Ukrainecast
The BBC’s only English language programme entirely dedicated to the war in Ukraine and its fallout, Ukrainecast is your go-to podcast which investigates the biggest issues around the conflict: Could Putin push the nuclear button? How could Donald Trump end the war in 24 hours? What is the price for peace? The podcast is hosted by Newsnight presenter Victoria Derbyshire and BBC Monitoring’s Vitaly Shevchenko. Ukrainecast covers the most important topics around the conflict and speaks to the real people who’ve lived through several years of war. It also brings you agenda-setting interviews with special guests each week such as UK foreign secretary David Cameron, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and pre-eminent Russia expert Fiona Hill. You can fill out our audience questionnaire here: bit.ly/ukrainecastfeedback GET IN TOUCH: You can join our Ukrainecastonline community here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to +443301239480 Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk You can listen to the latest episode of Ukrainecast anytime on your smart speaker by saying “Alexa, Ask BBC Sounds for Ukrainecast." If you enjoy Ukrainecast (and if you’re reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below. The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd The Today Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r Americast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p07h19zz Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p05299nl
Episodes
There’s lots of news from Moscow where a Russian general died on Monday morning after an explosive device planted under his car was detonated.
He is the third military official to be killed in such an attack this year alone, with authorities pointing the finger at Ukraine's intelligence services.
Also, Vladimir Putin said in his end-of-year press conference that there will be no more wars after Ukraine, provided Russia is treated wit...
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that his army will struggle to fight on effectively if a crunch European summit ends without a solution to an imminent deficit in Kyiv's finances. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin has referred to European leaders as "piglets" as he dismissed any peace deal which does not "unconditionally" satisfy Russia's pre-invasion aims. The Russian president is yet to be presented with the latest US-le...
Volodymyr Zelensky has been in Berlin discussing peace proposals with the US, and he says they will be ready to present to Russia ‘within days’.
Today, he addressed European leaders The Netherlands' House of Representatives in The Hague.
We also discuss why Italy has joined Belgium in its opposition to the EU’s plan to send €210 billion of Russia's frozen state assets to Ukraine.
Victoria and Vitaly are joined by BBC’s international e...
After a week in which Donald Trump called European leaders "weak" and questioned Ukraine's commitment to democracy, we look at whether his views are becoming more aligned with the Kremlin's. And as America pushes for a Christmas truce, the team discuss Europe's chances of getting the US president more on side.
To answer your questions, Jamie and Vitaly are joined by BBC Verify's Olga Robinson and Russia editor Steve Rosenberg. Could...
The newly published US ‘National Security Strategy’ is being seen by some as further evidence that in the era of Trump western nations are no longer united in the way they view the world. From its scathing narrative of European decline, to an altogether rosier depiction of Russia, the document has turned longstanding US foreign policy on its head. So what can it tell us about Washington’s intentions when it comes to ending the war ...
Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of attempting to stall peace talks this week, after Kremlin discussions with US diplomats ended without significant progress. The Ukrainian president said Moscow is hoping Donald Trump will lose interest in resolving the conflict, if the latest uptick in American-led diplomacy fails to deliver a decisive outcome quickly.
Lucy and Vitaly are joined in the studio by the BBC's diplomatic correspondent ...
On Friday, Ukrainians woke up to the news that the home of presidential chief of staff and top peace negotiator, Andriy Yermak, was being searched by anti-corruption authorities.
Although they didn’t accuse him of wrongdoing, by the evening he had submitted his resignation. So how damaging could the downfall of such a close ally be for President Zelensky, and what could it mean for peace talks?
Victoria and Vitaly are joined by Ukra...
The question on everyone’s minds this week is whether the war in Ukraine is any closer to coming to an end. We’ve dedicated the entire Q&A today to the US-brokered peace plan and the details that will determine whether Ukraine and Russia can agree on a number of key issues relating to territory, military numbers and the critical question of security guarantees for Ukraine.
In today’s episode, James is joined by Russia editor Ste...
Ukraine has given its support to a peace deal following talks with the United States in Geneva, but some of the most sensitive issues are still to be discussed between the countries' presidents, a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday.
It followed claims that Ukraine had agreed to a deal, which look to have been exaggerated, but Zelensky could meet Trump before the end of the week.
To talk through how close we really are to peace, and w...
Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine faces "a very difficult choice" amid reports of American pressure to accept a leaked peace deal apparently drawn up by the US and Russia. Europe is also thought to have been blindsided by the proposal, which includes several conditions previously rejected by Kyiv.
So - as Donald Trump's reported Thanksgiving deadline approaches - could this document provide any kind of framework for negotiations i...
What do kids want to know about the war in Ukraine? On this special edition of Ukrainecast, we’re teaming up with Newsround (the BBC's children's news programme) to find out. To mark World Children’s Day, we took a panel of BBC experts to Hammersmith Academy, a secondary school in London, to respond to questions from a live audience.
Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko are joined on this episode by Newsround presenter Ricky Bo...
Nataliia Richardson won the hearts of viewers on this year's edition of the Great British Bake Off. Now, the fan-favourite is in the Ukrainecast studio to discuss starring on the show. She also talks about growing up in Ukraine, moving to the UK six months before the full-scale invasion, and keeping in touch with family and friends in the occupied territories.
Plus, Victoria and Vitaly run through the weekend's events - from Poland'...
Ukraine has been rocked by a major corruption scandal surrounding the country's energy sector, amidst ongoing Russian attacks on electricity infrastructure. An alleged $100m scheme, involving money laundering and kick backs, has led to the resignation of senior ministers and engulfed prominent allies of Volodymyr Zelensky. But despite the president's public backing of the probe, questions are being asked about what government offic...
Maria Alyokhina, founding member of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot, joins Vitaly in the Ukrainecast studio to talk about her experience in detention and her escape from the country disguised as a delivery driver.
What does she make of the current Russian opposition movement, and will Russia always feel like home?
She also talks about her book, Political Girl.
Also this week, Victoria and Vitaly discuss reports of a rift, denied by R...
While Russia makes advances on the strategic city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, Western sanctions on Russian oil have begun to impact how some countries source their energy.
And as Ukraine continues to ask its allies for more money and weapons, some are left wondering what’s happening with the frozen Russian assets in held in Belgium.
Plus, why doesn’t Ukraine obtain nuclear weapons? And what would happen if the country ran out of...
Sophia Yanchevska is a nineteen-year-old combat medic working on the frontline in Ukraine. She has been speaking to Lucy about seeing the war close up, the friends she has lost, and her hopes for the future. Plus, what it was like to feature in a new film ‘She’ directed by Evgen Matvienko which recently premiered in London.
Also this week - Victoria, Vitaly, and Lucy discuss the situation in Pokrovsk, the city Russia has been attemp...
After an EU decision to use frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine was postponed until December, discussion among European leaders returned to plans for a ceasefire this week. And the latest example of so-called nuclear 'sabre-rattling' by Vladimir Putin, forced Donald Trump to respond with a vague commitment of his own to resume US nuclear testing for the first time in decades.
On this edition of Ukrainecast, Jamie and Vitaly are joi...
This week, Moscow's top general has claimed that Russia has tested a low-flying experimental nuclear-powered cruise missile. It is said to be powered by a nuclear reactor and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead with a potentially unlimited range.
Russia calls it Burevestnik, Nato have codenamed it ‘Skyfall’, and others have said it’s a ‘tiny flying Chernobyl’. Western experts have previously cast doubt over missile's strategic...
In the last week, Volodymyr Zelensky failed to secure long-range Tomahawk missiles from Donald Trump during a reportendly heated meeting. Then, a planned summit in Budapest between the US and Russian presidents was called off by Trump who said it would have been a ‘waste of time’.
But, the White House has now increased the pressure on the Kremlin announcing sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, a first for the Trump admin...
Despite suggestions of an agreement on the supply of long-range Tomahawk missiles, President Zelensky went back to Kyiv empty handed after his meeting with Donald Trump on Friday.
So what happened?
Victoria and Vitaly speak with Christopher Miller, the Ukraine correspondent for the Financial Times, which has been reporting details of swearing from Donald Trump in the room, and the ‘tossing’ of battlefield maps.
Vitaly also speaks wit...
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