This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler

The Russian state is working incredibly hard to persuade its people that the war is both necessary and going well, but what state of mind is Russia's population in? Sarah Hurst, author of the Russia Report newsletter, talks to Arthur Snell about the Kremlin's campaign of disinformation, and how international sanctions are hitting the Russian population. We're putting out irregular war bulletins co...

How important are motivations when it comes to fighting a war? Is a 'warrior mindset', rather than high level training, carrying the Ukrainian military through?  Fresh from a reporting trip to Kyiv, former U.S. Marine Elliot Ackerman joins Arthur Snell to give an insight into the mentality of both the Russian and Ukrainian forces, and explain how Putin united the Western world. We're putting out i...

Russia's invasion of Ukraine lead to a seismic u-turn in Germany, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a huge increase in military spending. What are the implications for Europe? And as other European nations reduce their need for Russian energy, why has Berlin has been reluctant to follow suit? Annette Dittert, London Bureau Chief for German broadcaster ARD, joins Arthur Snell to discuss what Germ...

Last week we held a live Zoom session with Dr Alexander Clarkson of King's College London, who took us on a whirlwind world tour of Ukraine, Transnistria and the future of Russia’s catastrophic invasion. How is it developing and how could it end? Out now on general release, here is a shortened version of the session. If you'd like to get access to the entire Zoom, as well as future events, early e...

The sinking of the Russian warship Moskva highlighted the importance of naval conflict in the Russia-Ukraine war. Why is the Black Sea so vital? And is Ukraine up to the task of stopping Putin's fleet of frigates? Former Royal Navy Captain Chris Clough joins Arthur Snell to discuss the intricacies of naval warfare, what the Moskva sinking means for the conflict, and how real the risk of escalation...

Putin’s undeserved reputation as a master strategist means some analysts have employed the metaphor of chess to his invasion of Ukraine, but is the Russian President actually playing poker with the West? Jason Pack, non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute and 2018 World Champion in doubles backgammon, talks to Arthur Snell about the high stakes game between NATO and Russia, and why the Kr...

Anyone familiar with Putin's history of kleptocracy, money laundering and threats of murder against his adversaries will know the name of Bill Browder, formerly one of Russia's leading foreign investors, now a sworn enemy of Vladimir Putin.  Browder talks to Arthur Snell about his new book Freezing Order, which details the 'real money' funding the Kremlin's war, and how he became Vladimir Putin’s...

With the second round of France's presidential election on Sunday, what could the vote for the French response to the Ukraine crisis? And when other leaders have stopped, why has President Macron has continued diplomatic efforts with Vladimir Putin? Stephanie Pezard, senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, joins Arthur Snell to discuss France's approach to Russia's war, and what the co...

With Russia's invasion of Ukraine faltering, could the Kremlin consider escalating the conflict using chemical weapons? What would biological warfare look like?  Dr Alastair Hay, a Professor of Environmental Toxicology at the University of Leeds, joins Arthur Snell to discuss the history of chemical weapons, and if we'll see them used in the Ukraine conflict. We're putting out irregular war bullet...

As Russia’s war crimes in Bucha are revealed to the world, are there more atrocities yet to be uncovered? And what should the world be doing to help Ukraine? Journalist Romeo Kokriatski dials in to tell Arthur Snell about Putin’s plans for genocide, how the war has changed Ukraine, and why the West needs to do more. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukrain...

China is yet to condemn Putin’s war, and Russia has reportedly asked Beijing for economic and military support. Is Xi proving to Putin’s most important ally? And what does Russia’s faltering invasion mean for China’s potential takeover of Taiwan? Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia Programme at the German Marshall Fund, joins Arthur Snell to explain China’s stance on Russia’s invasion, and what wa...

With Vladimir Putin putting Russia’s nuclear deterrent on high alert, could the war take an atomic turn? Or is this merely a tactical move from the Kremlin? And what could the Ukraine crisis mean for nuclear policy in the coming years? Dr Laura Considine, politics professor at Leeds University, joins Arthur Snell to explain the history of nuclear proliferation, atomic weapons in the context of the...

As war rages on Russia’s European front, tensions are also rising in the East with neighbours Japan, as Russian forces conduct military drills on the disputed Northern Territories, claimed by Japan. Japanese Deputy Cabinet Secretary Koichiro Matsumoto joins Arthur Snell to explain the complicated history between Japan and Russia, what Putin’s invasion means for Asian security, and how the Japanese...

It has been over a month since Russia invaded Ukraine, but with Kyiv still yet to fall Kremlin officials have announced plans to withdraw troops from the region. Where did Russia’s war go so wrong? Is this retreat real, or is Putin wargaming for something bigger? Dr Mike Martin, a former British Army officer and author of Why We Fight, joins Arthur Snell to discuss Russia’s apparent withdrawal, an...

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has Western nations looking to the Middle East for their oil supplies, but are they obliging? And could the conflict in Europe spark another round of uprisings across the Arab world? Human rights activist and authoritarianism expert Iyad el-Baghdadi joins Arthur Snell to discuss what Putin’s war means for the Middle East.  We're putting out irregular war bulletins cove...

In 2014 Macer Gifford left his job as a city trader to go and fight ISIS in Syria. Now he’s continuing his work as an international volunteer, this time in the Ukraine conflict. In an illuminating conversation, Macer tells Arthur about the parallels between wars in Syria and Ukraine, the role of international volunteers in the conflict, and his plans for a frontline medical unit to support the Ukr...

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has Finland questioning its tradition of military non-alignment. Janne Korhonen, university professor and political activist, dials in to tell Arthur how the debate on NATO membership has shifted following Putin’s war.  We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. Help our work, and shape the next full series of Doomsday W...

India’s tradition of military non-alignment has come under huge strain with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The world’s second most populous country has tried to maintain a neutral stance, but has come under sharp criticism from the West as casualties from the conflict mount.  What explains India’s stance, and what does it hope to achieve? Harsh Pant, International relations professor at Kings Colle...

Two weeks into Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and things aren’t going to plan. Kyiv is still yet to fall, and Russian troops have failed to make substantial progress against fierce Ukrainian resistance.  Defence analyst and military historian Dr Peter Caddick-Adams joins Arthur Snell to pinpoint where Russia’s shameful war went wrong… and what could happen next. We're putting out irregular war bulle...

Is Russia’s fiasco in Ukraine just Putin’s monstrous folly? Or does the Russian military have even bigger problems? Arthur Snell hears from KCL Lecturer for German and European Studies Alexander Clarkson about how a flawed image of Ukraine as a failed state sowed the seeds of Russia’s embarrassment. And how, when Putin invaded Crimea in 2014, he inadvertently began training a generation of fighter...

The bogeyman of NATO expansion was Putin’s pretext to invade Ukraine. Can NATO act now to stop Russia’s war – or would that trigger nuclear conflict? Is a No-Fly Zone practical? Former NATO representative in Moscow and now Chatham House associate fellow John Lough tells Arthur Snell about the latest state of play with NATO and the long-term implications of the most dangerous security crisis in Eur...

Putin has few friends – but one is Belarusian despot Alexander Lukashenko. Belarusian democracy activist and reporter Hanna Liubakova talks to Arthur Snell from exile in Lithuania, to explain how Lukashenko dragged her country into the war – and what the world can expect from Putin’s stooge. What price will Belarus pay for Lukashenko’s fealty? We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering dif...

Kyiv is under siege but Putin’s invasion is going badly. How far will Russia’s ruler go to win his monstrous gamble? And what can the West do to stop him? In the first of our irregular Ukraine War bulletins we talk to Ukrainian journalists Artyom Liss and Kyiv-based Romeo Kokriatski about the balance of power in Ukraine, the resolve of President Zelensky, and Putin’s doomsday psychology. We’ll be...

As tensions rise on the Ukrainian border, are we looking at the first ground war in Europe since 1945? In an emergency roundtable edition of Doomsday Watch, Arthur Snell asks a panel of experts what’s driving Putin’s thinking, how far he and Russia are willing to go to achieve their aims, and if a disastrous conflict can be averted. Want to support us, get episodes early and extra content? Support...

In this series we’ve looked at under-reported threats to global stability, from the psychology of Xi Jinping to the coming water crisis to the War on Truth. But what happens next? In this extended end-of-season edition, Arthur Snell steps back to look at the big picture with experts in geopolitics, future warfare and the Chinese, Russian and American superpowers. Can the world pull itself from the...