This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler

Telling the history of the war that’s reshaping the world. In Ep.4: Putin planned to break Europe’s resolve under the twin effects of his assault on Ukraine and his energy war. Instead he bound NATO and the EU together more tightly than ever. This is the story of how Putin’s recklessness created the ‘Zeitenwende’, the turning point in European history where German illusions about Russian cooperation faded away… and Ukraine became a new bulwark of freedom. Hear next week’s edition of Doomsday Watch: The Ukraine War immediately when you support the podcast on Patreon: http://www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk • “Putin was sending a message to the West. You guys aren’t serious. You failed in Iraq. You were kicked out of Afghanistan. Are you really going ot do anything to stop me?” – Arthur Snell • “Europe is now trying to focus its geopolitical muscle against Russia… Ukraine will be a shield against Russia into the future.” – Liana Fix • “Zelenskyy may be the perfect figurehead… Stoic, committed, brave, taciturn at times, but inspirational.” – Arthur Snell • “I worry that, if the Russians win, what does Putin do next? What if he looks at other ‘historic Russian lands’?” – Steven Pifer Photograph courtesy Alexey Furman Incidental music in order of appearance: ‘The Blessed I Have Already Chosen’ by Maksym Berezovsky, performed by Kyiv Chamber Choir Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 5, performed by Jason Weinberger and the WCF Symphony Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 9 (First Movement) performed by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Warning: The episode contains distressing material. In Ep.3 of our history of Putin’s war: As the Russian assault stalls, the Ukrainian city of Mariupol becomes a source of humiliation for Putin. He resolves to obliterate it and its people. War crimes on the scale of WWII ensue. Arthur Snell talks to journalists, eyewitnesses and campaigners to reveal the enormity of Russian atrocities across Ukraine – the targeting of hospitals and children – and the forced disappearances and murders of Ukrainian resisters. This is the story of how the self-declared “anti-Nazi” Russian army brought mobile crematoria and mass killing into the heart of Ukraine… and what is being done to bring those responsible to justice. Hear next week’s edition of Doomsday Watch: The Ukraine War immediately when you support the podcast on Patreon: http://www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “When Putin’s blitzkrieg failed, the Russians reverted to type, destroying Mariupol and other cities and killing thousands of civilians.” – Arthur Snell “We watched doctors operating on a dying child with tears in their eyes. They were screaming, Show this to Putin. He is killing our children.” – Evgeniy Maloletka “Ukraine used attritional defence to bleed – literally bleed – the Russians of men and material.” – Mike Martin “This felt like the V1 and V2 attacks on British civilians during the Second World War. The human suffering is off the scale.” – John Sweeney Photograph courtesy Alexander Nemenov Incidental music in order of appearance: O Lord, Hear My Prayer - Dmitry Bortniansky, performed by Kyiv Chamber Choir Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 9 (First Movement) performed by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 5, performed by Jason Weinberger and the WCF Symphony The Blessed I have Already Chosen by Maksym Berezovsky, performed by Kyiv Chamber Choir Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Telling the history of a war that’s reshaping the world. In Ep.2: Russia thought they’d take Kyiv in three days. Instead Putin’s invasion has gone down as one of the most infamous fiascos in military history – while Ukraine’s courage and fighting skill has stunned the world. How did Putin get it so wrong? And how did Zelenskyy’s defiance transform the conflict? Arthur Snell talks to military analysts and historians to unearth the truth about the pivotal first weeks of the war: catastrophe for Russia, glory for Ukraine. Behind the cruelty and monstrous waste a strange question emerges: Did a dysfunctional, shambolic Russia really intend to invade Ukraine at all? Hear next week’s edition of Doomsday Watch: The Ukraine War immediately when you support the podcast on Patreon: http://www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “How did one of the world’s great military powers manage to make such a mess of things?” – Arthur Snell “The Russians didn’t bring much military equipment. What they did bring was parade uniforms to march through Kyiv when it was all over.” – Peter Caddick-Addams “The Russian FSB spent vast sums of money preparing for the collapse of the Ukrainian Government, which they confidently expected…” – Arthur Snell “ Putin is a very 19th-century figure. He believes that Russia has a birthright to be a great power.“ – Mark Galeotti “The experience of any Russian who lived through the 1990s is that reality can disappear around you at any time. People learned to negotiate chaos.“– Peter Pomerantsev “The central Russian experience is the Great Patriotic War… They think their moral right to dictate to others comes from 1945.” – Jade McGlynn Photograph courtesy Ceng Shou Yi/NurPhoto Incidental music in order of appearance: Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 5 performed by Jason Weinberger and the WCF Symphony Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 9 (First Movement) performed by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra ‘Thy Resurrection’ performed by the Music of Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery ‘The Blessed I Have Already Chosen’ by Maksym Berezovsky, performed by Kyiv Chamber Choir Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Telling the history of a war that’s reshaping the world. In Ep.1: How Russia’s febrile history, Putin’s paranoid resentment and Western complacency led to an historic crime against a peaceful nation, the destruction of the rules-based international order, the largest European land action since the Second World War… and a conflict of unprecedented brutality. In weekly episodes Arthur Snell talks to soldiers, civilians, analysts and journalists to tell the story of the war and capture the enormity of Russia’s crimes. This is the first draft of history. Want to hear Ep.2 right now, without ads? Support the show on Patreon at doomsdaywatch.co.uk to get every new episode a week early. “Putin has just started an epic global conflict between democracy and authoritarianism, one whose outcome is still in doubt.” – Arthur Snell “To see these places – deep mud, wet, such cruel conditions – you’d think it’s not too far from Verdun or Passchendaele.” – Paul Conroy “We don’t do what we do out of hatred, we do it out of love for justice and for the people we care about. This is a battle of life and darkness.” – ‘George’, Georgian National Legion Photograph courtesy Paul Conroy Incidental music in order of appearance: Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 5, performed by Jason Weinberger and the WCF Symphony. ‘Thy Resurrection’ by Dmitry Bortnyansky performed by the Music of Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery. ‘O Lord Hear My Prayer’ by Dmitry Bortnyansky performed by Kyiv Chamber Choir. Gustav Mahler’s Symphony Number 9 (First Movement) performed by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Special edition: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy embodies the courage of his nation, and his charisma and determination have made him a hero to the free world. But what this former actor-comedian turned war leader tick? Arthur Snell talks to Steven Derix, co-author of Zelensky*: Ukraine's President and His Country with Marina Shelkunova, about the astonishing story of an actor who played a president on TV before being thrust into the role of real-life wartime leader. (Yes, there are two ways of spelling it) Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and help us develop the next series of our globe-spanning documentaries: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk Photograph: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Special bonus edition. Our latest series was a whirlwind tour of the apocalypse, from Ukraine to the Arctic to cyberspace and beyond. What did Arthur Snell learn? Our presenter sits down with Andrew Harrison for the big takeaways. Has Putin already lost the Ukraine War? Can a paranoid Republican Party really govern? Could there be a nuclear conflict after all? Plus questions from our splendid Patreon backers. We’re already hard at work on a new and very different series of Doomsday Watch. Support us on Patreon to help make it a reality: https://www.patreon.com/doomsdaywatch Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A special taster of our new series. Search for Jam Tomorrow in your favourite podcast app or visit https://kite.link/JTS1 Episode One: Every Day Is Like D-Day. How did Britain’s dreams of a new postwar world go unfulfilled? And what does that mean for us today? In the first of a new documentary series from the makers of Oh God, What Now?, Ros Taylor looks at the legacy of the War itself. Ιdeals of the Blitz Spirit and dreams of wartime heroism still shape everything from pop culture and entertainment to the Brexit debate. But the truth of the War is more complex and less comforting. What will it take for us to see the Second World War – and ourselves – clearly? • “If you’re going to have a foundation myth it might as well be one where you destroy Nazism.” – Al Murray • “If the response to air raid wasn’t stoicism there was a fear that morale would break down.” – Lucy Noakes • “The Keep Calm And Carry On poster was designed for a type of war that never arrived.” – Henry Irvine • “Britain went into the war not alone but at the head of the world’s biggest empire… When Britain went to war, so did vast part of the world.” – Lucy Noakes Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Jade Bailey. Voiceovers by Imogen Robertson. Original music by Dubstar. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Jam Tomorrow is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do key military sites in Russia have an unfortunate habit of bursting into flames? Journalist and former US special forces operative Jack Murphy pulls back the curtain on an audacious campaign of sleeper agent sabotage on Russian soil. This is the astonishing story of how the CIA works with the spy service of one NATO-friendly country to bring the Ukraine War home to Putin. Read Jack Murphy’s story here: https://jackmurphywrites.com/169/the-cias-sabotage-campaign-inside-russia/ Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “A NATO ally has inserted sleeper cells into Russia… this goes back ten to fifteen years.” “This operation kicked off on Day One of the invasion which indicates how long it was planned.” “US intelligence is framing these acts of sabotage as ‘Rogue Ukrainian operations’. What are the Russians going to do? Invade Ukraine?” “We essentially created an entire parallel intelligence service because Ukraine’s SBU was compromised by Russia.” Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has reshaped the world, but not the way Putin wanted. With little to show for its 100,000 dead, Russia is exposed as weak and militarily inadequate. Now Russian interference in Western democracy and dirty oligarch money are under greater scrutiny than ever before. With Western democracies shocked into unity, does the Ukraine War provide an opportunity to make a new, more secure free world? In our season finale, Arthur Snell looks forward to a world after Ukraine and asks: How does Putin fall? How would a wounded Russian psyche react? Will the Russian Federation itself survive? And could we be at the beginning of a new and better era? Doomsday Watch will be back with a new series soon. Support us on Patreon and help us build our next season: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “Despite the war Ukrainians are fiercely optimistic… Everyone constantly talks about the future.” – Romeo Kokriatski “Europe has not really stepped up and 2023 needs to be the year it plays more of a leading role in repairing Ukraine.” – Jeremy Cliffe “Ukraine is helping to cure us of an addiction to dirty Russian money.” – Arthur Snell “The outcome of this war will determine the future of liberal democracies.” – Olga Tokariuk “The humiliation that came with the fall of the Soviet Union left a huge wound that was very useable for Putin and the people around him.” – Jade McGlynn Photograph: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

COVID tested world health systems to near-destruction and killed more than 6.6 million people. Now new infectious diseases are emerging and the antibiotics we depend on no longer work the way they used to. Arthur Snell meets doctors, epidemiologists, evolutionary biologists and veterans of the Coronavirus battles to discover the mounting threat of new zoonotic diseases which leap from animal to human, how COVID conspiracism is undermining our efforts against future pandemics… and how ill-prepared we are to deal with them, Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “We could be looking at the end of modern medicine as we know it.” – Arthur Snell “New pathogens are in an arms race with humans… We were stunned at how fast COVID was able to evolve against our defences.” – Prof Ravi Gupta “Some experts worry that COVID wasn’t the worst-case scenario. The next pandemic could be much more deadly.” – Laura Spinney “It won’t take many mutations to turn bird flu into a human-to-human disease… And then you’ve got a whole new pandemic.” – Prof Christina Pagel “An ordinary trip to hospital could become a high risk journey across a minefield of superbugs.” – Arthur Snell Photograph: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Espionage is changing, from George Smiley’s binary Cold War world into a more complex landscape. The CIA employs targeted drone killings while Russia and China’s cyber capabilities interfere in elections, media and industry. How did we get here? And what does the new ambiguity in intelligence mean for global stability? In this edition Arthur Snell talks to veteran intelligence officers to find out how the CIA’s “golden age” of fixing elections and fomenting coups gave way to a post-9/11 world where technology enables new threats – and Putin and the Chinese have the advantage. Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “You can do interesting things with chemicals that you can’t do with a knife or a gun. You can send a very clear message.” – Dan Kaszeta “How has regime change actually worked out? It hasn’t worked for the USA or the Russians. Are we safer or not?” – Doug London “People would say, why don’t we just kill the Libyan leader? And the answer was, Because we actually operate within the law. Things were done once that nowadays are not done.” – Lucy Kirk “The CIA went down a path of covert action and counter-terrorism… And I do believe the Agency lost its way.” – Doug London Photograph: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ten thousand years of Arctic pack ice is melting away, opening up a $30 trillion trade route and a dangerous arena for great power confrontation. Putin is determined to make Russia’s slice of the formerly frozen North matter, but China too sees itself as a Polar power. Arthur Snell charts a vast and game-changing development where climate change could upend the global balance of maritime power. Could the struggle to control a newly-navigable Arctic Ocean become the Great Game of the 21st Century? Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “It’s an ecological disaster but a geopolitical opportunity, and Russia is determined to take advantage.” – Arthur Snell “Planting a flag on the Arctic sea floor marked a turning point for Putin. Russia was now determined to be a great power on the move.” – Klaus Dodds “We’ve lost three quarters of the Arctic’s pack ice in my lifetime.” – Ben Saunders “The potential is absolutely there for an uncontrollable hot conflict between Russia and NATO in the Arctic.” – Robert Clark “Thanks to climate change the Arctic is effectively a new ocean that China wants to control.” – Arthur Snell Photograph: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A crisis in Africa is supercharging the Far Right in Europe – and Russian mercenaries are fighting to make it worse. After Western interventions drove the failing states of the Sahel region into ruin, extremists from Islamic State to Boko Haram stepped into the power vacuum. Civil wars and climate change rendering vast areas of the Sahel uninhabitable have created a refugee crisis which European demagogues can feast upon. And now Putin’s proxies are involved. Arthur Snell finds out how the misery of the Sahel people is generating hard right policy in Britain, neo-fascism in Italy… and a dangerous spin in the global destabilisation game. Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “This is a region on Europe’s borders in deep crisis – and most people know nothing about it.” – Arthur Snell “What the radical right populists did in Britain was scare the Conservatives so much over immigration that the Tories shifted right.”– Tarik Abou-Chadi “The beneficiaries are the far right politicians in Europe and the cynical opportunists in Moscow.” – Arthur Snell “One thing you learn quickly is that pressures on one part Europe’s borders rapidly become pressures on other parts.” – Alex Clarkson Photograph: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Weaponised drones have revolutionised warfare, enabling governments – and others – to kill at arm’s length without warning. But drones are just part of an arsenal of next-generation weaponry whose very presence gives new impetus to conflict, from canine war droids to autonomous battle systems and beyond. Arthur Snell takes us from the 1991 Gulf War and the Highway of Death to 9/11 and the rise of asymmetric warfare – to discover how we opened a Pandora’s Box of new and lethal technology. Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “Anyone can buy a surprisingly powerful drone on Amazon… and they’re being used in warfare now.” – Ulrike Franke “All future conflicts will be drone conflicts. The drone will always get through.” – James Rogers “If you rewrite the rules so that you can strike anyone on a faraway battlefield, you can’t be surprised when others do the same to you.” – Arthur Snell Photograph: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We often think of the Middle East as a battleground of Western and Russian influence. In reality, one great rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran drives our world, rather than us shaping theirs. From the Gulf and Iraq Wars through al-Qaeda and Islamic State to our modern energy security crisis, colossal events that determine the fates of millions are decided by an invisible war few of us can even see. Arthur Snell goes back beyond the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and WWII to uncover the hidden conflict that shapes everything. Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “We tell ourselves we interfere because we WANT their oil. Instead we’re sucked into a region we don’t understand because we NEED their oil.” – Arthur Snell “These conflicts changed everything… They unleash religion as a dominant factor in culture, in politics, and in militancy.” – Kim Ghattas “When America drew secular nationalist Iraq into an anti-terrorist action, they created a cauldron of chaos that persists to this day.” – Arthur Snell Photograph: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The nuclear nightmare is back – and just one man gave unstable states across the world access to weapons that could bring down the apocalypse. This is the story of Abdul Qadeer Khan, a gifted scientist who grew to fear India in the chaos and butchery of Partition, then worked to give his new home, Pakistan, the protection of a nuclear arsenal. Disastrously, he would spread this dangerous knowledge. Thus began the Subcontinent’s own arms race, its spillover to North Korea, Iran and beyond… and AQ Khan’s journey to become another Oppenheimer: the father of nuclear nightmares. Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get next week’s episode now, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “Without this one-man proliferation machine, none of North Korea, Pakistan or Iran’s nuclear programmes would have succeeded.” – Arthur Snell “Khan became a zealot. He thought he could save not just Pakistan but the whole Muslim world. And that’s where he went terribly wrong.” – Hassan Abbas “Russia’s war in Ukraine may be disastrous – but it’s taught everyone the value of nukes.” – Arthur Snell Photograph of AQ Khan: Getty Images Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when one party in the world’s most powerful democracy no longer believes in democracy? The Republican assault on America’s elections and democratic system has worsened critically since we examined it in Season One. Now bitterly divided and reeling from the Jan 6 attacks, the USA stands on the brink of another Trump presidency. Will it become a democracy in name only? Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “Democracy is on life-support in the United States.” – Brian Klaas “We have a predictably conservative court, and it’s out of step with mainstream politics in the US.” – Jamal Greene “American fascism is nothing new, it just wasn’t in the White House before.” – Sarah Churchwell “Neoliberalism is over. There’s a realisation now in the West that we can’t rely on Russia and China for our goods and not pay a political price for it.” – Arthur Snell “Political polarisation and hatred for the other side has reached such a point that one of the parties is willing to countenance the erosion of democracy.” – Idrees Kahloon Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Series: The global order was already teetering badly before Putin invaded Ukraine. Now democracies are shellshocked by a world suddenly in permanent crisis. In the first of our new series, ex-foreign services diplomat Arthur Snell surveys the dangerous reality of the world after Ukraine – and sees how a string of factors from oil power to the botched Iraq invasion to the rise of the authoritarians has led up to a new global crisis… where no-one is in control. Support Doomsday Watch on Patreon and get every episode a week early and ad-free, plus much more: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk “The battle between democracy and authoritarianism is going to define the 21st Century.” – Brian Klaas “The West has created a situation where the enduring disorder begets yet more disorder.” – Jason Pack “There’s a joke among Ukrainians that Vladimir Putin is the most successful CIA agent in history…” – Romeo Kokriatski “Starting this war was the end of Putin’s regime.” – Romeo Kokriatski “Hot money from the former Soviet space has influenced our elections… I don’t see the 20th century institutions as fit for purpose for these 21st century challenges.” – Jason Pack “If you’re Putin or Xi Jinping what you want is a disordered West. Trump would accomplish that in a day.” – Brian Klaas Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Original music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com . Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As you wait for our second 10-part documentary season, set to be released on October 26th, here's the audio from our recent live show in London. Join Arthur as he sits down with nerve agent expert and former US Secret Service official Dan Kaszeta, as he talks about his crazy life working for US Presidents and the dangers of chemical weapons. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Putin announces a military mobilisation and Russian men flee for the border, is his gamble of extra troops set to pay off on the battlefield? Ian Bond of the Centre for European Reform joins to discuss the Kremlin's call-up, and increasing nuclear sabre-rattling. Plus, to make this a bumper edition China expert Rana Mitter talks to Arthur about how the war in Ukraine has affected Beijing's thinking over Taiwan. We're taking a pause on our war bulletins, but don't worry. On October 12th our second 10-part documentary season is set to be released, so stay tuned for an in-depth look at the global threats of tomorrow. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “We see a lot of people heading for the borders, but we shouldn’t mistake that for the majority of the country.” - Ian Bond “Sending a lot of men with rusty rifles into battle isn’t going to do the job.” - Ian Bond “Using nuclear weapons to attack a non-nuclear weapon state is a huge taboo, and the West needs to make that clear to Putin.” - Ian Bond “The Ukraine crisis is exponential for Europe. Whether it’s exponential for China is another matter.” - Rana Mitter “China cares more about visible international publicity than the Russians do. Comms management will have entered their minds over Taiwan.” - Rana Mitter DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the key issues surrounding Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the impact on it's economy. Western nations have imposed an unprecedented level of sanctions, but they don't seem to be having the intended effect. Why is this? Is Russia's economy really as resilient as it seems? Dr. Maria Shagina, an international sanctions expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins Arthur Snell for our latest war bulletin. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ Get tickets to our upcoming London live show: https://www.tickettext.co.uk/etmejHAuba “Sanctions have failed to deter Russia, and their impact has been much less than expected.” “It will definitely be a harsh winter, but a lot depends on how cold it will be.” “Russia’s infrastructure is geared towards the west. This poses problems when exporting.” “Finding a new mode of survival will be key for the Russian regime.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Ukraine's military continues to reclaim swathes of land from Russia, could this past week be a watershed moment in the war? How did Kyiv's forces manage it? And if Putin does lose the war, what will instability in the Kremlin mean for the rest of Europe? Mike Martin, author and War Studies fellow at King's College London, joins Arthur Snell for our latest war update. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ Get tickets to our upcoming London live show: https://www.tickettext.co.uk/etmejHAuba “The Ukrainians are really good at misdirecting the Russians.” “Armies tend to mirror their country’s culture. Russia has a very hierarchical army.” “Russia’s army is conscripted, which means lowly skilled and lowly motivated recruits.” “If I was the Ukrainian enemy I wouldn’t go anywhere near the Donbas.” “In this process of the transfer of power in Russia, what happens to nuclear weapons? There are five thousand of them.” “If Ukraine can get down to the Black Sea coast, that is potentially war-ending.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Ukraine's military retakes over 3,000 sq km during a rapid counter-offensive in the east, local journalist Romeo Kokriatski joins Arthur Snell to discuss the remarkable advance of Kyiv's forces, the falling morale of Russian troops, and what this means for the conflict going forward. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ Get tickets to our upcoming London live show: https://www.tickettext.co.uk/etmejHAuba “The scale of Russia’s retreat has taken even the Ukrainian generals by surprise.” “Russia in the most basic terms, broke and ran.” “The Russian tactic of trying to intimidate of Ukraine has not worked. Who knows what is going on in their heads?” “Russia’s military capability has been so degraded that they can no-longer fight over two fronts.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recently we held a live Zoom session with reporting legend John Sweeney, who joined Arthur Snell live from Kyiv to discuss the latest from the conflict. Out on general release, here is a shortened version of their discussion. If you'd like to get access to the entire Zoom, as well as future events, early episodes and merchandise, you can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: http://doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What role does the Donbas have to play in the Ukraine conflict? Dr Samir Puri, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and an observer of the 2014 Donbas ceasefire, joins Arthur Snell to discuss the significance of the region, six months into Russia's invasion. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “Ukraine is drifting closer to NATO in spirit, but it’s not getting the protection that NATO offers.” “The cost of failed Ukrainian counteroffensive probably outweighs the gains of a successful one.” “Russia and Ukraine are neighbouring countries, and they’ve got to find a way to co-exist going forward.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One aspect of Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been the use and abuse of history by President Vladimir Putin, in an effort to justify his actions. Historian and Russian lecturer Dr Jade McGlynn is an expert on the ways history has been manipulated, both in this conflict and the wider context. She joins Arthur Snell for our latest war bulletin. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding platform Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “In many ways Ukraine and Russia are divided by a common history.” “Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Orthodox Church is quite an important indicator.” “World War 2 discourse is part of everyday life in Russia, it’s on a different level that we see in Britain.” “Russia is good at finding painful points in society and then exploiting them.” “It’s codified in Russia’s constitution that you have to respect the memory of the Great Patriotic War.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As winter approaches, will Russia turn off the gas taps on Europe? How is the EU doing when it comes to cutting out Putin's energy supply? And is Britain failing to take advantage of their position in the European energy market? Lecturer in European studies at King's College London Dr Alex Clarkson comes back on the show to tell Arthur Snell how Europe can survive Putin's energy war. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “I worry about the UK because there isn’t a sense of urgency on how to deal with the energy crisis.” “The EU are slow when it comes decision making, but when their system is under threat they move quickly.” “Algeria is a hugely important state for the European system, but EU engagement has not been adequate.” “Putin has cards to play until spring 2023, then he’s out.” “If Germany runs into trouble over gas supplies, that affects everyone in Europe.” “If the UK Government acknowledged they had problems coming up they could tackle them.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does Putin's invasion means for a potential Chinese takeover of Taiwan? And how is conflict in Europe affecting the wider Asia region? As China throws their weight behind Russia over the war in Ukraine, Ankit Panda, fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Arthur Snell to discuss the ”marriage of convenience” between Moscow and Beijing. We're currently running a listener survey to hear what you think. Complete it to be in with a chance of winning a Doomsday Watch t-shirt: https://0jsbaoous3m.typeform.com/to/Nzg2KRQJ?typeform-source=t.co We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support us on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “China have determined that in this conflict their interests lie closer to Russia than the West.” “At the level of the Chinese Communist Party there is a calculation that China is all in behind Vladimir Putin.” “There are no regional conflicts in today’s world when a country the size of Russia or China is involved.” “India directly condemning or sanctioning Russia was out of the question from the get-go.” “I don’t think Russia and China are allies. This is a marriage of convenience, but there isn’t a large amount of political trust there.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the war heading into a sixth month, where will the conflict go next? How are both sides doing when it comes to ammunition? Is NATO really united in its objectives? And how Russia's rhetoric playing out in the Global South? Dr Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at RUSI, joins Arthur Snell for the second of two war bulletins to look at the future direction of the conflict. We're currently running a listener survey to hear what you think. Complete it to be in with a chance of winning a Doomsday Watch t-shirt: https://0jsbaoous3m.typeform.com/to/Nzg2KRQJ?typeform-source=t.co We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “The Russians have plenty of unguided ammunition and they can manufacture more of it.” “Western sanctions will hamper Russia’s ability to manufacture certain weaponry.” “If I was watching this as China, thinking about Taiwan, I would be saying NATO lacks legs.” “What we’ve seen in Ukraine is how dangerous it is when the credibility of your deterrence fails.” “Just running the Ukrainian government is going to cost the EU and US a lot of money over the coming months.” “We can’t get too excited about Russian diplomacy.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As war continues in Ukraine, where is the conflict at? Has Russia's increased focus on the Donbas allowed them to make some gains? How strong is the Ukrainian resistance? And why has President Zelenskyy fired his top spy chief and head prosecutor? Fresh from a trip to Ukraine, Jack Watling, a senior research fellow in land warfare at RUSI, joins Arthur Snell for our latest war update. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ ”On the one hand you have people trying to return to their everyday lives, on the other you hear air raid sirens everyday.” “The situation in the Donbas is very difficult for the Ukrainians.” “The Ukrainians are trying to put as much grit in the gears of the Russian war machine as they can.” “Many senior Ukrainian intelligence officers trained in Russian academies.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recently we held a live Zoom session with reporting legend John Sweeney, who joined us live from Lviv after a week touring the Ukrainian front. In a crossover with John’s hit podcast Taking On Putin, we spoke to John about where the war is heading, where Putin goes next, the courage of the Ukrainian people and much more. Out now on general release, here is a shortened version of the session. If you'd like to get access to the entire Zoom, as well as future events, early episodes and merchandise, you can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: http://doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As war continues in Ukraine, how did the collapse of neoliberalism get us to the point of conflict in Europe? Are we entering a new era of authoritarianism? Professor Gary Gerstle, author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era, joins Arthur Snell for our latest war bulletin. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support us on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “Events like Brexit and Trump signified that politics as we knew it was breaking up.” “Putin holds liberalism in all its forms responsible for all of the ills of the world.” “Bill Clinton may have done even more than Reagan to create the Neoliberal system.” “With the collapse of communism, capitalism could expand to a level not seen since before world war 1.” “The invasion of Iraq was the biggest mistake in American foreign policy history.” “The rise of authoritarianism signals the end of neoliberalism.” “The form of authoritarian capitalism seen in Russia and China is not compatible with neoliberalism.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As NATO leaders gathered in Madrid, what were the key moments and decisions from a historic summit? How are alliance members supporting Ukraine militarily? And following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, is the "long peace" following World War Two now over? Dr. Ulrike Franke, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and European defence expert, joins Arthur Snell for our latest war bulletin. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. Thank you for backing us on Patreon, we really appreciate your support. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “This summit was about NATO showing unity and that’s definitely what happened.” “The one thing everyone wants to avoid is a conflict between NATO and Russia. That leads to a full-scale global war.” “Germany has to re-learn a logic of military power that we’ve been deeply uncomfortable with for decades.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the war in Ukraine enters a fifth month, and with the conflict entering a stalemate, what could Russian escalation look like? Would they turn to chemical weapons? And why are bio weapons still part of the debate? Dan Kaszeta, a former US military and secret service officer, chemical weapons expert and author of Toxic: A History of Nerve Agents, From Nazi Germany to Putin's Russia, joins Arthur Snell for another war bulletin. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While much of the focus is on the ground war in Ukraine, there's another conflict Russia is fighting, dubbed 'hybrid war'. This involves the use of non-military methods such as cyber attacks, espionage and fake news, and is being waged against western democracies including the UK. Helena Ivanov and Neil Barnett have written a report on the subject titled Russia’s Hybrid War Against the UK. They join Arthur Snell to discuss the conflict we can't see. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. Thank you for backing us on Patreon, we really appreciate your support. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ Helena and Neil's report can be found here: https://henryjacksonsociety.org/publications/russias-hybrid-war-against-the-uk/ “Hybrid warfare involves the use methods such as cyber attacks, espionage and fake news.” - Helena Ivanov “Ukraine is the first time in the post-soviet era that Russia has come up against army with the means and will to resist.” - Neil Barnett “An increasing number of countries are realising the power of media, and are using it to try and influence global politics.” - Helena Ivanov “If Putin can convince those in western countries that sanctions are hurting them, he can create disunity.” - Helena Ivanov “Russian activity never stops, information warfare is always happening.” - Helena Ivanov DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nearly four months into the Ukraine-Russia war, where is the conflict at? After limited early progress, is Russia now beginning to gain ground, or are both sides grinding to a halt? And in the longer term, can the West sustain both the supply of arms to Ukraine, and it's unity? Defence Editor for the Economist Shashank Joshi joins Arthur Snell for an update on where the war is headed. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “As we speak, Russia is making some substantial tactical successes, but this isn’t everything.” “We are running low of some of the weaponry that we’re giving Ukraine.” “I’ve been trying to answer the question if the Russian army is bad, or if it’s a good army that’s been given bad orders?” “If Russia occupies the Donbas, it won’t sign a document and stop there.” “You don’t require a Trump victory in 2024 to dissolve the Western coalition.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Those in the West would be forgiven for thinking Ukraine is winning the information war, with slick videos of President Zelenskyy appearing all over social media. However for those in the Global South, the content they consume about the war is much more pro-Russia. To explain this phenomenon and the wider context, Carl Miller, Research Director at the Demos Centre for the Analysis of Social Media, joins Arthur Snell for another War Bulletin. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “Wrenching heartbreak for Ukraine is completely unbroken on my social media feeds.” ”Russia and China have tried to meddle in open information spaces to manipulate the world's view of them.” “You only have to Google ’buy retweets‘ to see how readily available these services are. It's not expensive for states to run these campaigns.” ”We need widen the array of responses to this tradecraft, beyond platform takedown, digital literacy campaigns and journalistic exposé.” ”Western governments need to support ways for Russian citizens to access information that already exists. Let them use Wikipedia.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Of all the countries playing a part in the Ukraine crisis, Turkey is perhaps the most difficult to read. A NATO member and supplying drones to Ukraine, but at the same time thwarting Sweden and Finland’s attempts to join the alliance, and hosting Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov later this week. To discuss what Turkey and its president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are trying to achieve, Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, Senior Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, dials in from Istanbul to speak to Arthur Snell. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “There is a feeling within Turkey that the country is on the verge of something great.” “I live on the Bosporus, a few months ago I saw Russian ships coming down into the Black Sea.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the heart of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the wider crisis affecting Europe, is the question of energy security. How did the West become so reliant on Russian oil and gas? And as the continent moves away from the Kremlin's energy supply, what will the impact be? Helen Thompson, professor of Political Economy at the University of Cambridge and author of Disorder, joins Arthur Snell to discuss the geopolitical fallout from Putin's invasion. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “Out of the West European reaction to the Suez crisis came the first turn back to Soviet energy.” “Russia wanted to be an Eurasian energy power, unlike the Soviet Union which was focused on Western Europe.” “Before the Omicron variant last year, an energy crisis was already beginning to take shape.” “Europe can’t go back to the geopolitical complacency that dominated the continent before Russia’s invasion.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Sweden and Finland apply to join NATO, ending decades of military neutrality, how has Putin's invasion revived an alliance described as 'Braindead' by Emmanuel Macron just two years ago? Lord Peter Ricketts, a former Permanent Representative to NATO, ex-ambassador to France and Britain's first National Security Advisor, joins Arthur Snell to discuss the implications of war in Ukraine for Western security, and the potential paths for ending the conflict. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. Thank you for backing us on Patreon, we really appreciate your support. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “Sweden and Finland applying to join signals a huge turnaround for the NATO alliance.” “Sweden and Finland bring to NATO a serious defence capacity and a serious defence mindset.” ”Russia has to come to terms with the fact that as a result of what Putin has done, NATO is stronger and more united.” “This move from the Nordic nations is so well supported, I don’t think Turkey will block it in the long-term.” “When there are problems in NATO, Washington usually uses its muscle to sort them out.” “Although people around Trump have doubts around NATO, the alliance is well supported in Congress.” “Britain is most effective in the world when we work with our closest neighbours and allies.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been three months since Russia invaded Ukraine, but with Putin now focusing on the east of the country after his failure to take Kyiv, where is the war currently? Dr Mike Martin, a former British Army officer and author of Why We Fight, comes back on the show to tell Arthur Snell about the brutal battle for the Donbas, and where the conflict could head next. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. Thank you for backing us on Patreon, we really appreciate your support. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “The Russians are trying to take the whole of the Donbas under their control.” “Many of the same mistakes the Russians made in Kyiv are being made in the Donbas.” “Russian morale is appalling, and Ukrainian morale is sky high.” “I’ve lost count as to how many Russian generals have been killed.” “The Russians cannot reinforce their naval presence in the Black Sea as Turkey has closed off the Bosporus.” “Were Russia to use a nuclear weapon, the NATO powers wouldn’t allow that to pass without a response.” "Russia have de-escalated. They were talking about regime change and de-nazification, now they're talking about getting the Donbass under Russian control.” "Russian leaders don't tend to survive when they lose wars.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russian dark money has infiltrated Western politics for years, leading to increased support for the Kremlin and their actions in capitals across the developed world. To discuss the how and why behind Russia's financial meddling, Iain Campbell, financial investigator and journalist, joins Arthur Snell for another War Bulletin. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “Unravelling the influence of Russian money in Western societies will take many years.” “In practical terms, Orban is doing what he can to slow down the flow of weapons from the EU to Ukraine.” “Campaigns such as ‘No to AV’ and those for Scottish Independence had links to Russia.” “The Russians view European integration as an existential threat, they want a Europe of small nations they can dominate.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Russian state is working incredibly hard to persuade its people that the war is both necessary and going well, but what state of mind is Russia's population in? Sarah Hurst, author of the Russia Report newsletter, talks to Arthur Snell about the Kremlin's campaign of disinformation, and how international sanctions are hitting the Russian population. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. Thank you for backing us on Patreon, we really appreciate your support. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ Sarah's Russia Report newsletter can be found here: https://therussiareport.substack.com “The majority of Russian people by now would realise that the war isn’t going to plan.” “Putin is taking ownership of the Soviet victory over the Nazis as if it were his own.” “There are people who fought for the Soviets in World War 2, and their houses have been destroyed by the Russians.” “In all his lengthy press conference, Putin has never said anything meaningful, it’s all catchphrases.” “Severe economic problems can make a dictatorship more brutal.” “Despite the fact Russia has oil and gas, we should expect them to have some pretty dire difficulties.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How important are motivations when it comes to fighting a war? Is a 'warrior mindset', rather than high level training, carrying the Ukrainian military through? Fresh from a reporting trip to Kyiv, former U.S. Marine Elliot Ackerman joins Arthur Snell to give an insight into the mentality of both the Russian and Ukrainian forces, and explain how Putin united the Western world. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: www.doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “The Russians have clearly underestimated the Ukrainian resolve to resist.” “If you’re a Ukrainian you’re fighting for your family, home and identity. The Russians meanwhile are fighting for an abstraction.” “The West has conflated Russia’s nuclear capability with its conventional capability.” “When Putin makes reference to Russian history, he is mining grievances which he can use to invade Ukraine.” “Russia’s spiritual mission is saving the world from the decadence of the West.” “In the days after Russia invaded Ukraine, we saw the first bipartisan moment in the U.S. since 9/11.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia's invasion of Ukraine lead to a seismic u-turn in Germany, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a huge increase in military spending. What are the implications for Europe? And as other European nations reduce their need for Russian energy, why has Berlin has been reluctant to follow suit? Annette Dittert, London Bureau Chief for German broadcaster ARD, joins Arthur Snell to discuss what Germany's military u-turn means for Europe, and why Scholz is having difficulty stamping out Russian oil and gas. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “Germany had thought of itself as a pacifist country, then Scholz announced all of that will change.” “The German Government is afraid of its own courage.” “Germany has a massive dependency on Russian oil and gas, something Scholz inherited from the past government.” “Even after helping Ukraine on many levels, there is still reluctance from Scholz to offer full-throated support.” “The worry about Russians coming back into Berlin is still there.” “Germany has to get its act together, it’s crucial for the security of Europe.” “It’s in the interests of Germany, and every democratic country, to stand up for Ukraine.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week we held a live Zoom session with Dr Alexander Clarkson of King's College London, who took us on a whirlwind world tour of Ukraine, Transnistria and the future of Russia’s catastrophic invasion. How is it developing and how could it end? Out now on general release, here is a shortened version of the session. If you'd like to get access to the entire Zoom, as well as future events, early episodes and merchandise, you can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: http://doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The sinking of the Russian warship Moskva highlighted the importance of naval conflict in the Russia-Ukraine war. Why is the Black Sea so vital? And is Ukraine up to the task of stopping Putin's fleet of frigates? Former Royal Navy Captain Chris Clough joins Arthur Snell to discuss the intricacies of naval warfare, what the Moskva sinking means for the conflict, and how real the risk of escalation is as the war moves forward. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: http://doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “The Russians have always invested in their Black Sea fleet.” “The Moskva is a ship designed around its weapon systems. It epitomises the Cold War.” “Despite the sinking of the Moskva, Russia still has two very capable frigates in the Black Sea.” “I would be much more worried about mines that we can’t see than those that we can.” “Money doesn’t translate into military capability.” “There are too many unknowns to risk any kind of escalation.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Putin’s undeserved reputation as a master strategist means some analysts have employed the metaphor of chess to his invasion of Ukraine, but is the Russian President actually playing poker with the West? Jason Pack, non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute and 2018 World Champion in doubles backgammon, talks to Arthur Snell about the high stakes game between NATO and Russia, and why the Kremlin might have overplayed their hand. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: http://doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ Jason's Foreign Policyarticle can be found here: https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/09/beat-putin-poker-ukraine-call-bluff/ “A treaty is a piece of paper, and it’s only as strong as the commitment of the signatories to enforce it.” “NATO Article 5 has only been invoked once, by America in the aftermath of 9/11.” “Diplomacy and war have always been understood as games.” “Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin surprised Hitler all the time, we are much more reactive these days.” “The reality is, the US, the UK and NATO are at war with Russia.” “Having the lights go out in St Petersburg for 2 hours doesn’t pose an escalatory risk, in fact it makes Putin look bad to his own people.” “If Putin loses big time in the Donbass, he will have to reevaluate his position.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anyone familiar with Putin's history of kleptocracy, money laundering and threats of murder against his adversaries will know the name of Bill Browder, formerly one of Russia's leading foreign investors, now a sworn enemy of Vladimir Putin. Browder talks to Arthur Snell about his new book Freezing Order, which details the 'real money' funding the Kremlin's war, and how he became Vladimir Putin’s number one enemy for exposing his campaign of theft and money laundering. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. You can support our work on the crowdfunding app Patreon: http://doomsdaywatch.co.uk Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “The Putin regime does terrible things, and then puts their money in Western countries. We now have the chance to seize that.” “Putin runs his kleptocracy by getting a cut of every crime.” “Nobody wanted to rock the boat because the influx of Russian money into London was good for the economy.” “I did something totally unforgivable, I treated Vladimir Putin with total disrespect.” “We’ve waited too long to sanction the oligarchs, and it’s not changed Putin’s psychology.” “Nobody who is a patriot would’ve done what Putin has done.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the second round of France's presidential election on Sunday, what could the vote for the French response to the Ukraine crisis? And when other leaders have stopped, why has President Macron has continued diplomatic efforts with Vladimir Putin? Stephanie Pezard, senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, joins Arthur Snell to discuss France's approach to Russia's war, and what the conflict means for European defence and security. We're putting out irregular war bulletins covering different aspects of the Ukraine crisis. Thank you for backing us on Patreon, we really appreciate your support. Resources to help the Ukrainian people can be found here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “I doubt that a lot of the people who voted for Marine Le Pen thought about the Russia factor when casting their votes.” “It’s always been important for France to have its own military voice, rather than seeing itself following the initiative of others.” “This is France trying to give diplomacy as much of a chance as it can.” DOOMSDAY WATCH was written and presented by Arthur Snell, and produced by Robin Leeburn with Jacob Archbold. Theme tune and original music by Paul Hartnoll. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. DOOMSDAY WATCH is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices