Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,565.
As Russian forces reportedly withdraw from part of the southern Ukrainian frontline amid mounting supply problems, Francis and Dom examine claims that logistics networks in the sector are approaching breaking point. Dom reports on a huge explosion in Russia’s Belgorod region and a car bomb in Moscow Oblast, as the war’s effects continue to be felt far beyond the battlefield. Then they assess the EU’s proposed 21st sanctions package, including plans to ban Russian military personnel from entering the bloc, and consider what a two-tier Europe – allowing some countries affiliate membership without full participation in all EU structures – would mean. Later, Ruben Stewart of the International Institute for Strategic Studies explores what a war between NATO and Russia might look like if the US were to withdraw from the alliance.

Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.

With thanks to Ruben Stewart, Senior Fellow for Land Warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Producer: Phil Atkins
Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: James England
Social Producer: Tom Steed
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 8, 2026 (Institute for the Study of War)
https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-8-2026/

The Ukrainian weapons boom catching Putin off guard (Verity Bowman for The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/09/ukrainian-weapons-boom-catching-putin-off-guard/

Zelensky invites King to Ukraine for state visit (Ruby Cline for The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/09/ukrainian-president-zelensky-state-visit-king-charles/

Read the Irish Times’ coverage of the Aughinish Alumina story: https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/aughinish-alumina/

Berlin declares Franco-German fighter jet project dead in blow to Macron (Politico)
https://www.politico.eu/article/berlin-declares-france-germany-next-gen-fighter-jet-project-dead/

Prosecute Orbán’s inner circle over ‘stolen’ billions, Hungary’s anti-corruption watchdog says (Politico)
https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-watchdog-urges-probe-viktor-orban-officials-over-missing-eu-funds/

EU quota system ‘could kill Ukrainian steel industry’, boss says (The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/09/eu-quota-ukrainian-steel-industry-metinvest

Ukrainian Drones Now Autonomously Down Shaheds (Kyiv Post)
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/77764

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Putin's troops abandon positions as supply lines 'at breaking point'
Russian commander 'assassinated by car bomb'

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,564.
After Vladimir Putin rejects President Zelensky’s offer in his letter last week of face to face talks, claiming he doesn’t need a ceasefire as he’s on the verge of victory – plot spoiler, he does and he isn’t – the political momentum in support of Kyiv continues, with the leaders of Ukraine, France and Germany in London for talks hosted by Britain’s Prime Minister. Then Putin suffers another blow with a victory for the west-leaning incumbent leader in Armenia’s election and there are more attacks on Putin’s home city of St Petersburg, his beloved Sochi, and on one of the main bridges to Crimea.

Contributors:
Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Producer: Rachel Porter
Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: James England
Social Producer: Tom Steed
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Ukraine strikes Putin's hometown St Petersburg – again
And blows up key bridge to occupied Crimea
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,561.
Today, Adelie and Dom look at how Ukraine continues embarrassing Russia during its three-day International Economic Forum, as Zelensky publishes an open letter to Vladimir Putin where he points out Russia’s weaknesses. He again asks the Russian president for a face-to-face meeting to bring the war to an end. As we record the episode, Putin is set to take the stage in St Petersburg. Then, we discuss China’s increasing involvement enabling the occupation in the occupied territories and how the Ukrainian resistance may have contributed to Ukraine’s successful mid-range campaign.

Contributors:
Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X.
Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Dr Jade McGlynn (Occupied Territories Expert, King’s College London).

Producer: Rachel Porter
Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Max Bower
Social Producer: Katie Inglis
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:
Full text of Zelensky's open letter to Putin
https://kyivindependent.com/full-text-of-zelenskys-open-letter-to-putin/

'Just a show for Putin' — Inside the 2026 St. Petersburg Economic Forum (Kyiv Independent)
https://kyivindependent.com/just-a-show-for-putin-inside-the-2026-st-petersburg-economic-forum/

Russia is flooding Ukraine with fake migrant stories — and it's working (Kyiv Independent)
https://kyivindependent.com/inside-the-campaign-behind-ukraines-migrant-influx-panic/

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
'Fight for your existence,' Zelensky tells Putin in letter demanding face-to-face talks
How China is enabling the Russian regime in the occupied territories
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,560.
Today, Sweden impounds a Russian cargo ship allegedly exporting Ukrainian grain from occupied territories. Then, as images of the results of yesterday’s Ukrainian strikes in and around St Petersburg start to appear, Marco Rubio denies any knowledge at all of a US delegation at the nearby economic forum, just as said participants show that they really don’t like the press asking them questions one little bit. Dom reports how Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has directly addressed Russian men, telling them that if they go to fight in Ukraine “you’ll be left to suffer in the mud and die”, and Lily looks at a tight vote in the US House of Representatives over Ukraine funding that managed, just, to get over the line. And later, we go hull down with Hamish de Bretton Gordon looking at his new book about tanks and ask: given the lessons we’re learning from Ukraine, is his book out of date already, or released just in the nick of time?

Contributors:
Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Lily Shanagher (Telegraph journalist). @lilyshanagher on X.

With thanks to Hamish de Bretton-Gordon.

Producer: Phil Atkins
Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan
Social Producer: Katie Inglis
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:
Rebuilding U.S. Missile Inventory: A Multiyear Project (Centre for Strategic and International Studies)
https://www.csis.org/analysis/rebuilding-us-missile-inventory-multiyear-project

'Heavy attack' hits Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant, IAEA says (Kyiv Independent)
https://kyivindependent.com/heavy-attack-hits-zaporizhzhia-thermal-power-plant-serving-russian-occupied-nuclear-plant-iaea-says/

Peter Magyar interview with Allgemeine Zeitung (in German)
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/peter-magyar-im-interview-wo-orban-recht-hatte-accg-200892861.html

Hamish’s book Tank Command: How the Tank Changed the Face of Battle is out now:
https://linktr.ee/TankCommand

Russia considers working age of 12 to solve wartime jobs crisis (Antonia Langford for The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/04/russia-considers-working-age-12-to-solve-wartime-job-crisis/

Putin is under pressure as the Ukraine war finally comes to Moscow and St Petersburg (Hamish de Bretton-Gordon for The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/04/putin-russia-st-petersburg-drone-strikes-moscow-casualties/

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Sweden impounds a Russian cargo ship allegedly exporting Ukrainian grain from occupied territories
US delegation at ‘Putin’s Davos’ refuses to speak to journalists

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,559.
Today, smoke billows over St Petersburg after Ukraine hits an oil terminal and military facilities, embarrassing Putin on the opening day of his International Economic Forum. Ukraine continues its mid-range and long-range strike campaign as Russia’s economy is bailed out by oligarchs. Finally, we hear from one of our reporters who bravely attempted to train with the Royal Marines snipers and how their unit is adapting for the future of warfare.

Contributors:
Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X.
Alex Nichol (Telegraph journalist).

With thanks to the Telegraph’s deputy global security editor Arthur Scott-Geddes.

Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan
Social Producer: Katie Inglis
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:
US, NATO allies to launch scaled-back Baltic Sea drills (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/world/us-nato-allies-launch-scaled-back-baltic-sea-drills-2026-06-02/

Russian weapons plant in flames after Ukrainian attack in Tambov Oblast (Kyiv Independent)
https://kyivindependent.com/russian-weapons-plant-in-flames-after-ukrainian-attack-in-tambov-oblast/

Future presence of US troops in Lithuania is 'under review,' says minister (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/future-presence-us-troops-lithuania-is-under-review-says-minister-2026-06-02/

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy set to attend G7 summit in France (Politico)
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-attend-g7-summit-france/

Billionaires have begun making voluntary contributions to the budget (Expert.ru)
https://expert.ru/ekonomika/milliardery-nachali-perevodit-v-byudzhet-dobrovolnye-vznosy

I learnt to be a Royal Marines sniper (Arthur Scott-Geddes for The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/03/marine-sniper-training-arbroath/

Dom’s interview with a Ukrainian sniper on hunting Russian tanks at night, PTSD and handling trauma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3un6JguaOE

The Royal Marines Charity
https://rma-trmc.org/

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Ukraine strikes St Petersburg on day one of ‘Putin’s Davos’
What it’s like to train as a Royal Marines sniper

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.