Battleground

In this episode of Battleground The Big Picture , host Patrick Bishop is joined by Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Centre for Civil Liberties and recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Oleksandra discusses the immense human toll of Russia's war on Ukraine, detailing how her team has documented over 100,000 war crimes while striving to return names and dignity to the victims. The conversat...

In this special edition of the Battleground podcast, host Saul David catches up with intrepid Hungarian war reporter Boldi Győri following his recent three-week, cross-country journey through Ukraine. From the shifting, higher-risk atmosphere in Kyiv under new high-speed drone and ballistic threats to a rare media visit inside a Western Ukrainian prisoner of war camp, Boldy shares firsthand accoun...

Ukraine’s war with Russia continues to evolve. Roger Moorhouse and Saul David examine Ukraine’s latest gains around Lyman, Russia’s increasingly aggressive “grey-zone” tactics, and the growing threat of the conflict spreading beyond Ukraine. They also discuss a major German spy scandal, the possibility of a new front in the Baltics, Russia’s costly “meat assaults”, Ukraine’s rapidly developing dro...

In this episode of Battleground: The Big Picture , host Patrick Bishop sits down with veteran international affairs journalist and Economist editor-at-large Xan Smiley to reflect on the shifting geopolitical landscape between Europe, Moscow, and Washington. Drawing on his years as a former Moscow and Washington bureau chief, Xan reflects on: The Fall of the Soviet Order: What life was like inside...

Want to support Matt's charity cycle raising money for SuperHumans? You can find his donation page here. www.justgiving.com/page/u2u In this episode of Battleground , hosts Patrick Bishop and Roger Moorhouse dive into the latest developments from the front lines in Ukraine, featuring a deep dive into the successful "Operation Vivaldi" counteroffensive in the Donbas. Later, Belgian wa...

In this episode of Battleground: The Big Picture , host Julius Strauss is joined by prominent Canadian political columnist and author Andrew Coyne to analyse the escalating trade tensions and unprecedented strain on Canada–US relations. The discussion covers the political shift in Canada following Mark Carney's election, the collapse of recent trade negotiations, the impact of US tariffs, and...

In this episode of Battleground Ukraine , Saul David and Roger Moorhouse analyse the geopolitical fallout of Donald Trump signing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, his push for Ukraine to halt refinery strikes, and President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal for a mutual energy ceasefire. They break down actual battlefield numbers versus Moscow’s exaggerated claims, how Australia’...

In this episode of Battleground: The Big Picture , host Saul David sits down with prize-winning, internationally bestselling historian Simon Sebag Montefiore to discuss his book, The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East . Montefiore shares the intense, challenging process behind crafting a fact-based, source-grounded history of the region from 1900 to the present day—a project designed t...

In this episode of Battleground Ukraine , Saul David and Patrick Bishop examine the latest geopolitical fallout following Jared Kushner’s controversial peace deal statements and Donald Trump’s calls for Ukraine to halt energy strikes. They unpack the domestic political implications—including the passing of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act—and analyse whether the administration...

In this episode of Battleground: The Big Picture , host Patrick Bishop is joined by publisher and military historian Iain MacGregor to explore how the past illuminates the present and future of warfare. Drawing from his book Battle: The Moments That Transformed Warfare From Ancient Greece to Ukraine , MacGregor discusses the enduring principles of war—morale, leadership, innovation, subterfuge, an...

In this special standalone edition, host Roger Moorhouse and co-host Patrick Bishop speak with intrepid war reporter Boldizsár "Boldi" Győri following his latest trip to Ukraine. Boldi provides a vivid look into the current atmosphere in Kyiv, where residents face modified S-300 and S-400 Russian missile strikes with minimal warning and a shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles. Despite the air c...

Hosts Patrick Bishop and Roger Moorhouse examine the latest US-led diplomatic efforts following meetings between Donald Trump's envoys—Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff—and leaders in Moscow and Kyiv. They unpack the lack of concrete diplomatic breakthroughs, Witkoff's controversial comments to Vladimir Putin, and Volodymyr Zelensky's calls for winter air defence support. The hosts also analyse Owen...

In this episode of Battleground: The Big Picture , Roger Moorhouse is joined by Bojan Pancevski, Chief Political Correspondent for Europe at The Wall Street Journal and author of The Nord Stream Conspiracy . Together, they unravel the audacious plot behind the autumn 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, examining how a small team of operatives allegedly carried out the most significant act...

In this episode, Saul David and Roger Moorhouse analyze the recent escalation in long-range aerial strikes, including Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian logistics sites, as well as severe Russian missile raids on Kyiv and Odesa's power infrastructure. They discuss Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s direct comments to Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit, Germany's official findings on the Russian...

In this episode of The Big Picture , host Patrick Bishop is joined by former soldier, military entrepreneur, and author Tim Spicer. Patrick and Tim discuss Tim’s latest book, An Axe and Four Balloons , which tells the story of Brian Franks—the former Etonian and hotel manager who became a wartime commando and is credited with saving the SAS from extinction after the Second World War. Tim explores...

In this episode of Battleground , Patrick Bishop and Saul David delve into high-stakes diplomacy and the gruelling realities of life on the front lines. First, the hosts analyse the sudden, clandestine visit of CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow. What brought a US military aircraft to Russia's capital for an eight-hour stay, and what does it mean for the future of Western support for Ukraine? P...

In this instalment of Battleground: The Big Picture , host Julius Strauss takes a deep dive into Hungary’s seismic political shift following the April elections. After 16 years of rule, Viktor Orbán was swept aside by political newcomer Péter Magyar and his Tisza party. Now nearly 100 days into Magyar's mandate, we examine what this historic transition means for Hungary, the European Union, and th...

In this episode, Saul David and Patrick Bishop analyse the political shockwaves in Kyiv following former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov's controversial call for wartime presidential elections. They examine the rising tension within the Ukrainian leadership, the removal of key officials, and the appointment of Yevhenii Humarra as the new Defence Minister. The hosts also discuss the increasing im...

In this episode of Battleground: The Big Picture , host Roger Moorhouse sits down with renowned historian and author Robert Service to dissect the historical threads connecting the fall of the Soviet Union to Vladimir Putin’s present-day Russia. Drawing from his recent work on the August 1991 coup, Bob reflects on his first-hand experiences in Moscow, the sudden collapse of Soviet institutions, an...

The war in Ukraine reaches a critical new phase as Patrick Bishop and Saul David analyse Ukraine’s unprecedented, deep-strike drone campaigns into major Russian cities—and the Kremlin's nervous crackdown on domestic anti-war opposition ahead of upcoming elections. Plus, long-time friend of the podcast Askold Krushelnycky joins the show after returning from a grueling trip to Sloviansk, Kramatorsk,...

In this episode of The Big Picture , Patrick speaks with leading religious and political journalist Catherine Pepinster to examine the soft power, geopolitics, and spiritual influence of Pope Leo XIV (Robert Prevost). Episode Highlights The Rise of Pope Leo XIV: How the Augustinian friar and former missionary in Peru became leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, positioning him as a unique "...

We are currently on a very short summer break, so instead of our regular news update, hosts Roger Moorhouse and Patrick Bishop are diving into listener questions for a special long-form Q&A episode. Don't worry—we will be back next week with all the latest news and updates from the ground. In this episode: Zelenskyy’s Post-War Legacy: Drawing parallels to Winston Churchill’s defeat in the summ...

In this episode of The Big Picture , host Roger Moorhouse is joined by Polish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Radek Sikorski for an in-depth discussion on European security, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the evolving threat posed by Moscow. Minister Sikorski assesses how the conflict has reshaped NATO’s eastern flank and forced Europe to confront years of strategic complacency, he add...

Hosts Patrick Bishop and Roger Moorhouse take a look at the latest shifting political dynamics surrounding US-Ukraine relations. They unpack the recent White House meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the potential transactional nature of future US support, and the growing role of Ukraine’s defence industry. Then, Belgian journalist Arnaud De Decker joins the show for an extended...

In this installment of Battleground: The Big Picture , host Saul David sits down with Al Carns—Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, former Royal Marines colonel, SBS veteran awarded the Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order, and former Minister for the Armed Forces. Carns opens up about his transition from a stellar 24-year military career into politics, driven by the realization that mode...