Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,495.
Today, as the full extent of the damage from Ukrainian strikes in the Baltic region becomes clearer, we assess the impact on Russia’s oil infrastructure and the wider war economy. We also examine stalled offensives on the ground, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces struggling to make significant gains along the frontline. Then we turn to President Zelensky’s “Gulf Grand Tour”, as he signs defence agreements with Gulf states seeking Ukrainian assistance against Iranian drone threats as Moscow is accused of helping Tehran to destroy one of its most valuable aircraft. And later, we look at a row in Germany after a major defence company claimed Ukrainian drones were “built by housewives”, and ask whether a European Union member state such as Hungary could lose its voting rights amid growing pressure to unlock a €90 billion loan for Kyiv.

Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.
James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.
Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X.

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:
Francis’s Documentary on Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o

Zelensky looks to Gulf to protect him from Putin (Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/zelensky-needs-patriot-missiles-answer-in-gulf/

Orban on the brink – but his rival may spring a surprise on the EU (James Crisp in The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/eu-viktor-orban-hungary-election/

How Iran destroyed US base’s $500m battlefield nerve centre (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/how-iran-destroyed-500m-battlefield-nerve-centre-at-us-base/

Hungarian Journalist Faces Spy Charges After Reports on Election Meddling (New York Times):
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/world/europe/hungary-journalist-election-meddling-espionage.html

Russians dubious as bomb shelters appear 1,000km from Ukraine (Kyiv Independent):
https://kyivindependent.com/russia-building-bomb-shelters-1-000-km-from-border-as-ukraines-strike-reach-grows/?mc_cid=6c83d4505d&mc_eid=08d0680a95

Russian losses in the war with Ukraine: updated (Mediazona and BBC):
https://en.zona.media/article/2026/03/27/casualties_eng-trl

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

Day 1,492.
Today, as Ukraine continues its strikes on Russian oil terminals on the Baltic Sea, we explore how Russia’s oil exports and wider economy are benefiting from the war in Iran. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky is in Saudi Arabia seeking to strengthen defence cooperation in the Middle East. And later, we bring several updates from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, along with the first episode from Francis’s new documentary series dedicated to Hungary – widely seen as the chief barrier to the European Union’s efforts to support Kyiv.

Contributors:
Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest).
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest).
With thanks to Dr Jade McGlynn.

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:
Francis’s Hungary film will top this playlist as soon as it’s live at c.20:00 GMT/15:00 ET:
https://youtu.be/fIILzKnFs2o?si=6pkMUNstkZjtYxfW

Accompanying article:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/hungary-russia-ukraine-viktor-orban-war-explained-dispatch/

How Ukraine killed Putin’s plan to make billions from Iran war (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/ukraine-killed-putins-plan-make-millions-iran-war/

Exclusive: Trump's Iran war pushes India to rekindle old friendship with Russia (Reuters):
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trumps-iran-war-pushes-india-rekindle-old-friendship-with-russia-2026-03-27/

Why Ukraine’s Russian oil strikes are backfiring (The Spectator):
https://spectator.com/article/why-ukraines-russian-oil-strikes-are-backfiring/

Willing Accomplices: Gazprom and Rosneft’s role in the transport and indoctrination of children (Yale School of Public Health, HUmanitarian Research Lab):
https://files-profile.medicine.yale.edu/documents/685979f1-6c89-4295-a765-d6fee48357e3

Welcome to ‘New Russia’: How the Kremlin is remaking occupied Ukraine (Reuters):
https://www.reuters.com/investigations/welcome-new-russia-how-kremlin-is-remaking-occupied-ukraine-2026-03-26/

How Russia attempts to legalize the occupation of Crimea (Kyiv Independent):
https://kyivindependent.com/how-russia-attempts-to-legalize-the-occupation-of-crimea/

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

Day 1,491.
Today, as extraordinary Ukrainian strikes in the Baltic region reportedly knock out around 40 per cent of Russia’s crude oil export capacity in a single attack – and achieve the first known successful strike on a Russian military ship in the Baltic Sea, hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine – we assess the strategic impact on Russia’s war economy. We also take the temperature from high-level meetings in Germany and Finland, and examine reports that Moscow is supplying Iran with vital assistance in its confrontation with the United States and Israel. What vulnerabilities has this widening conflict exposed for Washington?

Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
With thanks to Dr Robert Person, nonresident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

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:
Ukraine drone attacks wipe out power for 500,000 Russians (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/25/ukraine-russia-drone-attacks-power-cut-500k-kyiv/

Trump denies it – but two wars are becoming one (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/26/converging-wars-leave-europe-panicked-and-putin-emboldened/

Exclusive: At least 40% of Russia's oil export capacity halted (Reuters):
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/least-40-russias-oil-export-capacity-halted-reuters-calculations-show-2026-03-25/

Russia sending drones to Iran, western intelligence says (The Financial Times):
https://www.ft.com/content/d5d7291b-8a53-42cd-b10a-4e02fbcf9047?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Russian government ordered Moscow internet blackout, The Bell reports (Kyiv Independent):
https://kyivindependent.com/orders-to-shut-down-internet-in-moscow-came-from-government-independent-russian-outlets-sources-confirm/?mc_cid=acf8847d40&mc_eid=08d0680a95

Pentagon considers diverting Ukraine military aid to the Middle East (The Washington Post):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/26/us-iran-war-ukraine-missile-defense/

Over 5000 munitions shot in the first 96 hours of Iran war (Foreign Policy Institute):
https://www.fpri.org/article/2026/03/over-5000-munitions-shot-in-the-first-96-hours-of-the-iran-war/

Drone Warfare Has Come to the United States (National Interest):
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/drone-warfare-has-come-to-the-united-states

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

Day 1,490.
Today, as Ukraine suffers the largest wave of Russian attacks of the entire war – including a rare daytime aerial assault across much of the country – we examine the scale and impact of the bombardment. We also report on Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russia’s Baltic ports, with some drones reportedly reaching Estonia and Latvia. Then we reveal behind-the-scenes details of talks in Florida between Ukrainian and American officials, as the first investment linked to the US-Ukraine minerals deal becomes public. And later, we explore the evolution of international law since the Nuremberg Trials and how it underpins the post–World War II security architecture, in conversation with a former director of Human Rights Watch.

Contributors:
Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
With thanks to journalist and author Steve Crawshaw.

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:
Steve Crawshaw’s book – Prosecuting the Powerful: War Crimes and the Battle for Justice:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prosecuting-Powerful-Crimes-Battle-Justice/dp/0349128952/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Russia bombards Ukraine with largest daytime attack (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/24/wave-of-russian-strikes-kill-five-in-ukraine/

Ukrainian Institute of London’s Language School:
Spring-Summer Term info: https://uil.org.uk/language-school/
Intensive Course booking: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ukrainianinstitutelondon/2125172
Registration form: https://forms.gle/hdeuf36UxxrJpUKe9

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

Day 1,489.
Today, amid confirmation that Vladimir Putin’s spring offensive in Russia’s war in Ukraine has begun, we report on the assaults along the frontline that have driven a sharp rise in Russian casualty figures. We then examine the truth behind growing rumours of unrest and widespread internet outages in Moscow. We also speak to a senior official in the office of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán about allegations that Budapest’s diplomats shared details of European Union meetings with Kremlin officials. And later, we look at the controversial cases of Ukrainians who fought for Russia and are now prisoners of war in Ukraine – asking what drove them to switch sides in the conflict.

Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X.
Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.
With thanks to parliamentary state secretary of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Cabinet Office, Balázs Hidvéghi, and freelance journalist Jen Stout.

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:
Wave of Russian strikes kill five in Ukraine (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/24/wave-of-russian-strikes-kill-five-in-ukraine/

Ukraine strikes Russian oil export hub (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/23/ukraine-strikes-russias-largest-baltic-oil-terminal/

Ukraine names Hungarian officer allegedly behind spy network busted in 2025 (Kyiv Independent):
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-names-hungarian-officer-allegedly-behind-spy-network-busted-in-2025/

What makes a traitor? Interviews with Ukrainians who fought for Russia reveal how they became Putin’s soldiers (Jen Stout in Prospect):
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/europe/ukraine/72210/what-makes-a-traitor

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