kaliningrad has become the latest focus in the Ukraine war. Victoria and Vitaly find out why from the BBC’s European editor, Katya Adler.Sarah Ashton-Cirillo is an American war reporter based in Kharkiv. She talks to us about her fight for credibility as a trans woman and life on the front line.And former DJ turned BBC fixer, Vlad Fisun gives us the lowdown on Ukrainian music. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Estelle Doyle with Osman Iqbal, Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. 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 to +44 0330 1239480.
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Jun 20, 2022 • 32min

Rescue mission

Vitaly and the BBC’s Katya Khinkulova speak to Pavel Shulga, who’s about to travel to Severodonetsk to evacuate women and children from battle zones.Frank Gardner tells us what’s happening on the ground and tells us about the diplomatic developments.And we catch up with Olga Drover, who lives in Troon in Scotland, who we heard from last in March, when she had lost contact with her parents in Mariupol when it came under attack. They’re now reunited.Today’s episode was made by Clare Williamson and Chris Flynn. The planning editor is Louise Hidalgo 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 to +44 0330 1239480.
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Jun 17, 2022 • 36min

The Lavrov interview

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the face of President Putin’s Russia, insists that his country didn’t invade Ukraine in a rare interview with the BBC. Victoria and Vitaly unpick the interview with Patricia Lewis, Director of the International Security Programme at Chatham House. She also tells us about the significance of Ukraine getting a step closer to European Union membership. Is this purely symbolic? And we hear from Joy, the fiancée of a US former marine, reported missing in Ukraine. Today’s episode was produced by Alix Pickles, Osman Iqbal and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Emma Crowe and the 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 to +44 0330 1239480.
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Jun 15, 2022 • 35min

The 19-year-old soldier

Victoria and Vitaly speak to 19-year-old Maksym Lutskyi, a Ukrainian soldier who is preparing to return to the front line after being wounded and losing his commander who died saving his life. Andrey Stavnitser, one of the richest businessmen in Ukraine, and co-owner of the major shipping terminals near Odessa, describes the impact the blockade is having on the country’s economy. He also explains why he asked the army to shell his own home after it became occupied by Russians. And we hear from Kees Haiziinga, a farmer from central Ukraine, who says he is worried he’ll only be able to get a fraction of his harvest out. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Estelle Doyle with Osman Iqbal and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. 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 to +44 0330 1239480.
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Jun 13, 2022 • 36min

Viktoria's story

Viktoria Kovalenko tells us about the day her husband Petro and 12-year-old daughter Veronika were killed when the road they were travelling on to find safety was bombed.She explains to Victoria and Vitaly how taking care of her one-year-old baby is the only thing that keeps her sane. And how she's now been waiting for nearly 50 days for a visa to the UK. They also speak to Derek Edwards from https://homesforukraine.org, an organisation he set up to help Ukrainians, including Viktoria, seek refuge in the UK. With him, is 17 year old Anna Merchuk, who talks about resettling in England and her hopes for the future. And we talk through the latest in the conflict as new research from Amnesty International shows Russia has killed hundreds of civilians using indiscriminate shelling and widely-banned cluster munitions. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Estelle Doyle with Ivana Davidovic, Chris Flynn and Osman Iqbal. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. 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 to +44 0330 1239480.
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Jun 10, 2022 • 33min

Life in a Russian prison

The Kremlin defends the death sentences for three captured soldiers. Fergal and Vitaliy are joined by BBC Russian Service’s Olga Ivshina to understand more about what is happening in Ukraine. They speak to former US Army medic, Brennan Phillips, and the Mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, who was kidnapped and imprisoned by Russian soldiers.This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Alix Pickles and Natalie Ktena. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.
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Jun 9, 2022 • 30min

Sentenced to death

Three men are convicted by a Russian proxy court in eastern Ukraine. We speak to Tim Whewell, a BBC reporter who has been investigating the fate of more than a million Ukrainian refugees who have ended up in Russia. Have they been rescued? Or illegally deported?And we check-in with Natalia, whose husband fought during the siege of the Azovstal steelworks. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Estelle Doyle with Osman Iqbal and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The assistant 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 to +44 0330 1239480.
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Jun 8, 2022 • 33min

The woman in a red coat

Victoria and Vitaly are joined by Zhanna Bezpiatchuk from the BBC Ukrainian service, who travelled to Irpin to investigate allegations of war crimes. There she heard accounts of violence against civilians, of shootings and summary executions - including the killing of a young woman in a red coat. Her body remained in the street for four weeks - lying where she had been trampled not once, but over and over again, under the wheels of Russian armoured vehicles. A food shopping list was found in her coat pocket.UNICEF’s James Elder explains how over one hundred days of war have ‘wrought devastating consequences for children at a scale not seen since World War II’. The agency says 70% of Ukrainian children are displaced by fighting. And, Mykola Bielieskov, from the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kyiv, explains why he believes the long-range rocket artillery promised by the US and the UK won’t be enough to stabilise the front line, even less to push the Russian troops back. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Estelle Doyle with Osman Iqbal and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. 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 to +44 0330 1239480.

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