A Russian missile strike has killed dozens of people in the Ukrainian city of Poltava. Hundreds more are reported to have been wounded in what Ukraine's Ministry of Defence has called a "barbaric attack". We have the latest updates and analysis as the story unfolds.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Clare Williamson, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Richard Fenton-Smith.

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

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Has Kyiv’s gamble to take Kursk paid off?

Lyse and Vitaly examine whether Russian advances on the key Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk raise questions about the success of the cross-border incursion, as well as answer some of your questions.

And we hear from Ukraine's Paralympic swimmer, Yaroslav Denysenko, who shares how the Russian full-scale invasion has impacted his life and training.

Today’s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Diane Richardson and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Richard Fenton-Smith. 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

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Is support for peace deal growing among Ukrainians?

Between President Zelensky saying Russia should attend a peace summit in November, and a recent poll suggesting that more Ukrainians would now accept some territorial concessions, we assess whether the mood is changing. Dr Patricia Lewis who leads the International Security programme at Chatham House gives her take.

Victoria and Vitaly are also joined by Vitaly Pashchenko, a student in Kyiv and Oleksii Svid, who lives in Kharkiv, who have different opinions about the possibility of peace talks and what that might entail.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Nick Sturdee and Cordelia Hemming. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

An exiled journalist’s tale of pain and love of Russia…

Elena Kostyuchenko speaks to Victoria and Vitaly about reporting on the war in Ukraine, having a hit put out on her and German authorities launching an investigation into her attempted murder after she experienced a sudden - and debilitating - mysterious illness.

Also, Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg discusses what a trip to the hairdresser revealed about Russian public attitudes to the war, President Putin’s latest calendar and an update on an old friend of his.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Phil Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

What winter and new weaponry means for the war…

Professor Michael Clarke and Russia analyst Anna Borshchevskaya discuss the importance of the eastern town of Avdiivka, President Putin’s visit to China and how a change in seasons might influence events on the battlefield.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

One woman’s tale of adversity, bravery and hope.

Hanna Berezynets gave birth to triplets on February 24, 2022, the same day Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Just a few short hours after the three baby girls were safely delivered at a hospital in Chernihiv, the entire family had to flee to the medical facility’s bomb shelter.

Hanna joins Victoria to tell her story.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire. Translation was provided by Irena Taranyuk. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Keiligh Baker and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Could Russia use conflict in the Middle East to its advantage?

The BBC’s Frank Gardner joins Hanna Notte, a Berlin-based analyst on Russian policy in the Middle East, to discuss what’s been happening in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Today’s episode is presented by James Waterhouse and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Yulia Volovik, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Phil Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

Vitaly is in a Red Cross humanitarian aid centre in Przemysl, on the Polish-Ukrainian border, finding out what aid workers are doing to help Ukrainian refugees.

The BBC’s Kasia Madera, in North Macedonia, explains the up-coming Polish elections and attitudes towards the conflict in the rest of the region. Today’s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

President Zelensky says a Russian strike in the village of Hroza, in eastern Ukraine, has killed at least 51 people, including a six-year-old boy.

In this extra episode of Ukrainecast, Victoria is joined by James Waterhouse in Kyiv to find out what we know about the attack. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

Former soldier Shaun Pinner was captured and imprisoned by Russian-backed forces in April 2022 while fighting in the Ukrainian military.

In that time, he says he was given electric shocks, tasered and stabbed in the leg.

He was also sentenced to death - but almost exactly one year ago, he and four other Britons were released after spending five months in a prison in eastern Ukraine.

And US Special Correspondent Katty Kay reveals why Congress ditched plans to give Kyiv another $6bn dollars, and the impact it will have on the Ukrainian front-line.

Today’s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Keiligh Baker. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

It’s been six months since the Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russian authorities in March.

We’re joined by his friend, Eliot Brown, and his boss, Deborah Ball.

And Newsnight’s diplomatic editor, Mark Urban, is in the studio to talk about his experiences on the front-line of the conflict, where he joined the 24th Mechanised Brigade. His producer, Louis Harris-White is also on. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord TOPICS:

00:05 - Kremlin media operation 02:27 - Evan Gershkovich 14:47 - Mark Urban’s Ukraine trip

Following recent the Ukrainian attack on the HQ of Russia's Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol, is Kyiv getting ready to retake the peninsula?

The BBC’s James Waterhouse and defence and security analyst Michael Clarke assess the significance of the Sevastopol strike and discuss the reported death the commander of the Black Sea Fleet.

And Maria Tomak, from the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, explains Ukraine’s plans for the future of Crimea.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

00:05 - Crimea teaser 01:16 - Crimea's history and identity 05:41 - Ukraine's increasing attacks on Crimea 08:29 - Russia's Black Sea fleet commander 15:49 - The future of Crimea

A family of amputees learn to walk again.

We talk to Natalia Stepanenko, who was badly injured in the Kramatorsk railway attack last year. Both her and her 12 year old daughter Yana lost legs, while Natalia’s husband died in a separate attack soon after. After receiving treatment in California the family are back in Ukraine, trying to re-build their lives.

The BBC’s Orla Guerin explains what medical provisions exist for tens of thousands of Ukrainian amputees and tells us about the diplomatic spat between Ukraine and Poland.

And we get the latest on a missile attack which hit the HQ of Russia's Black Sea navy in Crimea.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko.

Translation was provided by Irena Taranyuk. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Alix Pickles and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

TOPICS:

00:05 - Amputee mother preview 02:05 - Crimea navy base attack 05:18 - Amputee mother 17:21 - Ukraine’s army of amputees 24:10 - News fatigue

While Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was being handed a 16 year jail term last week, another Russian court was sentencing Radio Free Europe editor Alsu Kurmasheva to 6.5 years in prison. From marines to ballerinas and journalists, it’s believed that around thirty US citizens are currently incarcerated in Russian. So are they being arrested and how do the families of those detained manage, often without regular contact with their loved ones? Ukrainecast speaks to Alsu Kurmasheva’s husband Pavel Butorin, professor Angela Stent from Georgetown University and the BBCs Steve Rosenberg.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Di Richardson. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Richard Fenton-Smith. 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

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Three seasoned correspondents discuss the challenges of covering prolonged conflicts, in particular, the issue of “news fatigue”.

Chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, international editor Jeremy Bowen and the BBC’s Quentin Sommerville talk about their experience of reporting in places like Bosnia, Afghanistan, and now, Ukraine - and how to keep you, the audience, interested and engaged…

They also discuss President Zelensky’s visit to the UN and the US and the latest developments in Ukraine’s counter-offensive.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Alix Pickles and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producers are Tim Walklate and Daniel Wittenberg. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

TOPICS:

00:05 - "News fatigue" and Ukraine 02:51 - How to cover a war 17:50 - Listener questions 18:53 - Zelensky's US visit and UNGA 23:34 - Counter-offensive update

Ukraine says it has damaged naval ships in the port of Sevastopol in Crimea and hit air defences. We ask Britain’s most recent defence attaché in Moscow, John Foreman whether Ukraine is stepping up its attacks on Crimea and how Russia could respond. North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un continues his state visit to Russia with a tour of an arms factory. He met President Putin on Wednesday but what did they talk about? The BBC’s Russia correspondent, Steve Rosenberg tells us how the event has been covered amidst speculation about a potential arms deal. Decoys are not a new method of fooling opponents in war and last year, mining and steel company, Metinvest started making them. Oleg Davydenko tells Ukrainecast how his company’s mock-ups are being used on the front line. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov and Niamh Hughes. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480 You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Russia to meet president Vladimir Putin. The BBC’s Seoul Correspondent, Jean Mackenzie discusses what the two leaders want from their first get together in four years and whether the West should be worried.

Ukraine is one of the most heavily land-mined countries in the world with over 170,000 square kilometres of its territory being covered in them. The Halo Trust are helping Ukrainians remove thousands of landmines and its CEO James Cowan talks about the challenges that they’re facing and we hear from Volodymir, a Ukrainian soldier, who lost his foot on a mine during the counteroffensive.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko with Frank Gardner. The producers were Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov, Josh Jenkins, Sam McLaren and Niamh Hughes. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

The BBC’s Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg answers your questions on Yevgeny Prigozhin, pro-Kremlin talk shows and Kim Jong Un.

We catch up with the BBC’s Olga Malchevska who talks us through the latest attack which killed at least 17 people in Kostyantynivka.

And how McDonald’s has played a crucial role in aiding diplomacy between Washington and Kyiv.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Gabriel Gatehouse. The producers were Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov and Sam McLaren. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

Why has President Zelensky lobbied Western powers for the F-16? What are the challenges in getting them deployed? And could they shift the balance in the war for Ukraine’s skies?

To discuss this we’re joined by Dan ‘Two-Dogs’ Hampton, a retired US Air Force pilot who has flown 151 combat missions in the F-16.

Also, the Guardian’s Emma Graham-Harrison and the BBC’s James Waterhouse discuss the dismissal of Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Gabriel Gatehouse. The producers were Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov and Sam McLaren. The technical producers were Antonio Fernandes and Emma Crowe. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

TOPICS:

00:05 - Why might Putin meet Kim Jong Un? 03:14 - Reaction to the dismissal of Ukraine's defence minister 14:32 - Are F-16 fighter jets a game-changer? 26:59 - Draft dodgers in Ukraine's army

Despite the reported capture of the village of Robotyne, is Ukraine making any meaningful gains in its counter-offensive?

To take stock of how it’s going, Victoria and Vitaly are joined by Riley Bailey from the Institute for the Study of War and Professor Michael Clarke, a defence and security analyst based in London.

Also, veteran war reporter for CNN, Christiane Amanpour, joins us from Kyiv to discuss the possible scenarios as to how the war could end.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Sam McLaren, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord TOPICS:

00:05 - Ukraine’s Foreign Minister tells critics to ‘shut up’ 03:20 - What is the point of Ukraine’s counter-offensive? 07:48 - How much progress is being made? 13:19 - Where might the counter-offensive end up? 18:00 - Christiane Amanpour

What is it like in the classroom during wartime?

Two Ukrainian teachers, Lesia Yurchyshyn in Kyiv and Olga Hrihoryeva in Kherson, discuss their differing experiences of what teaching has been like since the war began, from remote learning to bomb shelter classrooms.

New York Times correspondent Valerie Hopkins joins us from St Petersburg where she’s searching cemetery-by-cemetery to find the location of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s funeral.

And the BBC’s Olga Ivshina joins Russia analyst Mark Galeotti to examine how the Wagner chief’s death is going down in Russia.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Clare Williamson, Ivana Davidovic and Sam McLaren. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

TOPICS:

00:05 - Pro-Kremlin TV 01:48 - Prigozhin Russia reaction 05:53 - Prigozhin funeral 13:12 - Back to school in Ukraine

Does the Wagner chief’s reported death strengthen the Russian president?

Lyse, Vitaly and journalist Gabriel Gatehouse unpick the latest developments surrounding Wednesday's plane crash, and the presumed death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner mercenary group.

And Kremlin critic Bill Browder suggests that Prigozhin’s presumed death is “the beginning of the purge” and gives an insight of what it’s like to be a marked man in Moscow.

Today’s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Sam McLaren, Josh Jenkins, Beth Rose and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

In an extra episode of Ukrainecast, Adam Fleming and Vitaly Shevchenko are joined by the BBC’s Frank Gardner and Lou Osborne from the monitoring group All Eyes on Wagner to discuss the news that the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has been presumed dead following a plane crash.

The producers were Chris Flynn and Miranda Slade. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

One woman’s story of helping to deliver 136 babies in 42 days from a warzone.

Midwife Vira Tselyk tells Lucy and Vitaly about the 42 days she spent working from a bunker, helping to deliver over a hundred and thirty babies.

We also talk to Emma Mateo, who got caught in the deadly attack in Chernihiv - where a six-year-old girl is among seven people who died after a Russian missile strike on the historic city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine.

And, the BBC’s Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse discusses the thousands of men avoiding the draft.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Josh Jenkins, Sam McLaren and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

TOPICS:

01:44 - The midwife in the bomb shelter 17:48 - Chernihiv attack 25:12 - The men avoiding the Ukrainian draft

Ukraine’s athletes are preparing to represent their country at the Olympics - we speak to 400m hurdler Victoriya Tkachuk about the difficulties of training in a warzone as her brother fights on the frontline.

Greco-Roman wrestler Zhan Beleniuk won Ukraine’s only gold medal in Tokyo, and will be trying to retain it in Paris. He’s also a Ukrainian MP and told us about his opposition to the limited inclusion of Russian athletes at this year’s games.

And to discuss how the Olympics finds itself stuck in the middle of a global diplomatic row, we’re joined by Simon Chadwick, professor of sport and geopolitical economy at Skema Business School in Paris.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.

The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Nathan Gower. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The editor is Richard Fenton-Smith. 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

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Why drones are so important in the war for both Ukraine and Russia.

How do drones work? Who makes them? And, crucially, who’s winning the drone production race?

The BBC’s Security Correspondent Frank Gardner and Dr Marina Miron from King’s College London talk us through it all.

And, Politico journalist Eva Hartog gives her fist interview after being kicked out of Russia following a decade of living and reporting from Moscow.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Paige Neal-Holder and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

TOPICS:

00:04 - Viktoria Kovalenko 03:23 - Drone warfare 09:45 - Listener questions 15:30 - Eva Hartog

Eight months in the country after losing her husband and daughter.

Ukrainecast catches up with Viktoria Kovalenko, whose story we’ve followed since the early days of the war. In the most tragic of circumstances, her husband and 12-year-old daughter Veronika were killed in front of her when they tried to escape the town of Chernihiv last year.

She then spent weeks hiding in bunkers while looking after her baby daughter Varvara, who also survived the attack, and eventually found her way to Poland. Late last year she and Varvara were able to move here to the UK.

After eight months of living in the UK, how is she adjusting to life now?

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.

Translation was provided by Irena Taranyuk. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this episode, you can find help and support here https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline.

How one Russian reporter is risking her life for journalism.

We catch up with prominent investigative reporter Yelena Milashina who was severely attacked moments after flying in to the Russian republic of Chechnya.

We’re also joined by the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford who’s in Poland, where there is growing concern over the Wagner Group’s presence in neighbouring Belarus.

And the BBC’s Arsenii Sokolov has been investigating the Russian convicts released to fight with the mercenary group, who’ve been accused of new crimes, including murder.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Sam McLaren, Paige Neal-Holder, and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

TOPICS:

02:27 - Yelena Milashina 14:11 - Belarus-Poland tensions 19:35 - Wagner reoffenders

Why one man says he’s turned his back on Moscow to fight with Ukraine.

We speak to "Apostle", a member of the Liberty of Russia Legion, one of the groups reportedly responsible for the cross-border raids in the Russian city of Belgorod earlier this year.

The FT’s Ukraine correspondent Christopher Miller is in the studio to discuss his new book and reflect on his time in the Pokrovsk, in Ukraine, where at least seven people lost their lives in an overnight attack by Russia.

And BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson talks about why Russians are hunting for cheap flats in the occupied city of Mariupol.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic and Sam McLaren. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editors are Jonathan Aspinwall and Sam Bonham. 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.

TOPICS:

01:54 - Pokrovsk attack 06:00 - Mariupol residents 12:33 - Listener questions 16:30 - Russian fighter

Why going back home to Ukraine is so heart breaking.

Fergal Keane returns to Ukraine with a refugee family to be reunited with their husband and father; they last saw each other 18 months ago.

Vitaly and Victoria catch up with Olga who has returned to Kherson after six weeks in the safety and calm of her children's home in Norway. She now faces constant shelling and her life is in danger, so why has she gone back?

And James Waterhouse talks us through today’s drone attack on the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. The producers were Clare Williamson and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

One woman's story of life in the Russian capital.

Moscow resident Masha describes life in the Russian capital, and security correspondent Frank Gardner examines whether, as President Zelensky suggests, war is coming back to the country.

Also, we check in on how the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme is going. Ukrainian national Marina and her former sponsor Francis reflect on their year living together.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Phil Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Aiden Aslin, the British prisoner released by Russia, discusses his time behind bars, receiving the death sentence and his plans to return to Ukraine.

Also, Africa correspondent Andrew Harding and Beverly Ochieng from BBC Monitoring in Nairobi discuss the Russia-Africa summit and the continent’s relationship with the Kremlin.

And what does Yevgeny Prigozhin’s reappearance in St Petersburg tell us about President Putin’s position of strength?

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Why is Russia targeting the historic port city after it withdrew from the grain deal?

We hear from James Waterhouse, who has spent the weekend in Odesa and visited the landmark Transfiguration Cathedral, which was hit by strikes. And opera singer Katerina Tsymbaliuk tells us what it was like to perform in the cathedral and why her city’s residents are so resilient.

Also, Nick Sturdee has been speaking to contacts in Donbas about life in this Russian-annexed part of Eastern Ukraine.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate and the 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Will the collapse of the UN grain deal and attack on port cities in Ukraine affect food security?

James Waterhouse joins us from a grain processing plant in Poltava and we also hear from Oksana Karabin, who works for Ukraine's biggest grain exporter Kernel. Their terminal was shelled this week destroying 60 tonnes of grain.

And we return to the issue of the forced deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia. We hear from Vice correspondent Isobel Yeung and the BBC’s Kateryna Khinkulova - two journalists who’ve been investigating the story for several months.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Lyse Doucet.

The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Tom Smithard. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

We find out more about the bombing of the Kerch bridge between occupied Crimea and Russia. How much damage has been done and by whom? Olga Robinson from BBC Verify talks through the evidence.

And is Vladimir Putin’s homophobia driving LGBT acceptance amongst Ukrainians? Mikhail Zygar, the Russian journalist, writer and film maker tells us why he hopes his own marriage will strike a blow for gay equality in Russia, while Ukrainian MP Inna Sovsun talks about passing a law to allow same-sex partnerships in Ukraine.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Lyse Doucet. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Tom Smithard. The technical producer was Frank McWeeny. The series producer is Tim Walklate and the senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

On Friday's episode we spoke to BBC political editor Chris Mason about his exclusive interview with President Zelensky. We thought that you might like to hear the whole of that - so in this episode you can hear the Ukrainian leader's conversation in full... The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Richard Fenton-Smith. 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

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Should Ukraine be more grateful to the West for its military and financial support?

After the UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said "people want to see gratitude" from Kyiv, BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera and Politico’s Lara Seligman look at the big talking point from this week’s Nato summit — and assess whether Ukraine should be pleased or disappointed by the commitments made.

And we hear from Dalia Stasevska, the Ukrainian-Finnish conductor at the first night of the BBC Proms, about why Russian musicians need to be pressured into using their platforms to criticise the war.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Gabriel Gatehouse. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson, Ivana Davidovic and Tom Smithard. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

What to expect from this week’s Nato summit. BBC Europe editor Katya Adler and former US general John Allen discuss what Ukraine can realistically hope for (when it comes to joining the alliance) at the two day gathering in Vilnius.

Also, Russia editor Steve Rosenberg is back with the latest on the whereabouts of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and what life is like in Moscow weeks after his failed mutiny.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Clare Williamson and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

It’s nearly 500 days since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began and it seems nowhere is safe. The western city of Lviv, a haven for refugees far away from the front line, has been hit by Russian missiles killing ten civilians. We hear from Olga Pona, a local journalist, about her night of terror sheltering in a basement car park.

We catch up with student and friend of the podcast Vitalii Pashchenko on his graduation day. He tells us about his plans for the future. And as US journalist Evan Gershkovich spends his 100th day in a Russian jail, we speak to his good friend Polina Ivanova about his wellbeing and the campaign to free him.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko with Frank Gardner. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson, Ivana Davidovic and Tom Smithard. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate and the 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Assessing the damage caused by the Kherson floods.

The BBC’s Andrew Harding updates us on the environmental, social and emotional impact caused by the Kakhovka dam breach, and we catch up again with Kherson resident Olga.

Also, we find out more about the attack on independent Russian journalist Elena Milashina in Chechnya, who appeared on last week’s Ukrainecast, with the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford and Tanya Lokshina from Human Rights Watch.

Today’s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaliy Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

And is Wagner setting up a camp in Belarus?

The BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen has hotfooted back from a whistle-stop trip to Kyiv to update us on what President Zelensky’s military advisers are thinking.

Artyom Shraibman, from the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, explains how Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko stands to benefit from harbouring some of Putin’s nuclear warheads.

And we hear from independent Russian journalist Elena Milashina on the role Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov might play as Vladimir Putin seeks to shore up his position within the Kremlin.

Today’s episode is hosted by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic, Stephanie Mitcalf, Jack Taylor, Drew Hyndman and Tom Smithard. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate and the senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

After a dramatic weekend, we are joined by BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner to answer your questions on the failed rebellion.

We discuss what comes next for Prigozhin and his mercenaries with Lou Osborn, from the monitoring group All Eyes on Wagner.

Also, we explore Vladimir Putin’s future with Jade McGlynn, a research fellow at King’s College London and author of ‘Russia’s War’ and ‘Memory Makers: The Politics of the Past in Putin’s Russia’.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic, Stephanie Mitcalf and Drew Hyndman. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate and the 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

The rebellion by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner, is over.

BBC Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford and broadcaster Gabriel Gatehouse try to make sense of what happened on Saturday with a rebellion by the mercenary Wagner group and share their thoughts on what happens next for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Today’s extra episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.

The episode was produced by Clare Williamson. The technical director was Ricardo McCarthy. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions a 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

President Putin decries "betrayal" and "treason" after a dramatic challenge by the chief of the Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Russia editor Steve Rosenberg, Security correspondent Frank Gardner and broadcaster Gabriel Gatehouse try to make sense of a moving and murky situation in Russia.

Today’s extra episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

With Vladimir Putin scaling up his rhetoric over use of nuclear weapons we turn our attention to Russia in this episode.

The BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg and the Washington Post’s Catherine Belton look at the chance of a nuclear attack, the state of the opposition in Russia and why the latest intervention from Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin could provide an important clue to a possible major policy shift by the Kremlin.

We also hear from Evgenia Kara-Murza about the plight of her husband Vladimir, a British-Russian diplomat sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Moscow court for high treason.

And we assess the impact of a terrorist attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following a warning from President Zelensky that Russia is considering such an action.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic, Drew Hyndman and Tom Smithard. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate and the 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Both Ukrainian and Russian fighters have started describing the counter-offensive as hitting in ‘waves’. But what exactly does that that mean?

The BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner and Owen Matthews, a historian and former Newsweek Moscow bureau chief, return to the pod to digest the military tactics and innovations from both sides on the frontline.

Also, we take a closer look at the war’s impact on children in occupied territories - many of whom have been forcibly removed to Russia. Mykola Kuleba, Ukraine’s former ombudsman for children, tells us about the work his charity is doing to find them and bring them home. And Oksana Lebedeva describes the work done to support traumatised children in summer camps back in safer territories.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic, Drew Hyndman and Tom Smithard. The technical producer was Phil Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate and the 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

At the end of a week in which fears were raised across Ukraine about the future of American and European aid towards the war effort, we ask Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, whether the West could be growing tired of supporting Kyiv.

And what’s it like to interview President Zelensky? The BBC's political editor, Chris Mason, joins Ukrainecast to reflect on his chat with the Ukrainian leader.

Today’s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Cordelia Hemming. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Richard Fenton-Smith. 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

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast’s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

As a show trial begins of Azov Brigade fighters captured in last year’s siege of Mariupol, we hear from the fiancée of one about the torturous conditions they are being held in.

Also, just how many Russian fighters have lost their lives in the war so far? BBC Russian’s Olga Ivshina has been crunching the numbers.

And the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent James Landale joins us on a day when an African leaders’ peace mission visits Kyiv - and have to promptly take shelter from a missile attack.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.

The producers are Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson, Drew Hyndman and Tom Smithard. The technical producer is Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

We hear from the BBC’s James Waterhouse who is one of the first journalists to visit a newly freed village in the eastern Donetsk region.

Also, the day after Russia celebrates its national day, missiles rain down on the home city of Ukraine’s president killing at least 11.

Sunday Times correspondent Christina Lamb and BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner assess the dramatic developments in the last week including the floods in Kherson and the start of Ukraine’s counter-offensive.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Drew Hyndman. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Tales of resilience and rescue on the banks of the Dnipro river.

We speak to Ivan, a student from Kyiv who has driven to Kherson to help deliver aid to those affected, and Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse tells us about the people he’s met who’ve been cut off by the floods amidst the shelling.

We speak to a woman from the Belgorod region, near the border with Ukraine, about what it’s like to live in a part of Russia that is very much caught up in the conflict.

Professor Mark Galeotti on what the Kremlin's attitude to Belgorod tells us about the way it's fighting the wider war.

Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Gabriel Gatehouse. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Drew Hyndman. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news 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, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480