Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,567.
As Ukraine intensifies its campaign against Crimea by striking key bridges and transport links in an effort to isolate the peninsula, we examine potentially seismic political developments in London. Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey – one of Kyiv’s strongest allies and a leading advocate for military rearmament – has dramatically resigned in protest over defence spending and the country’s preparedness for a future conflict, triggering a crisis that could topple the Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Francis and Dom comb through Healey’s damning resignation letter and consider how Kyiv will react to the news. Later, Francis explores a major new report on the risks of a sudden ceasefire in Ukraine with some of the world’s leading experts.

Thumbnail image shows Crimean bridge ablaze in 2022.

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

With thanks to:
Orysia Lutsevych OBE (head of the Ukraine Forum, Chatham House)
Simon Smith (chair of the steering committee, Ukraine Forum, Chatham House, and British ambassador 2012 to 2015)
Keir Giles (senior consulting fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House, and author Who Will Defend Europe?)
John Lough (associate fellow, Chatham House, and head of foreign policy, New Eurasian Strategies Centre)

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:
John Healey resigns over Starmer’s defence spending plan (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/06/11/john-healey-resigns-as-defence-secretary-labour-starmer/

Russia is creating launch sites for combat drones near the borders of Belarus. We show you where (Radio Liberty, in Belarusian):
https://www.svaboda.org/a/33777451.html

How a Russia–Ukraine ceasefire could imperil Ukrainian and European security (Chatham House):
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/05/how-russia-ukraine-ceasefire-could-imperil-ukrainian-and-european-security

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Putin arms up summer palace as Ukraine deep strikes tear through Russian defences
Is the election of a pro-Europe party in Armenia actually a win for Putin?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,566.
As Putin installs yet more anti-drone defences around his mistress’ lakeside retreat north west of Moscow, Ukraine shows there are still glaring holes in the Russian air defence network with deep strikes on oil refineries and weapons factories elsewhere across the country. The main bridge linking to occupied Crimea from Kherson oblast has been hit again, this time reportedly closing it completely, leaving Russian authorities – in the words of one Ukrainian official – ‘trying to conceal the situation’ now in Crimea. And later, after Sunday’s election of western-leaning Nikol Pashinyan in Armenia, Dom speaks to Russia and Caucasus analyst James Kilner to ask how significant the result is, and why Mr Pashinyan may actually be left feeling slightly deflated.

Contributors:
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X.

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 ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Putin arms up summer palace as Ukraine deep strikes tear through Russian defences
Is the election of a pro-Europe party in Armenia actually a win for Putin?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. 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 ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. 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 ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. 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.