Pentagon freezes precision weapons and air defence shipment to Ukraine & interview with a former Kremlin propagandist

Day 1,225.

Today, as Donald Trump’s administration decides to halt shipments of certain air defence missiles bound for Ukraine, we assess the ramifications for trust in the United States, before hearing the latest domestic stories being reported inside Russia, and speak to a former Kremlin propagandist.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X.

With thanks to our guest Andrew Ryvkin.

Content Referenced:

Gig in Kyiv by British Band Hardwicke Circus: https://www.mezzanine.kyiv.ua/afisha/hardwicke-circus

Join us at Scarborough Fair in Northern England on 9th July:

https://scarboroughfair.uk/events/putins-folly-the-war-in-ukraine-three-years-on/ 

That Time I Was a Russian Propagandist (Andrew in The Atlantic):

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/09/russian-propaganda-putin-ukraine-invasion/680021/ 

Pentagon halting some promised munitions for Ukraine (POLITICO):

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/01/pentagon-munitions-ukraine 

In June 2025, Ukraine increased electricity exports by 2.5 times (ExPro):

https://expro.com.ua/en/tidings/in-june-2025-ukraine-increased-electricity-exports-by-25-times- 

Germany still weighing Taurus missile supply to Ukraine, Merz says (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/germany-still-weighing-taurus-missile-supply-to-ukraine-merz-says/

Learn more about the documentary ‘Kherson: Human Safari’:

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-society/4008998-american-journalist-documents-wartime-reality-in-kherson-human-safari.html 

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