Ukrainecast

On Friday, Ukraine’s air force said Russia had launched a record 539 drones and 11 missiles in overnight airstrikes. Kyiv was at the epicentre of the attack, with every district in the capital targeted. We’ve been speaking with two residents of the city, about their experiences - Dasha, who spent the night sheltering at a local metro station, and Oleksiy, who watched his business go up in flames o...

After the US paused the delivery of some weapons to Ukraine pledged under the Biden administration, how soon will the impact be felt on the front line? As Russia claims full control of Luhansk, what is life like for Ukrainians living in occupied territories? And is Ukraine united behind the Russian opposition movement? Lucy and Vitaly answer all that, and discuss French President Emmanuel Macron’s...

Last week, a clip of BBC Ukrainian reporter Myroslava Petsa went viral, after President Trump asked a series of questions about her personal story during a press conference at the Nato summit. Myroslava tells us what was going through her mind at that moment, and what it has been like to cover the conflict while her husband fights for Ukraine. We also hear from Matthew Savill at RUSI about the int...

The Nato summit in The Hague did get member states to agree on ramping up their defence spending - and seemed to placate Donald Trump. But has this week changed anything for Ukraine? What happened to the prior US “two-week deadline” to agree a ceasefire - and will those sought-after Patriot missiles ever arrive in Kyiv? Jamie Coomarasamy and Vitaly Shevchenko answer all that, and discuss the knott...

As Nato leaders gather in the Hague, all eyes are on one man - President Trump. Member states have largely complied with his demand that they spend more on collective defence. But as Russia’s full-scale invasion continues, will his focus at this summit extend to Ukraine, or is he preoccupied with events in the Middle East? For an insider perspective, we’re joined by the former US Permanent Represe...

As oil prices rise, is escalation in the Middle East between Israel and Iran a positive development for Russia? How successful has Ukraine been in downing Russia’s fibre optic drone capacity? And is the Kremlin really intent on extending its invasion beyond Nato borders? Lucy and Vitaly answer all that, and discuss the impact of the latest western sanctions with BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson and Matt...

As the confrontation between Iran and Israel deepens, could Russia could reap the benefits of rising oil prices - or have the chance to act as a mediator? And what consequences could this crisis have for Ukraine? Also, what’s it like to join the Ukrainian armed forces? We catch up with friend of the pod Volodymyr, who recently volunteered for a drone unit and is going through basic training. Today...

How are Russian POWs treated in Ukrainian captivity? Is Kyiv’s claim that Russia has suffered more than 1 million casualties during the war accurate? And during WW2 Britain used flat-pack bomb shelters - could they also now work in Ukraine? These are just some of the questions you’ve been sending in to the Ukrainecast team. Jamie and Vitaly are joined by Olga Robinson from BBC Verify and Olga Ivsh...

Bringing soldiers back home is one of the few areas where Russia and Ukraine have made progress together in recent months, and another large scale prisoner swap started this week. We talk to Anastasia - the wife of a Ukrainian soldier held captive since 2022, and released in May. But his new found freedom came against a backdrop of continuing Russian attacks on cities across Ukraine. We talk about...

What do the Spider Web drone attacks tell us about Ukraine’s tactics inside Russia going forward? Could the West limit Russian oil revenues by confiscating its 'shadow fleet'? And are we any closer to seeing high-precision laser weapons on the battlefield? We answer all that and discuss what the implications could be for Ukraine after Poland elected a new conservative president, with the BBC's chi...

On Sunday, more than 100 Ukrainian drones struck air bases deep inside Russia. According to some estimates, the operation dubbed ‘Spider Web’ may have successfully damaged or destroyed up to a third of Russia’s fleet of strategic bombers. So what impact might this have on its aerial capability? We‘re joined in the studio by Major General Jonathan Shaw, former Assistant Chief of the UK’s Defence St...

Is the Russian military weaker than at the start of the war? Will European allies expand their drone industries to aid Ukraine? And what has happened to Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia? We answer all that and discuss whether Germany will arm Ukraine with Taurus missiles, with Olga Ivshina from BBC Russian, and Mikey Kay, a former senior officer in the British military who hosts The Security...

Over the weekend Ukraine was targeted by almost a thousand Russian drones and dozens of missiles, including the biggest aerial attack since the beginning of the conflict. In response, Donald Trump accused Vladimir Putin of going “absolutely crazy.” The Kremlin put that down to “emotional overload”. With progress on peace talks stalling, and fresh US sanctions still yet to be announced, how do thos...

Does Trump understand Putin’s motives? Can Western sanctions actually threaten Russia’s economy? Are Russian troops really amassing at Finland’s border - and how worried should we be about that? Those are some of the questions you’ve sent us in over the last week and in this episode, Lucy and Vitaly are joined by James and BBC news presenter Sumi Somaskanda to try and answer them. Today’s episode...

After a two-hour phone call on Monday, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin came to very different conclusions about what was agreed. The US said ceasefire negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv would start “immediately.” The Kremlin meanwhile, said there were no deadlines to move towards peace. On this episode the BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg tells us about the reaction to the call in the Russian...

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war each after the first face-to-face talks in three years. Kyiv also requested direct talks with President Vladimir Putin, and Moscow says it "noted" this request. So is this a diplomatic breakthrough? Vitaly gauges the mood from a sunny Istanbul, explains why an interpreter was required, and talks about what the next steps might be. Today...

President Zelensky has said he's sending his defence minister to peace negotiations with Russia in Istanbul - but adds that Russia is "not serious" about "real talks". With discussions between the two countries seemingly likely to happen in some form, is this progress? Are we on the path to peace? Lucy is joined by Vitaly in Istanbul and Lyse Doucet in Abu Dhabi. Today’s episode is presented by Lu...

The world is holding its breath ahead of mooted peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday. But what are the discussions likely to look like, and crucially who will attend? With Donald Trump on a tour of the Gulf nations, the White House says it plans to send senior representatives to Turkey, while hinting that the US President could yet make a personal appearance. Ukrainian Pr...

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he’s ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "personally" in Istanbul on Thursday for talks over ending the war. But is this meeting likely to materialise? And is this a smart move from Zelensky or a potential win for Putin? Lucy and Vitaly are joined by chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet to chew over the significance of a potential...

Who’s attending Friday’s Victory Day parade in Russia? Could President Xi of China present his own ceasefire plan? And what’s going on with the coalition of the willing? The BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet and BBC Moscow producer Ben Tavener are on hand to answer these questions from listeners and more. Today’s episode is presented by Jamie Coomarasamy and Vitaly Shevchenko. Th...

We’re just days away from Victory Day, when Moscow is due to hold a parade on 9 May to mark the victory of the Soviet Union and allies over Nazi Germany. Victoria and Vitaly are joined by BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson and Alexander Zhuravlyov to discuss what the day means for Russians, and how its significance has changed since Vladimir Putin came to power. Also, security correspondent Frank Gardner...

After months of tense negotiations Ukraine and the US have signed a much-anticipated natural resources deal - and YOU have lots of questions about it. Why is Ukraine going ahead with it? Can it still join NATO? What could the US offer Russia? Lucy is joined by Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse, BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson and diplomatic correspondent James Landale to answer these and more. Tod...

It’s 100 days since Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term as President of the United States. His campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine has yet to materialise, but Washington has brought both sides to the negotiation table. So is peace any closer, and should the White House be getting more credit? We’re joined by Sam Kiley, world affairs editor at The Independent, who has just returned...

What if the US pulls out of peace talks? Do other Republicans agree with President Trump’s position on the war? And could Ukraine monetise its drone industry? Jamie and Vitaly are joined by diplomatic correspondent James Landale and BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson to answer these questions and more on the conflict. And we check in with friend of the podcast, Vitalii Pashchenko, who got caught up in Rus...

After Vladimir Putin’s limited ‘Easter truce’ ended, we’re joined by the BBC’s Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, to discuss whether the Kremlin is serious about bilateral negotiations with Ukraine. And we talk to Alexander Vindman - the former US National Security Council official, who was a star witness in Donald Trump’s first impeachment inquiry. He has a lot to say about US policy on Ukraine and...