The On Deadline Podcast

Russia invaded Ukraine nearly 3 months ago, and there's no end in sight to the fighting. Putin appears focused now on the Donbas region in Ukraine's east, which is home to a number of Russian-backed separatist groups. But as has been the case for much of the war, things aren't going well for Russia. Ukrainian authorities say they recently repelled a Russian attack in the region.Still, things have been extremely difficult for Ukrainians. Journalists are trying to work while covering a war fought on their home soil. We speak to Illia Ponomarenko, a defense and security reporter at the Kyiv Independent, an English-language media outlet in Ukraine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After failing to capture the capital city of Kyiv, the Russian army has shifted it's focus to Eastern Ukraine. Russia now controls much of Southern Ukraine, including the port city of Mariupol. And it's in the middle of a battle for the Donbas region in Ukraine's east, which is known as the country's "industrial heartland."But what is it exactly that Vladimir Putin is trying to achieve now? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mariupol has fallen.The port city in the southeastern corner of Ukraine had arguably received the worst of shelling, bombing and attacks in this war, with much of the city reduced to ruble. A group of several hundred Ukrainian soldiers had been holding out inside of a massive steel plant, refusing to surrender. But now there's word that the last remaining Ukrainians have been evacuated ... and Mariupol is in Russian hands.So that's one setback on the battlefield for Ukraine; but one doesn't have to look far for success stories. Up in Kharkiv, not only has the Ukrainian Army pushed back the Russians and recaptured territory ... they've managed to drive all the way to the Russian border.We'll take a look at both battles and the current state of Russia's war in Ukraine as it is on the verge of entering its fourth month. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here's how deeply Russia's invasion of Ukraine could be changing the security environment in Europe: even Switzerland, famous for its commitment to neutrality that's been in place through many, many wars .... is considering joining NATO.With Finland and Sweden, two long time NATO-holdouts now taking formal steps to join the Alliance, Switzerland's defense ministry is calling for closer ties to NATO; and they're pointing to the security threat posed to all of Europe by the Russians.The invasion of Ukraine could touch off one of the biggest European security realignments since the end of World War II.NATO's nascent expansion is not without its complications, however. Turkey's president continues to voice his hesitations to approve Finland and Sweden's memberships ... and a bigger NATO could mean a more hectic alliance, with more potential for disagreements.But one way or another, NATO looks set to become a lot more fearsome as a military alliance ... not exactly what Vladimir Putin had in mind when he launched his war in Ukraine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukraine's military says it recently did major damage to Russian units looking to cross a key river in the northeastern part of the country, inflicting what it says were hundreds of casualties among Russian soldiers ... and a significant loss of armor and equipment. And yet the situation on the ground in both Eastern and Southern Ukraine hasn't changed much in recent days.The war has ground into a stalemate that neither side seems totally capable of winning ... and yet neither side is ready to make concessions.Meanwhile there's a possible fly in the ointment in what looked to be a sure-thing expansion of NATO, by welcoming Finland and Sweden into the alliance. Today Turkey's president raised concerns about allowing the two Nordic countries to join NATO under rushed timetables.It could all be a negotiating ploy to make sure Turkey, which maintains one of NATO's most powerful militaries, gets something out of the deal. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Finland is a country that knows a thing or two about Russian aggression. After all, the Finns fought a war against Russia in 1940, as Joseph Stalin tried to pull off a land grab in Finland, in the midst of World War II raging in Europe. And yet, up until this year Finland has maintained a more-or-less neutral position in international affairs and had resisted joining NATO.Russia's war in Ukraine quickly changed all of that, with the Finns looking set to formally apply for NATO membership in the coming weeks ... on the way to becoming part of the Alliance by the end of this year. Not surprisingly, the Russians are not thrilled about that prospect.Russia is vowing to take ‘retaliatory steps’ after Finland announced it will move to join NATO without delay; Sweden working on a similar move. It's just some of the unintended consequences of Vladimir Putin's move to seize Ukraine ... as he's managed to increase unity and cooperation among NATO countries to their high levels, perhaps since the Cold War. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One almost instant reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine was the rush of countries looking to either join NATO or strengthen their ties to the military alliance. Finland and Sweden, two Scandinavian countries that have long preferred to keep an independent stance on their strategic partnerships, reversed course in a hurry after Russia launched its war.Both countries are now on pace to join NATO by the end of this year. But the United Kingdom is jumping the gun a bit, which could complicate already tense relationships across Eastern Europe.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reached agreements with Sweden and Finland to defend them if they are attacked by Russia ... and vice versa, the Scandinavian pair promised to come to the military aid of the U-K.Meanwhile intense fighting continues in Eastern and Southern Ukraine, with the war increasingly looking like a drawn-out stalemate. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Digging in for the long haul -- that's how the U.S. Director of National Intelligence characterized Vladimir Putin's strategy as his invasion of Ukraine enters its 3rd month. DNI Avril Haines, in testimony before a Senate committee, described Russia's effort in Eastern Ukraine as a slow moving slog ... it's the U.S. intelligence assessment that Putin is hoping the attention of NATO and the West on Ukraine starts to wane over time.So what's the latest from the Donbas region, where the majority of recent fighting is happening ... is Mariupol still not totally under Russian control ... and is the war in Ukraine turning into a stalemate? We'll ask.We'll then check in with one of the millions of Ukrainian families that was forced to pick up and move to avoid Russian troops, refugees within their own country.But we start with an update on the fighting and what the American intelligence community believes are Vladimir Putin's goals to create a "land bridge" stretching from Russian-controlled Crimea all the way to the Ukrainian city of Odessa.That may very well be what Putin wants, but can his beat up military actually achieve that? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was Victory Day in Moscow, usually cause for swelling Russian patriotism and a display of military might with parading soldiers, thanks and fighter jets marching through Red Square. While there were the requisite soldiers and tanks, it was a subdued Victory Day event for Vladimir Putin and Russia's elite ... Putin didn't call for mass mobilization of hundreds of thousands more Russian soldiers, nor did he declare any kind of victory in his war in Ukraine.Instead Putin presented a list of the usual manufactured reasons for his invasion of Ukraine ... and his usual grievances against NATO and the West. We will take a closer look at what Victory Day means for the ongoing war in Ukraine.And we go live to Kyiv to talk with a group of filmmakers ... who are both U.S. Army veterans ... embedded on the front lines with Ukrainian forces. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 9th is a date that has long been circled on the calendar for all observers of Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. That is the day that Russia marks its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II; a day usually filled with patriotic bravado about Russia's military strength and power. With May 9th coming up on Monday, there are growing fears that Russia and Vladimir Putin ... desperate for any kind of at least symbolic victory to prove their invasion of Ukraine is going as planned ... will significantly ramp up attacks and provocations over the next couple of days. So we'll head to Ukraine for the latest from the battlefield.And we'll then talk with one woman who stayed in Kyiv during the early days of the war and remains there now ... about a city that's not quite at war, but not at peace either.Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces has picked up in the Eastern and Southern parts of the country, with Ukraine's army on the counterattack in several areas of the Donbas region. Meanwhile most of the bombed out, largely destroyed port city of Mariupol remains in Russian control. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The battle for the southern Ukrainian port town of Mariupol may be coming to its final stages as the last defenders hold off Russian forces. At the same time, heavy fighting reported all along the eastern front.And there are even reports that the Ukrainian military is on the counterattack, pushing back Russian forces in several areas in the Donbas region.One of the biggest bombshells to drop involving this war didn't actually land in Ukraine--it landed on the pages of the New York Times, where several of their sources within the U.S. Defense Department confirmed that they've been providing the Ukrainian military with locations and intel on the positions of Russian generals on the battlefield.And that the Ukrainians have been using the intel to pinpoint and kill several of those generals. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even while most of the fighting remains in Eastern Ukraine, Russia continues to remind Kyiv that it can strike in any part of the country, at any time. More missile strikes over the last 24 hours were aimed at Lviv in Western Ukraine, as the Russians were reportedly aiming for railroad links. That's key because those rail lines are being used to send western weapons toward the front lines in the Donbas region.At the same time, the European Union says it's planning a ban on all its member nations importing oil from Russia as efforts continue to hit Moscow with tough economic sanctions.And that's key because even with a lot of talk about weaning itself off of Russian oil and gas, there are still plenty of European countries dependent on Russia for its energy supplies. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the weekend Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi became the highest ranking American official to visit Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv during Russia's invasion. But behind the handshakes and good wishes between Pelosi and Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky were urgent requests from the Ukrainians to keep the flow of western weapons and money going.Will Congress deliver that big package of aid for the Ukrainians and are we doing enough to help their war effort? We'll take a closer look.We'll also speak with a woman from the center of the Ukraine in a town that's been transformed during the course of the war, flooded with tens of thousands of refugees fleeing eastern Ukraine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While the focus has been on Eastern Ukraine and the "new phase" of the Russian invasion to capture territory in that region, there was a stark reminder today that Russia retains the ability to strike anywhere in Ukraine.Two big explosions rocked central Kyiv just after the U-N Secretary-General met with Ukraine's president. One person of several killed was a Radio Free Europe journalist.There was another person of note killed in Ukraine recently: the first American, who traveled there to fight the Russians, was killed in action. He was a 22-year-old Marine Corps veteran.......who leaves behind a wife and 7-month-old baby.Meanwhile the Russians continue their efforts to push forward and seize more land in the Donbas region. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a sign of how long Russia's war in Ukraine could last ... and a symbol of long haul American support for Ukraine ... President Biden today asked Congress to fund a substantial military and humanitarian aid package for Ukraine, to the tune of 33-billion-dollars. And even at that high price tag, the Ukrainians will likely want and need more from us----will we continue to deliver?And you will hear from a new mother in Ukraine, her name is Olesya and she gave birth to a baby girl under less-than-ideal circumstances. We'll get her story of having to flee the war while 9-months-pregnant. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia has wielded one of the biggest weapons it has in its arsenal in its war against Ukraine........and it's broader confrontation against the West. Today the Russians cut off natural gas imports to two NATO countries, Poland and Bulgaria, over their refusal to pay for the gas in Russian rubles.......rather than dollars. Will the move divide NATO; and is this just the start of Russia weaponizing its natural gas exports?It was described as a scene out of a movie: an American Marine Corps veteran, held in Russia for 3 years on what were reportedly trumped up charges, was given his freedom today in a dramatic prisoner exchange. Does this hint of diplomacy mean we're closer to a peace deal in Ukraine?Ukraine is two months into its war with Russia. At the end of today's podcast we'll talk again with a member of Ukraine's parliament who says Russia can be defeated but more help is needed. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, it's been rattling that nuclear saber. From Vladimir Putin on down, there have been months of subtle--and not so subtle--warnings from Russian politicians and generals about interference in Russia's war in Ukraine possibly leading to an exchange of nuclear weapons.Once again, the Russian illusions to the use of nuclear weapons is back in the news--this time with Russia's long-time foreign minister dropping the nuclear hint. We'll look into whether he's serious or just bluffing. And we'll talk to a human rights activist in Kyiv who's monitoring humanitarian corridors to find out if Russia is allowing safe travels for aid workers and civilians. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While the attention has recently been on Russia's shift of focus to Eastern Ukraine, in what could be an old fashioned land-grab operation, the Russian military hasn't stopped attacking ALL of Ukraine. That point was driven home again today after several Russian missile strikes deep into Western Ukraine.The renewed air attacks on Ukraine come one day after the U.S. Secretaries of Defense and State went to Kyiv, the highest profile delegation of American leadership yet to visit Ukraine's capital city as the war still rages. And we'll take a closer look at all of these developments.Plus, we get an update from a man we talked to a month ago in Ukraine whose mother recently escaped the eastern part of the country where Russian military operations are ramping up. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've been bringing you regular coverage of what life is like for people in Ukraine during this war. And keep this in mind, which was the focus of a story we brought you yesterday on the podcast: in addition to the estimated 5-million Ukrainians who have left their country to escape the Russian invasion, there are millions more who have been forced to leave their homes, while becoming refugees within their own country.So we'll hear from Alex, who got out of Irpin just before his apartment was hit by a Russian attack and has been chronicling his time with his new baby born just two weeks before the war broke out. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. government is keeping the military aid rolling toward Ukraine. President Biden approved another 800-million-dollar package of equipment, ammunition and training for Ukraine's armed forces--including sending over heavier weapons, like howitzers and drones--shedding the previous concerns over antagonizing Vladimir Putin. What kind of weapons are we sending and how effective will they be in stopping the Russian offensive in Eastern Ukraine?We'll also take a closer look at the continuing political fallout here at home over how President Biden is handling Ukraine.And while an estimated 5-million Ukrainians have left the country to avoid Russia's invasion, millions more have been internally displaced. We'll talk with one Ukrainian woman helping her fellow citizens to resettle in safer parts of the country, out of harm's way. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russian troops are moving ahead with their offensive in eastern Ukraine today, as the key port city of Mariupol in the south remains on the verge of falling. Defenders there say there may have only hours or days left. At the same time, President Vladimir Putin oversaw the test of a long-range missile dubbed "Satan" by the West. He says the weapon shows anyone threatening Russia should think twice. What are Russia's chances for success in this new phase of its invasion of Ukraine.....and how seriously should we take Putin's nuclear saber-rattling?We'll also hear again from a woman living under Russian occupation in the Black Sea port city of Kherson. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia's new offensive in eastern Ukraine is officially underway. The global economy is expected to take a major hit this year because of the war. And a Ukrainian photographer is taking pictures of areas around Kyiv formerly occupied by the Russians. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are signs Russia's major offensive has begun in eastern Ukraine. How much more violent will this war get? We speak to a doctor in Western Ukraine who says air raid sirens are becoming more and more common. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia warns it may retaliate for increased U-S military aid to Ukraine, and officials have confirmed that Ukrainian missiles sank a Russian warship.Ukrainians living in the eastern part of the country are bracing for a major Russian offensive. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A major Russian warship is damaged, and Ukraine is taking credit for the attackWe check back in with a Ukrainian woman who had to flee with her family from an area currently controlled by the Russians. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We talk to a Ukrainian who's had to flee his home city, but it hasn't stopped him from doing everything he can to help his country's war effort.President Biden pledges more military support to Ukraine, as defense officials work to ensure that contractors can continue meeting Ukraine's needs well into the future. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We speak to a Ukrainian lawmaker about what life is like living through Russia's invasion. A filmmaker and U-S army veteran is traveling to Ukraine for a documentary about the war. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We talk once again to a Ukrainian in Kyiv, who has hope for his country as Russia decides to change it's military approach.Putin is clearly unhappy with his army's inability to quickly defeat Ukraine. So he's appointed a new general to take charge, and his nickname is "The Butcher of Syria." We talk to a pair of military analysts to see what this means. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The war in Ukraine is being documented in real time on television, radio and across the internet. If you want to watch battles unfold almost in real time or see the scenes of devastation and destruction, you don't have to look very hard. But what happens when the war is over.......and the task turns to rebuilding and recovery in Ukraine, efforts that will take generations? We'll hear from Ukrainian woman who wants to tell the story of what happens after the war is over.Then we'll head to Ukraine to learn more about that rocket attack that officials say killed 50 people at a train station in the eastern part of the country. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While Ukrainians are returning to the villages and suburbs surrounding the capital city Kyiv, taking stock of the death and destruction left behind by the Russian military, there are still several other Ukrainian towns that remain under Russian occupation.Kherson is one such city--it's in the south of Ukraine, one of the few major metropolitan areas where Russians have managed to maintain control for weeks. So we'll check in again with a woman who lives in Kherson. She says she's worried things could get even worse, especially after the destruction in Bucha. And the United Nations takes action against Russia...suspending it from the Human Rights Council. But will that have much meaning or significance for the Russians? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The pictures and stories coming out of Bucha, Ukraine seem to get more gruesome by the hour, as evidence mounts of Russian war crimes committed there while its troops occupied the suburb of Kyiv.Yesterday on the podcast we heard from a man from Kyiv.....Kirill......who talked about his friend who visited Bucha on Monday and saw the horrors of this war up close. Today we'll hear from that friend.And the U-S has imposed new sanctions against Russia, with a more personal feel: the two adult daughters of Vladimir Putin were the targets of those sanctions. We look into what kind of impact that will have on Putin himself and the war in Ukraine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukraine's President Zelensky addressed the U-N Security Council this morning, saying the Russian military must be brought to justice for war crimes immediately---he also implored the United Nations to get much more involved in countering the Russian invasion of his country. This comes after Ukraine says Russian troops massacred civilians in the town of Bucha, suburb of the capital Kyiv. President Biden has already called for a war crimes trial for Vladimir Putin. So we'll take a closer look at whether the U-N or The Hague can stop the Russian war machine in Ukraine. We will also head back to Kyiv to talk to Ukrainian man you heard from earlier in the war. He had spent some time in a bomb shelter. He also says his friend just visited Bucha to see the destruction up close. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia is facing intense international criticism as mounting evidence emerges that Russian troops carried out consistent war crimes in areas of Ukraine they've been occupying. Images are coming out from villages in the suburbs of Kyiv, that were up until about 48 hours ago under Russian control, of bodies of dozens, maybe even hundreds, of civilians on the streets...apparently killed by Russian forces. President Biden now calling for a war crimes trial against Vladimir Putin.What's next in this transitional stage of the war......and how likely is it that any Russian will stand trial for war crimes?And we talk to a man in Ukraine who says he's coordinating a group of cyber warriors to go after Russia. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A group based right here in Southern California has gone on a rescue mission in Ukraine to help people with disabilities leave the country as Russia presses on with its invasion. We'll find out about how the group is helping people start a new life. We head back to Ukraine for an update on a man who's from a city in the eastern part of the country that's been under almost constant, heavy Russian attack for the last five weeks. His dad and friend were nearly killed in a bombing, before they were able to get out. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden is hoping to offset months of chaos in the global oil market touched off by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, after he announced the release of one million barrels of oil per day from the country's strategic petroleum reserve, for the next six months. The goal is to reduce record-high gas prices--will it work? The White House says it's hearing Vladimir Putin's own advisers are basically lying to him about the war in Ukraine. We look into why and what that means for possible peace. We head to Poland to talk to a veterinarian from San Diego who's there taking care of pets and other animals impacted by the war. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

24 hours ago, Russian leaders were promising to halt most, if not all, of their military operations in and around Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 24 hours later and the Russians have continued to launch missile and artillery strikes on Kyiv proper and many of its suburbs.The Pentagon says it's watching Russian forces being repositioned, rather than withdrawing from Ukraine. So the war rages on, even as the two countries are still talking peace in Turkey---we'll get updated on all of it.Then we'll talk with a woman from Ukraine who's now one of about four million people who've left the country since the war began. She explains how she made the difficult decision to leave. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During peace talks in Turkey today, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were to said to make some progress; but there still is no end in site to the fighting. Russia says it's halting military operations in and around Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv. U.S. intelligence, however, isn't buying it----they see a repositioning of forces around Kyiv, not a withdrawal. We'll take a closer look.We head to Ukraine where we talk to a journalist who, before Russia's invasion, had been writing about culture and issues of the day. Now he's focused on helping people struggling during the war. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An estimated 3-million Ukrainians have been on the move, leaving their homes.......their cities.......and often the country entirely, to avoid getting caught in the middle of Russia's ongoing invasion. With that number of refugees growing by the day, we've been bringing you the stories of Ukraine's civilians taking extreme measures to escape the war. We'll bring you one more very personal story today.We will also get you up-to-date on a busy weekend of activity in and around Ukraine, where President Biden seemingly called for regime change in Russia; and the Russian military struck closer yet to NATO territory, with a missile strike just a few miles away from the Polish border. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden heads east from Brussels to Poland today, where he met with U-S troops stationed only a few dozen miles away from the Ukrainian border. The president telling them the consequences of the war in Ukraine could extend around the world. This comes before meeting with Ukrainian refugees in the country and delivering a major address tomorrow--so we'll head to Poland.The war in Ukraine has forced families to make brutally tough decisions: escaping advancing Russian troops sometimes means having to leave relatives behind. We talked to one woman from Mariupol who escaped but wasn't able to get a hold of her grandma who was still there. Well, we have an update for you. Russia's military might be kinda, sorta throwing in the towel on its original war ambitions to take over all of Ukraine. Top Russian generals today insisted they never wanted to occupy big cities like Kyiv; instead they're concentrating on holding territory in Eastern Ukraine. Does this mean Russia is losing? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden and his fellow NATO leaders made it clear today in Brussels that the alliance was as unified and resolute as ever, in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It's no small feat that the president, and his counterparts in London, Paris and Berlin have keep the infamously disagreeable NATO allies in lock step against Russia's aggression---we'll take a closer look at how they've done it and what's next in standing up to Vladimir Putin.We then head back to Ukraine to talk to a man in Kyiv whose family was dealing with a COVID outbreak when the war started. Since then, medicine and medical care have suddenly became hard to find. The Biden administration has put together a team of experts and military personnel to come up with scenarios and responses if Russian troops were to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine. What would NATO's response be, and would the use of chemical weapons constitute a new "red line?" To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden travels across the Atlantic to meet with NATO allies in Brussels to discuss the war in Ukraine. The president is floating the idea of more sanctions--and strengthening the sanctions already issued, to prevent Russia from wiggling around them.Also on the agenda: allegations of Russian war crimes in Ukraine and sending more American troops to Eastern European positionsAnd we're heading back to Ukraine to talk about a dog. Not just any dog but a traveling dog and Instagram star who's stuck with her owners trying to dodge Russian bombs and stay safe.The FBI is warning that Russian cyber hackers are cyber-casing some energy companies and other big businesses here in the U-S. How destructive could Russian cyber attacks be.......and are we prepared to defend against them........and even retaliate? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ukrainian city of Mariupol continues to represent the worst horrors of Russia's invasion. It is the scene of bloody urban combat and, with repeated targeting by Russian military, there are thought to be thousands of dead civilians there.We'll talk with one woman who made it out.The Biden administration is warning businesses to be on the look out for Russian cyberattacks. If those do come fast and furious, could it spark a military response?More and more Ukrainian refugees........and even some Russians..........are showing up to the U-S/Mexico border with the intention of making it into the United States. We'll take a closer look at how officials are handling these complex new migrant patterns. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the war in Ukraine is about to reach the one month mark, it is increasingly average Ukrainian citizens paying the biggest price for Russia's invasion. Apartment blocks hit with missiles, shopping malls leveled; and in one case, a theater packed with sheltering civilians bombed from the air.Ukraine is, however, pushing back; its military refusing to walk away from the port city of Mariupol. And as more refugees leave the country, we'll look into where they're going and if many plan to return home. And later in today's podcast, we'll head to the Russian occupied city of Kherson...where Russian troops have apparently attacked protesters....and talk with one woman caught in the middle of it all. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Western Ukraine has escaped the worst of Russia's invasion of the country. The region that borders no fewer than four NATO countries has been mostly calm....until now. Russian forces launched a barrage of missiles on the outskirts of Lviv, a key city in that part of the country. We'll take you to Lviv for reaction. Then we'll head to the other side of Ukraine, the war-torn east, and talk with a resident of the city Kharkiv, which has been under near daily bombardment since the invasion began.President Biden had a long chat with China's leader over the war. Can the Chinese be talked out of providing aid and support to the floundering Russian army?And Vladimir Putin held a big rally today in Moscow to drum up support for the invasion, which of course he isn't calling an "invasion". We'll take a closer look at how Putin gets out of the mess of his own creation. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's a lot of information and misinformation about what's going on in Ukraine.President Biden has called Vladimir Putin a war criminal. Could that make diplomacy more difficult? And we speak with a doctor in Ukraine who says hospitals are being overwhelmed. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia's offensive continues, but there is some optimism about peace talks between the two sides. Ukraine's president makes a powerful and emotional plea for more help to a joint-session of Congress. We talk to a Ukrainian who has fled Kyiv about that speech from President Zelensky. President Biden responded to Zelensky's speech with 800-million dollars in military aid, but he says a no-fly zone is a no-go. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia's military marches west, bringing danger close to the border with Poland. Ukrainians in the capital city of Kyiv are preparing for the worst.An American rabbi is now in Poland, helping Ukrainian refugees. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've covered the pandemic for the past 2 years, but now we've got a new focus on this show: Russia's invasion of Ukraine. On today's podcast, Russia appears to be gearing up for an attack on Ukraine's capital city. We speak to a teenage refugee who is now in Greece with his family. And we hear from a Ukrainian woman who got married the day the Russians invaded. President Biden announces more sanctions on Russia's economy. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yes, the podcast is changing. After 2 years covering the pandemic, we are focusing on what's now the biggest story in the world: The War in Ukraine. On today's podcast, we talk to a Ukrainian who lives in the capital city of Kyiv and says he'll never leave. The Ukrainian owner of a Russian restaurant in New York is dealing with hate mail, vandalism, and moreThe U-S House of Representatives approves a package that includes billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine. More major companies are pulling out of Russia. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've spent the last two years on this show covering the pandemic, when that was the world's biggest story. Now we're shifting gears, and focusing on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. On today's podcast, more accusations of war crimes by Russia as a maternity hospital in Ukraine is bombed. We speak with a woman in Southern Ukraine, in an area currently under Russian control. Vice President Kamala Harris travels to Poland, which has taken in a number of Ukrainian refugees. But this comes as the Pentagon rejects a plan to hand over Polish fighter jets to Ukraine. And sanctions against Russia are ratcheting up, with the U-S officially banning Russian oil. But could that move backfire? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices