Ukrainecast

A mother in Siberia tells us how her son died at a training camp in Russia - he had volunteered to fight but never made it to the front line. The BBC’s Tim Whewell spoke to her and other families in Bratsk whose young men have gone to war. Ukraine has opened a “surrender hotline” for Russian soldiers to call. Our correspondent in Dnipro, James Waterhouse, has been talking to the people who run it. Also, we hear from volunteer Olena Budahovska about the people she’s been delivering food to in recently liberated areas of Ukraine.Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko.The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical coordinator was Emma Crowe. The series producer is Fiona Leach. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

We hear from Borys Todurov, a cardiac surgeon from Kyiv, whose team used head torches to operate on a 14-year-old boy after a Russian strike knocked out the hospital’s power supply.Olena, a mother of eight from Izium, tells us how an attack near her home killed her mother and left her teenage son unable to walk. He was taken to Moscow for treatment and thought Olena was dead. And Dr Patricia Lewis, Director of the International Security Programme at Chatham House, answers listeners’ questions about the war in winter, whether Russia is committing genocide by targeting energy infrastructure and Russia’s role at the United Nations.Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko.The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical coordinator was Ben Andrews. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Olena Zelenska says Ukrainians will endure the winter despite the cold and power cuts caused by Russian shelling. Ukraine’s first lady told the BBC’s Lyse Doucet that Ukraine is facing many challenges, but that a blackout is not the worst thing that can happen to them.Also, one of the country’s richest businessmen, Vsevolod Kozhemyako, talks about his decision to fund a group of soldiers that has become known as the billionaire’s battalion. He’s also fighting alongside them on the battlefield.Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko.The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical coordinator was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

A baby boy has died after a missile hit a hospital maternity ward just two days after he was born. Before the attack, Victoria interviewed the Russian ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin and asked him about the killing of civilians and war crimes committed in Ukraine. Also, BBC correspondent James Waterhouse has been meeting the people rebuilding the country’s bombed-out infrastructure. And friend of the pod, Olga Ivshina from the BBC Russian service, tells us how Russian men have been resisting mobilisation.Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaliy Shevchenko.The producers were Fiona Leach, Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical coordinator was Emma Crowe. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Gabriel Gatehouse takes us back to the anti-corruption protests of 2013 in Kyiv’s Maidan Square that told Moscow it was losing influence in Ukraine.Viktoria Andrusha tells us why she risked her life and her freedom by informing on Russian troops as they moved into her town. And we hear how Russia is currently reporting on the war and how the propaganda machine is presenting the recent withdrawal from Kherson.Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire, Gabriel Gatehouse and Vitaliy Shevchenko.The producers were Fiona Leach, Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical coordinator was Emma Crowe. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Alice, the little girl whose video of life in the bunker went viral, was separated from her mum when they were evacuated by Russian troops. We heard she was safe with her grandmother in Poland and on today’s podcast, we hear the story of her Ukrainian mum, Victoria and what happened to her. We hear the Ukrainian response to the news that a Dutch court has found three men guilty of murder for shooting down a passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people . And we hear from Liza Fokht from the BBC’s Russian Service about distressing new allegations about the Wagner Group - a shadowy Russian mercenary organisation which has been active across the world.Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire, Vitaliy Shevchenko and James Waterhouse.The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical coordinator was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

After a fraught few hours, Nato said the missile that hit Poland - one of its members - was most likely fired by Ukraine in defence. The organisation says it was not intentional.We hear reaction from Ukraine, the US and Russia, with analysis from the BBC’s Security Correspondent Frank Gardner and Sam de Bendern , a political analyst with Chatham House and a former adviser to Nato.We also hear a moving account of life on the front line from a team of Ukrainian medics in the Donbas. Today’s episode is presented by the BBC’s chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, and Vitaliy Shevchenko, the head of the BBC’s Russia monitoring team. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson, Luke Radcliff and Fiona Leach. The technical coordinator was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Nato is deciding how to respond after a missile hit Poland, which is one of its members, killing two people. In this emergency episode of Ukrainecast, the BBC’s chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, is joined by Vitaliy Shevhenko and Sam de Bendern , a political analyst with Chatham House and a former adviser with Nato. They discuss what we know and what Nato might do next. We’ll be back with a full edition of Ukrainecast as usual at the end of the day. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Fiona Leach. The technical coordinator is Dave O’Neill. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

President Zelensky has visited the liberated city of Kherson and spoke of a “long and difficult path” ahead. The change in control of the city is seen as a major setback in Moscow, but the Kremlin still insists that Kherson is part of Russian territory. The BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner looks at what could happen next. Also, Mark Galeotti, author of Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine, assesses the impact on President Putin and his leadership.Today’s episode was presented by Vitaly Shevchenko and Victoria Derbyshire.The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical coordinator is Michael Regaard. The series producer is Estelle Doyle, the assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

There’s jubilation on Kherson’s streets as people welcome Ukrainian soldiers to the city after Russia withdrew its troops. It’s a hugely significant moment as Ukraine takes back control of the strategically important city.BBC international editor Jeremy Bowen assesses the situation on the ground and we hear from military expert Prof Gwythian Prins, a former advisor to the UN, Nato and the Ministry of Defence, on the significance of Russia’s retreat and what happens next. Also reporter Hilary Anderson tells us about piecing together the story of Irina, the woman whose image was seen around the world as she was carried, pregnant, on a stretcher from the destroyed maternity hospital in Mariupol. Her husband, Ivan, talks of his devastation over the death of his wife and their baby. Today’s episode was presented by Vitaliy Shevchenko and Victoria Derbyshire. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical director was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Russia has ordered its military to pull out of Kherson, the only regional capital it captured after invading Ukraine in February. The BBC’s Jeremy Bowen gives us his appraisal of whether we can believe what Russia says about troop movements. The news came shortly after the announcement that the Russian-appointed official in the region, Kirill Stremousov, had been killed in a car crash. BBC investigative reporter Tim Whewell tells Vitaly about the significance of Stremousov’s death.We hear from Anthony Zurcher, BBC’s North America reporter, about the US mid-term elections and what the ramifications might mean for the country’s support for Ukraine. And we hear from Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s former foreign minister, who tells Victoria and Vitaliy how the war has brought Ukraine and Poland closer together.Today’s episode was presented by Vitaliy Shevchenko and Victoria Derbyshire.The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical coordinator is Emma Crowe. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

We hear from BBC Panorama reporter Hilary Anderson about her documentary on the devastating siege of Mariupol. She travelled over 3,000 miles through Ukraine and Europe hearing survivors’ stories and retrieving the wiped phone footage from witnesses to the city’s tragedy.Also - for months Natalia was unaware of her husband's fate: a Ukrainian soldier, he was captured and made prisoner by Russian forces after the siege of Azovstal in Mariupol. But then she received a phone call. She tells Victoria and Vitaliy what happened next and how hope for a future family together gave them both the strength not to give up. And as power cuts become more severe across the country, we get the latest from the BBC’s Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse on the possible full evacuation of Kyiv if there is a total loss of power.Today’s episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers: Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical director: Gareth Jones. And the editor: Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

The Ukrainian school boy was beaten, detained and threatened. Victoria and Vitaly hear from the mother of a Ukrainian school boy, beaten up and detained by Russian soldiers; and how she’s now trying to get him out the occupied area.The BBC’s International Editor Jeremy Bowen brings us the latest on the Kherson offensive; and James, who has stayed in Kherson throughout the occupation, tells us about life in the besieged city and why he feels brave enough to speak out.Today’s episode was produced by Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Luke Radcliff. The technical director was Michael Regaard. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The assistant editor is Sam Bonham. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

The BBC’s international editor Jeremy Bowen has been travelling around south-eastern Ukraine, to areas liberated from Russian control. He spoke to Liudmyla, a 75- year-old great-grandmother who was brutally attacked by a soldier in her own home. As winter approaches, we also hear how hard it is to survive in some places with no running water and energy blackouts. And Alexander Kamyshin, the head of Ukraine’s national rail company, Ukrzaliznytsia, describes how he and his team have been removing mines from tracks. Ukrainecast is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers are Clare Williamson, Luke Radcliff and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer is Michael Regaard. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

The Ukrainian government has asked refugees not to come home before the spring – they’re worried about pressure on the energy system. But what does this mean for host countries? We discuss the implications with Sarah Nathan from the UK charity Refugees at Home and Stephanie Hegarty, the BBC’s global population correspondent. Also, the BBC’s Tim Whewell has an update on Viktoria Kovalenko’s situation. After losing her husband and daughter to the war, she was held captive in a basement in appalling conditions. She eventually made her way out of Ukraine and has been waiting for a UK visa since April. And BBC Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse joins us from Zaporizhzhia, one of the many cities hit by another wave of missile attacks.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Luke Radcliff and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical director, Michael Regaard. The assistant editor, Alison Gee. The senior news editor, Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.Please rate or review us if your podcast provider allows it. It will help others find us!

The story of a Ukrainian father who survived the siege of Mariupol, only to be arrested at a Russian filtration camp and separated from his three young children, who were exiled to Russia. Ukrainecast producer Arsenii Sokolov and Nina Nazarova from the BBC’s Russian service join Vitaly to tell us more about this shocking case. The BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner takes listener questions about the latest on the situation in Ukraine: Russia’s claims on dirty bombs, how this conflict compares to others, among others. Today’s Ukrainecast was hosted by Vitaliy Shevchenko and Frank Gardner. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Luke Radcliff and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical director, Michael Regaard. The senior news editor , Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

Norway detains a suspected Russian spy - the latest in a long string of expulsions and arrests. Victoria and Vitaly discuss Russian espionage with BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera. He explains how the war in Ukraine has made the job of a Russian spy in Europe harder. Also, we hear the poignant testimony of a Ukrainian soldier who is suffering from post-traumatic stress because of the fighting he witnessed. And as Russia doubles down on its claims that Ukraine is planning to use dirty bombs, we ask Chatham House’s Patricia Lewis how these bombs work and whether Russia’s allegations could lead the war to escalate. Today’s Ukrainecast was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Luke Radcliff and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer is Emma Crowe. And the editor Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

How one man secretly filmed life in Kherson under Russian forces. Dmytro Bahnenko tells us why he and his family stayed there for months secretly filming everyday life under occupation. His footage and story have also been made into a BBC documentary called Occupied.The BBC’s Ukraine correspondent, James Waterhouse, has been talking to people in recently liberated areas. He also discusses why Russia is accusing Ukraine of planning to use a radioactive “dirty bomb,” something that the West has called “transparently false”. And former speech writer for Vladimir Putin, Abbas Gallyamov, calls the Russian president the “victim of his own propaganda” and lifts the lid on what he was really like when he worked for him.Today’s Ukrainecast is hosted by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.It was made by Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical director was Mike Regaard. The assistant editors are Alison Gee and Sam Bonham. The senior news editor was Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to 0330 1239480.

Why is Iran helping Russia?Chief international anchor at CNN, Christiane Amanpour, and BBC chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, talk through Iran’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. And, as Zelensky reports that 30% of the country’s power stations have been destroyed by Russian missile strikes, we speak to Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, boss of Ukraine’s national energy company, about the struggles the country faces.Today’s Ukrainecast was hosted by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.It was made by Luke Radcliff. The technical director was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham. The senior news editor was Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to 0330 1239480.

Tens of thousands of civilians and Russian appointed officials are being moved out of the occupied city of Kherson, raising fears of what might happen next. Belkis Wilke from Human Rights Watch spoke to dozens of civilians from the recently liberated town of Izyum. She tells Lucy and Vitaly how they described beatings, electric shocks, and waterboarding in the hands of Russian occupiers.And, amidst reports that Iran is ramping up its military support to Russia by allegedly supplying it with drones, missiles and training, we discuss what may motivate it to do so with Alex Vatanka, director of Iran programme at the Middle East Institute at Washington DC.Today’s Ukrainecast was presented by Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Ivana Davidovic, Luke Radcliffe and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical director was Emma Crowe. The series producer is Estelle Doyle and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Russia has attacked the Ukrainian capital with drones that loiter above a target before attacking, then detonate on impact. The BBC’s defence correspondent Jonathan Beale explains to Victoria and Vitaly why Russian forces are now using these weapons. Ukrainian author Andrei Kurkov reflects on the life and death of the Ukrainian conductor Yuriy Kerpatenko. The musician was killed by Russians occupying Kherson for refusing to take part in a concert they had organised.Also, for several days now, the Russian city of Belgorod bordering Ukraine has been under attack. A former resident, Ksenia Mikhailik, tells us she left fearing for her daughter’s safety.And the BBC Russian’s Maria Kiseleva explains what may have motivated the mass shooting of Russian soldiers at a training ground, also in the Belgorod region.This episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. Today’s Ukrainecast was made by Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Luke Radcliffe. The technical director was Russell Newlove. The series producer is Estelle Doyle, the assistant editor Alison Gee. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

As the Russian-installed leader of the region calls on its citizens to evacuate and “save themselves”, Vitaliy and Victoria hear about life under occupation in Kherson. They talk to Tamila Imanova, a lawyer working for Memorial, the Russian human rights organisation just awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She explains why she agrees with the Ukrainians who insist the Russian people must bear collective responsibility for the war, but warns against the risk of Russophobia. Former NATO adviser and political risk consultant, Samantha De Bendern answers listener questions about the military position of Ukraine and its allies after a week of heavy Russian bombardment.And we hear from Iuliia Mendel, the former press secretary to President Zelensky, about his first and only meeting with President Putin in 2019. This episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. Today’s Ukrainecast was made by Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The planning producers are Louise Hidalgo and Luke Radcliff and the technical director was Russell Newlove. The series producer is Estelle Doyle and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

The Ukrainian authorities says they believe thousands of the country’s orphans have been taken to Russia for adoption. The BBC Russian service’s Nina Nazarova investigates their claims and speaks to a Russian woman who shares her mixed feelings about adopting a child from Ukraine. Vitaly and Victoria speak to Gleb Irisov, a former Russia soldier who served under Russia’s new army commander, Sergey Surovikin. He explains why Surovikin was given the nickname Armageddon. This episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Luke Radcliff. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer, Michael Regaard. The assistant editor, Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Putin says missiles targeting Ukraine are revenge for the attack on the bridge linking Russia to Crimea at the weekend and threatens more strikes. The capital Kyiv and cities from Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia in the east to Lviv in the west have all been hit. Sabina, who lives in Kyiv, tells us one explosion went off just metres away from her car. Also, photographer Serhii Korovayny describes the scene he found when he reached the site of a missile strike in the capital. Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko explains the emotional impact of the attacks and says Ukraine has the resolve to fight on.And the BBC’s Will Vernon brings us reaction from Russia where state television has welcomed the attacks, but many civilians are worried about the war escalating further.Today’s episode of Ukrainecast is presented by Vitaly Shevchenko from BBC Monitoring, Lucy Hockings from BBC World News and Frank Gardner, the BBC security correspondent.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Luke Radcliff. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer, Emma Crowe. The assistant editor, Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Historian Orlando Figes explains why the mythologising of Russia’s past is crucial to understanding Putin’s world view and aspirations for his country. We have an update on Alice – the little girl who was separated from her mother when the Azovstal steelworks were evacuated. One her fifth birthday she got a phone call from her mum, who is being held prisoner by Russians.Russian lawyer Mikhail Benyash says young men and their families are turning to him to try to avoid being forced to fight in Ukraine. And President Zelensky explains what he meant when he talked about pre-emptive strikes on Russia. Today’s episode is presented by Gabriel Gatehouse and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer, Michael Regaard. The assistant editor, Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

As Russia hits the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, Vitaly reflects on the impact the war is having on his home town – and the challenges he faces as a journalist to remain impartial, while his friends suffer and die. This episode was presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The technical producer Dave O’Neill. The editor, Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner answers Ukrainecast listeners’ questions about the likelihood of Moscow using nuclear weapons, as the Russian army continues to suffer losses on the battlefield. And we hear from Vyacheslav Zadorenko who, together with Ukrainian forces, liberated his native village - and his mum - after seven months of Russian occupation. And BBC Russian’s Olga Ivshina joins Victoria and Frank to discuss the future of Crimea and lasting divisions in Ukraine’s occupied areas. Today’s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Frank Gardner. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Luke Radcliff. The technical producer, Emma Crowe. The assistant editor, Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

While the Russian parliament proudly voted through its disputed annexations, the Ukrainian counter-offensive has been continuing, including the symbolic recapturing of the key eastern town of Lyman.The BBC’s defence correspondent Jonathan Beale, who’s just returned to the frontline in the Donbas, gives us his verdict on another dramatic turn of events in the country. Russian political scientist and anti-war campaigner Grigory Yudin talks to us from Moscow and explains what impact the military developments are having on public opinion there. And the BBC’s Ruth Clegg updates us on her investigation into the lives of disabled people in Ukraine after she was invited to give evidence at the United Nations in Geneva. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Ivana Davidovic, Louise Hidalgo and Luke Radcliff. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Alison Gee. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

In a defiant speech, Vladimir Putin declared four areas of Ukraine as Russian. Ukraine has responded by asking Nato to speed up giving it membership of the US-led defence alliance. Will Vernon, from the BBC Moscow bureau, sends us a dispatch from the Red Square, where a concert is being held to ‘celebrate’ the annexations. And Vitaly Sevchenko and Victoria Derbyshire are joined by Moscow based political scientist, Andrey Kortunov to unpick the events of the day and discuss what might happen next. Also, local officials say at least 30 people have been killed and dozens more injured in a Russian rocket strike on a civilian convoy in south Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia. BBC Ukraine correspondent, James Waterhouse is at the scene of attack. And BBC Ukrainian Irena Taranyuk hears from a teacher in Melitopol who chose to stay after Russian occupation and now annexation. He tells her how he plans to hide to avoid mobilisation. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer, Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer, Emma Crowe. The editor, Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

The EU believes leaks in the two Nord Stream two gas pipelines from Russia were caused deliberately. Patricia Lewis, who specialises in International Security, gives Lucy and Irena her take on the situation and explains how Europe might respond.Moscow says four occupied areas of Ukraine have voted overwhelmingly in favour of becoming part of Russia. Ukraine and its allies have denounced the referendums as a total sham, but could people living there now be told to fight in the Russian army against Ukrainians? Also, we hear from a warehouse worker in St Petersburg who says he can’t afford to leave Russia and would rather go to prison than be sent to fight in Ukraine. And Olga Sekliy, a paramedic in Kharkiv, describes the shocking injuries she’s seen while rescuing people injured in the shelling. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer, Louise Hidalgo. The technical producers, Emma Crowe and Neil Churchill. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

There have been protests in Russia over President Putin’s partial mobilisation plans, and an officer at a recruitment centre has been shot. The BBC’s Will Vernon in Moscow tells Lucy and Irena what people in Russia are saying to him, and Rayhan Demytrie in Tbilisi talks to some of the people crossing the border into Georgia. At the weekend, former US marine Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh returned home - he had been fighting in Ukraine when he was captured by Russian forces. He was released as part of last week’s prisoner swap. His fiancée Joy shares her relief that he’s now back home. And veteran journalist and author Misha Glenny tells us that Ukraine has rare earth metals worth trillions of dollars – resources that could be very valuable to Russia. This edition of Ukrainecast was made by Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic and Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer is Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Men flee conscription into the army as referendums start in Russian occupied Ukraine.Victoria and Vitaliy take stock of an eventful week in the Ukraine war with Samantha De Bendern, a former NATO adviser and political risk consultant and former BBC Moscow correspondent, Daniel Sandford.And Vitaliy talks to Yulia Rubanova a violinist with the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra about her early life in Mariupol, her fears for her parents who were stranded there during Russian bombardment and how incredible it felt to play with her fellow countrymen on a world tour.Today’s episode was produced by Clare Williamson, Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

President Putin warns the West he’s not bluffing and that he is prepared to use "all the means at our disposal" if Russian territory is threatened. The nuclear threat came as he announced a “partial” mobilisation of reserve troops to Ukraine. Vitaly, Victoria and the BBC’s Security Correspondent Frank Gardner unpick how real the possibility of a nuclear war actually is.Ukrainecast’s Ivana Davidovic talks to a recent graduate from St Petersburg, who says he wants to leave Russia to avoid being drafted into the military. And he’s not alone - Olga Ivshina from the BBC’s Russian Service says flights out of the country to visa-free destinations sold out in a day.Also, Vladimir Osechkin, the founder of the prisoners’ rights organisation Gulagu.Net, tells us that someone recently tried to assassinate him while he was at home with his family. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer is Dafydd Evans. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

On the day when most of the world’s leaders and officials are gathering in London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, President Putin is notable by his absence. He is one of only six heads of state who was not invited. Also, at a summit in Uzbekistan, Putin faced concerns by the Chinese President Xi Jinping and further admonishment by India’s Narendra Modi. Vitaly and the BBC’s former Russia correspondent Bridget Kendall unpick what this all means for the Russian President.And they discuss what is happening within Russia where more people are also speaking out against the war, including one of the country’s biggest pop stars from the Soviet era, Alla Pugacheva. Finally, one of Ukraine’s most famous ballet dancers was killed on the battlefield. The BBC’s Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse was at his funeral. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer is Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Nigel Povoas is a British lawyer who travelled to the newly recaptured territory in Eastern Ukraine as part of an international team helping with war crimes. He tells Victoria and Vitaly why based on his experience of the war so far, he believes more evidence of atrocities will emerge. They also talk to Volodymyr Zelensky, who is from the city of Izyum, where a mass burial site has been discovered. He describes life under Russian occupation and the risks associated with sharing the same name as the Ukrainian president. Also, they’re joined by the BBC Russia’s Olga Ivshina. Together they discuss the significance of leaked footage showing the head of the Russian mercenary company, the Wagner group, telling prisoners they would be freed if they served six months in Ukraine. And we hear from Pavel Filatiev, a Russian soldier who fought in Ukraine, but has now become an outspoken critic of the war. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer is Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Many Ukrainians are celebrating the liberation of towns in the south and east of the country from Russian occupation. But these are bittersweet days - the liberation came too late for some. Anastasia from Balakliya shares the devastating story of what happened to her mother and her friends. Also, Vitaly, Victoria and the BBC’s Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse talk to Jakub Jakóbowski, an expert on China, about the upcoming meeting between Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping. Are they allies of convenience? And which country is calling the shots? The producers are Clare Williamson, Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer is Emma Crowe. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Gabriel Gatehouse joins Victoria and Vitaly to discuss the reactions in Russia to the recent setbacks in Ukraine. While some are calling for the Kremlin to take more drastic action, others appear to question the war itself. On the ground in Kharkiv, Sarah Ashton-Cirillo explains us how the city went through a complete power outage after Russian forces shelled the second biggest Ukrainian thermal power plant.We catch up with Maksym Lutskyi, a 19 year old Ukrainian fighter, who describes the celebratory mood among fighters. And, Illia Ponomarenko from the Kyiv Independent shares his assessment of where the war will go next.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer is Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer is Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Russian forces withdraw from key eastern towns. Ukrainian officials say troops have entered Kupiansk, a vital eastern supply hub for Russian forces. In an extra episode of Ukrainecast, Vitaly and Victoria discuss the significance of the Ukrainian gains and analyse the Russian reaction. The Ukrainian advances - if held - would be the most significant since Russia withdrew from areas around Kyiv in April. Ukrainecast was made by Sam Bonham. The Senior News Editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

President Zelensky sends a message of condolence to Britain's Royal Family.Ukraine has been celebrating "good news" about the recapture of several settlements from Russia in the eastern Kharkiv region and gains of more than 1,000 square km of territory in the last week, that’s according to the President. Victoria and the BBC's Katya Khinkulova speak to Justin Bronk, Senior Research Fellow and editor at the defence and security think tank RUSI about Ukraine’s counter-offensive. And as EU leaders meet in Brussels to discuss the energy crisis, we hear from Svitlana Zalischuk, from Ukraine’s biggest gas company Naftogaz, about how the country is preparing to face a cold winter with reduced gas supplies. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov and Alix Pickles. The technical producer is Hannah Montgomery. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Journalist Konstantin Ryzhenko lived through months of fear and terror in Russian-occupied Kherson. He escaped two weeks ago and tells Vitaliy about what life is like in the city, and the role he played in providing intelligence to the Ukrainian military and resistance fighters.Also, Victoria talks to Russian oligarch and Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky – he explains why he believes force is the only thing that the Russian president understands. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Clare Williamson and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer is Emma Crowe. The assistant editor is Alison Gee and the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Vitaliy and Lucy Hockings talk to Gogol Bordello’s frontman Eugene Hütz about the band’s recent secret gig for Ukrainian soldiers.Frank Gardner brings us up to date on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant inspection and the offensive in Kherson.And Irpin resident Oleksandr describes what it is like to have your home bombed then occupied by Russian forces, and how he’s going about rebuilding.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Clare Williamson and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer is Emma Crowe and the editor Jonathan Aspinwall. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Donald Trump, some top secret documents and the FBI.Welcome to episode one of the new-look Americast (we thought, as listeners of Ukrainecast, you might enjoy Americast). Classified documents stored at former President's Florida home were likely concealed as part of an effort to obstruct an FBI investigation, says the US Department of Justice officials. Justin, Sarah and the Zurch chat to former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa, about how attempts to retrieve the documents went down and what could happen next.And Marianna introduces our undercover voters…If you like Americast, please subscribe to the podcast on BBC Sounds. Americast will be publishing every Wednesday. Americast is made by Phil Marzouk and Alix Pickles. The studio director is Emma Crowe. The assistant editor is Sam Bonham. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

The boss of Lukoil, a Russian oil company, died on Thursday, the latest in a string of deaths of key Russian business people. Vitaly and Victoria unpick the rumours with Russian expert and author Mark Galeotti.We get the latest on the inspection of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant with James Waterhouse. And Maria Korenyuk has been investigating the re-writing of history books for schools in Russian occupied areas of Ukraine. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Clare Williamson and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer is Emma Crowe and the editor Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

He contributed to Ukraine's independence. So why do they not remember him more fondly?Victoria and Vitaliy reflect on the Gorbachev years, the demise of the Soviet Union and what he thought about Ukrainian independence with former BBC Moscow correspondent, Bridget Kendall.Justin Bronk a defence analyst from RUSI brings us up to speed with the Ukrainian offensive in Kherson.And we discuss the return to school for Ukrainian children with James Elder who is a spokesperson for UNICEF currently based in Kyiv. The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Clare Williamson and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer is Emma Crowe and the editor Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Russian investigative journalist Ekaterina Fomina speaks to the team about her headline-making interviews with Russian soldiers, one of which admitted committing a war crime.Vitaly, James, and Victoria also talk about how disaster was avoided despite the electricity needed to cool reactors at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant being cut.And, as the football season in Ukraine starts again, we speak to a player who would be playing for FC Mariupol, if not for the war.The series producer is Estelle Doyle. The producers are Arsenii Sokolov, Louise Hidalgo, and Chris Flynn. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

We mark the anniversary of Russia's war in Ukraine and follow the stories of Max, Anna, Hussain, Maksym and Viktoria, none of whom will ever be the same again. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Chris Fynn, Philip Marzouk, Arsenii Sokolov and Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer and sound designer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.

Russia has opened a murder investigation after a journalist, Darya Dugina, died in a suspected car bombing not far from Moscow. Was she the target? Or was it her father, the ultra-nationalist philosopher Alexander Dugin?Victoria, Vitaly and Gabriel Gatehouse, who interviewed Alexander after the annexation of Crimea, profile the man said to be one of Putin’s inspirations.They also talk about who might be behind the murder and what consequences there might be in Ukraine, where Independence Day celebrations planned for Wednesday have already been curtailed. And we hear from Brian Ennis, the father of Adam Ennis. Adam is a mechanic from Scotland. But, without first telling his parents, he’s now fighting on the frontline in Ukraine. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Ivana Davidovic, Arsenii Sokolov and Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. With thanks to Sky Sports. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Ukrainian wife desperate for news. Natalia wants to know where her husband, a civilian mechanic, is being held prisoner in Russia. He was captured in March and the Red Cross confirm that he's in a Russian jail but hasn't heard anything since; she tells Victoria and Vitaly about how she is coping. We get an update about the nuclear standoff in Zaporizhzhia and we hear from BBC video journalist, Abdujalil Abdurasulov, about the use of drones in military strikes on Ukraine’s southern front line. Today's episode was produced by Clare Williamson, Alix Pickles, Ivana Davidovic and Louise Hidalgo. Emma Crowe is the technical producer and the Assistant Editor, Sam Bonham.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

What is it like living under Russian rule? We hear from Hannah (not her real name) in Crimea. She tells us how she’s coping living through the recent explosions. And acclaimed Ukrainian author, Andriy Kurkov, explains how art has helped him process the conflict in Ukraine. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Phil Marzouk with Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer was Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

From performing with Ed Sheeran to becoming an army paramedic. We hear from Taras Topolia, lead singer in the Ukrainian band Antytila, about his transformation from frontman to physician. BBC Russian’s Liza Fokht discusses what her sources in the Kremlin are saying about what Vladimir Putin is up to at the moment. Is there any hope of the war ending at the negotiating table? And the BBC’s Kyiv correspondent, James Waterhouse, takes us onto the streets of the capital to describe the mood. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The planning producer was Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.UK listeners can watch 'Frontline Frontmen' on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0cs677h/frontline-frontmen.