Podcasts about donbas

Jel na Donbas a pomáhal ruským separatistům. Měl se od nich naučit věci, které by pak předal domobrancům v Česku. Teď je tento muž obžalován z účasti na teroristické skupině. Výjimečný případ, jenž otevřel nezávislý slovenský válečný novinář Tomáš Forró, autor knihy Zpěv sirén, který dlouhodobě pokrývá ruskou invazi na Ukrajinu z linie doteku. Ptá se Matěj Skalický.Všechny díly podcastu Vinohradská 12 můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.

Jel na Donbas a pomáhal ruským separatistům. Měl se od nich naučit věci, které by pak předal domobrancům v Česku. Teď je tento muž obžalován z účasti na teroristické skupině. Výjimečný případ, jenž otevřel nezávislý slovenský válečný novinář Tomáš Forró, autor knihy Zpěv sirén, který dlouhodobě pokrývá ruskou invazi na Ukrajinu z linie doteku. Ptá se Matěj Skalický.

Jel na Donbas a pomáhal ruským separatistům. Měl se od nich naučit věci, které by pak předal domobrancům v Česku. Teď je tento muž obžalován z účasti na teroristické skupině. Výjimečný případ, jenž otevřel nezávislý slovenský válečný novinář Tomáš Forró, autor knihy Zpěv sirén, který dlouhodobě pokrývá ruskou invazi na Ukrajinu z linie doteku. Ptá se Matěj Skalický.

Ukrainian soldiers sprint away from a disabled tank on the battlefield while their control room desperately tries to help them evade the Russian drones pursuing them.  Later, a Russian soldier waves a white flag from the basement entrance of a gatehouse which was targeted by Ukrainian quad-copter drones.It's become a war of the future in the so-called "kill zone" in the Donbas region of Ukraine - where the trench lines are gone and drones rule the skies.  Tom Cheshire speaks to Sky's international correspondent John Sparks - who spent 24 hours watching the life-or-death drama from a high-tech control hub where a Ukrainian unit runs their operations.Producer: Tom GillespieEditor: Wendy Parker

SHOW 10-23-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1882 BLACK SEA RUSSIAN FLEET THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT A UKRAINE RESOLUTION... FIRST HOUR 9-915 Delayed Budapest Summit and Ukraine Negotiation Sticking Points. Anatol Lieven discusses how negotiations between the US and Russia, including a planned Budapest meeting, are delayed despite some progress on security issues like Trump's position on Ukraine joining NATO. The major sticking point remains Russia's demand that Ukraine withdraw from the rest of the Donbas, which Ukrainian leaders deem politically impossible. While Russia has scaled back some territorial claims, a viable peace settlement likely necessitates a ceasefire along existing lines, coupled with lifting sanctions. Escalation risks remain high due to potential accidental military clashes. 915-930 Delayed Budapest Summit and Ukraine Negotiation Sticking Points. Anatol Lieven discusses how negotiations between the US and Russia, including a planned Budapest meeting, are delayed despite some progress on security issues like Trump's position on Ukraine joining NATO. The major sticking point remains Russia's demand that Ukraine withdraw from the rest of the Donbas, which Ukrainian leaders deem politically impossible. While Russia has scaled back some territorial claims, a viable peace settlement likely necessitates a ceasefire along existing lines, coupled with lifting sanctions. Escalation risks remain high due to potential accidental military clashes. 930-945 Trump Administration Sanctions Hit Russia's Oil Lifeline. Michael Bernstam discussed the Trump administration's politically significant sanctions targeting Russia's two largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, affecting 56% of Russian output. The sanctions caused world oil prices to jump temporarily and elicited an immediate angry response from Putin, who called it an "unfriendly act." The primary financial impact on Russia will be much deeper discounts demanded by buyers, significantly hurting the Russian budget. Europe is meanwhile nearing liberation from Russian energy dependence due to abundant US liquefied natural gas (LNG). 945-1000 UN Cyber Crime Treaty: Authoritarian Assault on Free Speech. Ivana Stradner discussed the controversial UN Cyber Crime Treaty, which she argues is an assault on international rule of law spearheaded by Russia and China. The treaty is feared because it enables digital authoritarianism, censorship, and surveillance by potentially forcing companies to grant government access to private data and share user information globally. The US should reject ratification and defer to the Budapest Convention, relying instead on powerful offensive and defensive cyber capabilities for deterrence. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 Political Shifts and Security Crises Across Latin America. Professor Evan Ellis reported on a shifting Latin American landscape. Argentina's Milei navigates a key election after implementing painful economic cuts, backed by a new US currency swap deal. Bolivia's Luis Arce seeks warmer US ties while managing a severe economic crisis. Peru's president declared a state of emergency to address rampant insecurity and extortion in Lima. Concurrently, the US is escalating pressure on Venezuela's Maduro regime, primarily targeting the criminal Cartel de los Soles leadership. 1015-1030 Political Shifts and Security Crises Across Latin America. Professor Evan Ellis reported on a shifting Latin American landscape. Argentina's Milei navigates a key election after implementing painful economic cuts, backed by a new US currency swap deal. Bolivia's Luis Arce seeks warmer US ties while managing a severe economic crisis. Peru's president declared a state of emergency to address rampant insecurity and extortion in Lima. Concurrently, the US is escalating pressure on Venezuela's Maduro regime, primarily targeting the criminal Cartel de los Soles leadership. 1030-1045 Political Shifts and Security Crises Across Latin America. Professor Evan Ellis reported on a shifting Latin American landscape. Argentina's Milei navigates a key election after implementing painful economic cuts, backed by a new US currency swap deal. Bolivia's Luis Arce seeks warmer US ties while managing a severe economic crisis. Peru's president declared a state of emergency to address rampant insecurity and extortion in Lima. Concurrently, the US is escalating pressure on Venezuela's Maduro regime, primarily targeting the criminal Cartel de los Soles leadership. 1045-1100 Political Shifts and Security Crises Across Latin America. Professor Evan Ellis reported on a shifting Latin American landscape. Argentina's Milei navigates a key election after implementing painful economic cuts, backed by a new US currency swap deal. Bolivia's Luis Arce seeks warmer US ties while managing a severe economic crisis. Peru's president declared a state of emergency to address rampant insecurity and extortion in Lima. Concurrently, the US is escalating pressure on Venezuela's Maduro regime, primarily targeting the criminal Cartel de los Soles leadership. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 Robert McNamara: From WWII Statistical Control to Kennedy's Star. Professor William Taubman detailed Robert McNamara's rise, beginning as a statistician in WWII advising General Curtis LeMay on firebombing techniques, a success McNamara later regretted as potentially criminal. After becoming president of Ford, he reluctantly joined JFK's administration as Secretary of Defense. McNamara's brilliance and efficiency led Kennedy to admire him as the cabinet's star, even considering him for vice president in 1964 and the presidential candidate in 1968. 1115-1130 Robert McNamara: From WWII Statistical Control to Kennedy's Star. Professor William Taubman detailed Robert McNamara's rise, beginning as a statistician in WWII advising General Curtis LeMay on firebombing techniques, a success McNamara later regretted as potentially criminal. After becoming president of Ford, he reluctantly joined JFK's administration as Secretary of Defense. McNamara's brilliance and efficiency led Kennedy to admire him as the cabinet's star, even considering him for vice president in 1964 and the presidential candidate in 1968. 1130-1145 Robert McNamara: From WWII Statistical Control to Kennedy's Star. Professor William Taubman detailed Robert McNamara's rise, beginning as a statistician in WWII advising General Curtis LeMay on firebombing techniques, a success McNamara later regretted as potentially criminal. After becoming president of Ford, he reluctantly joined JFK's administration as Secretary of Defense. McNamara's brilliance and efficiency led Kennedy to admire him as the cabinet's star, even considering him for vice president in 1964 and the presidential candidate in 1968. 1145-1200 Robert McNamara: From WWII Statistical Control to Kennedy's Star. Professor William Taubman detailed Robert McNamara's rise, beginning as a statistician in WWII advising General Curtis LeMay on firebombing techniques, a success McNamara later regretted as potentially criminal. After becoming president of Ford, he reluctantly joined JFK's administration as Secretary of Defense. McNamara's brilliance and efficiency led Kennedy to admire him as the cabinet's star, even considering him for vice president in 1964 and the presidential candidate in 1968. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 The AI Infrastructure Gold Rush and Europe's Absence. Chris Riegel discusses how the AI revolution is driving a feverish rush to build large data centers (one gigawatt or better), though energy access is a critical choke point that may cause conflict between commercial demand and normal consumers by summer 2026. This intense global competition, likened to a gold rush, is primarily a two-horse race between the US and China. Europe is largely sitting out the advanced AI development wave, which is considered a tactical mistake that may leave them reliant on American or Chinese technology. 1215-1230        CBP Admits Fake Record Used to Jail Bolsonaro Advisor in Brazil. Mary Anastasia O'Grady discusses how US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) admitted an erroneous entry record was created and used by Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes to jail Felipe Martins, an advisor to former President Bolsonaro. De Moraes used the apparently fake I-94 document, which contained a misspelling and a canceled passport number, to hold Martins for 183 days to extract information about an alleged coup plot. The unprecedented CBP admission confirms a file violation and suggests ongoing malfeasance. 1230-1245 US Accelerates Moon Race Against China. Rick Fisher and David Livingston discuss how the US moon race is accelerating, driven by President Trump's demand to land on the moon by 2028 and concerns that China, using the Long March 10 booster, might get there by 2029. Interim NASA Director Sean Duffy reopened the lunar lander contract, previously held by SpaceX's Starship, to Blue Origin and potentially Lockheed Martin, seeking multiple pathways. The Chinese space program is viewed as a strategic maneuver aimed at distracting the US from other global conflicts. 1245-100 AM US Accelerates Moon Race Against China. Rick Fisher and David Livingston discuss how the US moon race is accelerating, driven by President Trump's demand to land on the moon by 2028 and concerns that China, using the Long March 10 booster, might get there by 2029. Interim NASA Director Sean Duffy reopened the lunar lander contract, previously held by SpaceX's Starship, to Blue Origin and potentially Lockheed Martin, seeking multiple pathways. The Chinese space program is viewed as a strategic maneuver aimed at distracting the US from other global conflicts.

Delayed Budapest Summit and Ukraine Negotiation Sticking Points. Anatol Lieven discusses how negotiations between the US and Russia, including a planned Budapest meeting, are delayed despite some progress on security issues like Trump's position on Ukraine joining NATO. The major sticking point remains Russia's demand that Ukraine withdraw from the rest of the Donbas, which Ukrainian leaders deem politically impossible. While Russia has scaled back some territorial claims, a viable peace settlement likely necessitates a ceasefire along existing lines, coupled with lifting sanctions. Escalation risks remain high due to potential accidental military clashes.

Delayed Budapest Summit and Ukraine Negotiation Sticking Points. Anatol Lieven discusses how negotiations between the US and Russia, including a planned Budapest meeting, are delayed despite some progress on security issues like Trump's position on Ukraine joining NATO. The major sticking point remains Russia's demand that Ukraine withdraw from the rest of the Donbas, which Ukrainian leaders deem politically impossible. While Russia has scaled back some territorial claims, a viable peace settlement likely necessitates a ceasefire along existing lines, coupled with lifting sanctions. Escalation risks remain high due to potential accidental military clashes. 1900 BUCHAREST

Dr. Jerome Corsi breaks down the latest explosive revelations surrounding Operation Arctic Frost — the Biden DOJ's covert effort to undermine President Donald Trump following the 2024 election.According to new reports from John Solomon, Senators Grassley's oversight committee has obtained documents bearing Christopher Wray and Merrick Garland's handwritten signatures authorizing the illegal Trump-targeting operation. Dr. Corsi explains what this means for Jack Smith's false elector case and how this could trigger indictments for key Deep State figures — including John Brennan, James Clapper, and Susan Rice.

Líderes europeos, con Zelenskyy, exigen que Ucrania no ceda territorio a Rusia. La línea del frente actual es el punto de partida para negociar. El Kremlin reclama el Donbas. Ucrania afronta su cuarto invierno con necesidad urgente de gas y cortes de luz. La población se preocupa por la calefacción y los costes. La industria armamentística ucraniana crece, aunque los ataques rusos se intensifican. EE. UU. impulsa un alto el fuego en Oriente Medio. Se halla un cadáver en Manises que podría ser de un desaparecido por la DANA. Crece la tensión en el Gobierno español por la vivienda; Sumar pide la dimisión de la ministra Isabel Rodríguez. Se cancela el partido Villarreal-Barça en Miami. COPE informa sobre Belén Jiménez, misionera en el Congo, y la importancia de su labor. En COPE, los oyentes debaten sobre la veracidad de la información, con desconfianza hacia redes sociales. Se presenta un informe sobre la DGT: mantiene la eliminación del margen de 20 km/h para adelantar, a pesar de un ...

La Casa Blanca cancela la cumbre prevista entre Donald Trump y Vladimir Putin, expresando Trump no querer una "reunión desperdiciada". Líderes europeos exigen a Ucrania no ceder territorio a Rusia. España se suma a un documento de apoyo a Zelensky. El Kremlin reclama el Donbas. En España, Leire Díez y Javier Pérez Dolset ("fontaneros del PSOE") enfrentan acusaciones de intentar extraer dinero de BBVA y de un "plan delictivo" contra la UCO y Anticorrupción. Iberdrola, Endesa y Naturgy solicitan una prórroga para la central nuclear de Almaraz. El fútbol español cede ante el inglés, con la excepción del FC Barcelona, y se cancela un partido Villarreal-Barça en Miami. En "Poniendo las Calles", COPE aborda los "bulos" y la desinformación, y el proceso de incautación y destrucción de drogas en España, coordinado por CITCO. Se explica que la droga incautada, tras análisis y custodia judicial, se destruye principalmente en incineradoras bajo supervisión policial. El doctor Darío Fernández ...

Volodymyr Zelensky zit voortdurend in een soort macabere circusact, koorddansend tussen de met dag wisselende beloften en dreigementen van Donald Trump, de onverzettelijkheid van Vladimir Poetin en de weifelachtigheid van Europa. Op eigen kracht kan hij niet winnen. Veruit het ingewikkeldst is het spel van Trump, dat alle kanten opvliegt. Na zijn ontmoeting met Poetin in Alaska kwam hij erachter dat die weliswaar heel vriendelijk en beleefd kan zijn, maar er niet over peinst zijn claim op de gehele Donbas, waarvan hij nu een deel bezet heeft, op te geven. Toen moedigde Trump Oekraïne aan om dan maar elke centimeter bezet gebied terug te winnen. Vorige week bood hij Tomahawk kruisraketten aan, die doelen tot ver in Rusland kunnen bereiken. Vervolgens had hij een telefoongesprek met Poetin, waarna hij alles terugnam en nu het tegendeel beweerde. In een volgens de FT knetterende ruzie met Zelensky eiste hij nu plotseling dat Oekraïne volledig op Poetins eisen in zou gaan. En die kruisraketten dan? Ja, dat was niet serieus bedoeld. Met zulke vrienden heb je geen vijanden nodig. Trump kwam vervolgens met de aankondiging van een ontmoeting met Poetin in Budapest. De ministers van buitenlandse zaken zouden de details uitwerken. Toen kwam Rusland met de mededeling dat de ontmoeting op losse schroeven stond, en dat een oriënterend gesprek tussen de ministers van buitenlandse zaken, na telefonisch overleg, op de lange baan was geschoven. Of, zoals de Russen het formuleerden: ‘het is onmogelijk iets uit te stellen waarover geen overeenkomst is’. Gisteren erkende het Witte Huis, zonder op de achtergronden in te gaan, dat er geen plan was voor een ontmoeting tussen Trump en Poetin. Nu spreken Amerika én Europa over de optie dat er een bestand komt met het huidige front als demarcatielijn . Geen nieuw idee, maar wel opmerkelijk. Vanaf de Russische invasies in Oekraïne in 2014 en 2022 is het standpunt van Nederland en andere Europese landen altijd geweest dat alleen Oekraïne zelf over territoriale concessies kan beslissen. Wij stonden onvoorwaardelijk achter de Oekraïense territoriale strategie. Ook wij nemen alles terug en beweren nu het tegendeel. Wat in feite betekent dat Poetin ook nu weer wint. Zoals gezegd: met zulke vrienden heb je geen vijanden nodig.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ad Verbrugge bespreekt waarom de recente poging tot vredesonderhandelingen tussen Rusland, Oekraïne en de VS op niets is uitgelopen.Heeft Europa zelf de deur naar vrede dichtgeslagen? En wat betekent dat voor de toekomst van Oekraïne – én van ons?--

Americký prezident Donald Trump se měl brzy potkat se svým ruským protějškem Vladimirem Putinem, a to v Budapešti. Mělo se tak stát poté, co koncem minulého týdne jednal v Bílém domě s ukrajinskou hlavou státu Volodymyrem Zelenským. Tomu řekl, že USA nepošlou střely dlouhého doletu nebo to, že by měl Donbas zůstat rozdělený, přičemž podle AP by to znamenalo, že by většina zůstala Rusku. Nyní se ale zdá, že se Washington a Moskva nedohodly na ústupcích a není tak vůbec jisté, že ke schůzce v Maďarsku dojde. Trumpovi se tak komplikuje obraz mírotvorce, který si vytvořil i po dojednání klidu zbraní mezi Izraelem a Hamásem. Jak zároveň ve Výtahu Respektu upozorňuje Dominika Perlínová, uvnitř Spojených států takto rozhodně nevystupuje: „Spíš než zahraniční politika jsou tématem rostoucí ceny potravin, které dál rostou a na lidi to hluboce dopadá. Víc než polovina populace také nesouhlasí se vším, jak Trump řeší politiku. Každý sedmý Američan je přesvědčen, že používá víc moci než kdokoliv z jeho předchůdců, ale asi jen polovina si myslí, že to je špatně. Průzkumy ukazují, že v současnosti je americká společnost nejvíc rozdělená od občanské války." Tomu odpovídají také pravděpodobně největší protesty od roku 1970, kterých se o víkendu zúčastnily miliony lidí, kteří protestovali právě proti Trumpovi a jeho administrativě. Co přesně jim vadí? V čem má spočívat Trumpův fašismus? A jak se šéf Bílého domu snaží umlčovat své kritiky?

Drony, brak ewakuacji, zaginieni żołnierze i cywile – tak wygląda dziś Donbas. – Rosja morduje i bierze ludzi jako zakładników – mówi Monika Andruszewska w rozmowie z Radiem Wnet. Sytuacja w obwodzie donieckim jest coraz bardziej tragiczna. Rosjanie atakują bez rozróżnienia cywilów i żołnierzy, nie pozostawiając złudzeń co do swoich celów– relacjonuje Monika Andruszewska, dziennikarka i wolontariuszka od lat pracująca na wschodzie Ukrainy.Zabijają wszystkichRosjanie nie zachowują już żadnych pozorów. Wcześniej mówili o „wyzwalaniu” mieszkańców Donbasu, teraz chcą po prostu zabić wszystko, co się rusza– mówi Andruszewska. Jak relacjonuje, w Pokrowsku rosyjskie grupy szturmowe po wejściu do miasta „rozstrzelały kilku cywilów”.Według jej relacji, rosyjskie drony FPV stanowią dziś największe zagrożenie. Atakowane są wszystkie pojazdy cywilne, karetki i samochody ewakuacyjne.Rosja celowo uniemożliwia ucieczkę z okupowanych terenów, by wziąć jak najwięcej Ukraińców jako zakładników– podkreśla.Miesiące w okopachW wielu oddziałach ukraińska piechota spędza na pozycjach miesiące bez możliwości rotacji, a tzw. „strefa śmierci” sięga 10–15 kilometrów od linii frontu.Żołnierze muszą pokonywać ten dystans pieszo, czekając na złą pogodę, by drony ich nie zauważyły. Każdy pojazd jest natychmiast niszczony– tłumaczy wolontariuszka.Andruszewska mówi również o dramacie rodzin zaginionych.Kiedy publikuję zdjęcia z przekazywania pomocy, dostaję wiadomości od matek: „szukam syna, był w tej brygadzie, nie wiem, co się z nim stało”. Nie można im powiedzieć prawdy, dopóki nie ma ciała. A po ciała nie da się wrócić, bo to oznaczałoby śmierć kolejnych żołnierzy– relacjonuje.Zbiórka dla żołnierzyWspólnie z pisarzem Szczepanem Twardochem organizuje zbiórki na roboty naziemne i sprzęt dla operatorów dronów.To one ratują życie, transportują rannych i utrudniają Rosjanom ataki. Im silniejszy ukraiński zwiad powietrzny, tym bezpieczniejsze są miasta, takie jak Kramatorsk– wyjaśnia.Zbiórkę można znaleźć TUTAJ. Ludzie wierzą w cudKramatorsk, położony zaledwie 20 kilometrów od frontu, wciąż zamieszkuje ok. 60 tysięcy osób.Ludzie przyjeżdżają z zajętych miejscowości. Wielu z nich mówi, że Rosja ich ściga – uciekają z jednego miasta do drugiego, zawsze jak najbliżej domu– mówi Andruszewska.Według niej nawet ostatnie w miarę funkcjonujące miasta obwodu donieckiego – Słowiańsk i Kramatorsk – są coraz częściej celem rosyjskich dronów.Moi znajomi, którzy tam zostali, wiedzą, że będą musieli wyjechać, bo jeśli Rosjanie wejdą, zostaną zabici. A mimo to zwlekają, chcą spędzić w domu każdą możliwą chwilę– opowiada.Mieszkańcy śledzą każde doniesienie z frontu i z Zachodu, wciąż wierząc, że ich tragedia może się nie powtórzyć.Wierzą w cud. Ale jedyne, co możemy dziś zrobić, to wspierać ukraińską armię, by mogła bronić tych terenów jak najdłużej– podsumowuje Andruszewska.

5. Putin's 2021 Essay and the Road to Annexation: Myths Versus Reality Isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vladimir Putin read history and published an essay in 2021 that was revelatory of his expansionist, revisionist thinking. This document, based on historical myths, asserts that Ukrainians are essentially Russians, that Ukraine has always been Russia, and that its future must be fully subordinated to Moscow. Experts often misjudged Putin, seeing him as utterly cynical and rational, failing to recognize his ideological commitment to turning these myths into reality. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 was a reaction to the Euromaidan uprising, which deposed the pro-Russian president Yanukovych. Putin saw Ukraine's pivot to the West as an immediate threat, necessitating the seizure of Crimea and the Donbas industrial areas before it was "too late." In Donbas, initial local protests were quickly bolstered by Russian infiltrators, mercenaries, and funding, escalating the situation into a mix of local dissent and invasion.

6. Volodymyr Zelenskyy: The Evolution of Ukrainian National Identity Volodymyr Zelenskyy, born in 1978, represents a modern, non-ethnic definition of Ukrainian identity. Zelenskyy is a Jewish, native Russian-speaking former comedian and successful media entrepreneur who spent a substantial part of his career in Moscow. His identity showcases that being Ukrainian is now primarily a national affiliation based on commitment to the state, transcending language or ethnic background. Zelenskyy entered politics as an outsider because the old guard had failed to bring prosperity or resolve the war in Donbas and the Crimea crisis. Russian propaganda attempts to label him as a neo-Nazi, but his background contradicts this. He initially believed that his native Russian language and past work in Moscow would enable him to successfully negotiate a peace treaty or resolution with Vladimir Putin.

4. The 2014 Kremlin Decision and Ukrainian Unity Against Russian Imperialism. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) discusses the all-night Kremlin meeting on February 23–24, 2014, where Vladimir Putin and his state security chiefs unilaterally decided to annex Crimea and fragment Ukraine. This scene exemplifies modern Russia's nature as a dictatorship, where critical decisions are made by one man—Putin, a former FSB chekist—without democratic oversight. Putin's dictatorial powers are legally based on the super-presidential constitution approved in 1993, following Boris Yeltsin's actions against the parliament. Previously, Putin built credibility by being brutal during the conquest of Chechnya in 1999. A longstanding stereotype divided Ukraine between westward (often Roman Catholic/cosmopolitan) and eastward (Orthodox/Russian-speaking) orientations. While Russia exploited these existing linguistic, cultural, and religious tensions in 2014 to facilitate the seizure of Crimea and initiate hybrid warfare in Donbas, the ultimate effect of the 2014 aggression was the creation of a much more unified Ukrainian society than had ever existed before. Moscow's failure to recognize this post-2014 change was a fundamental miscalculation when invading in 2022.

5. Western Appeasement of 2014: Crimea Annexation and the Flawed Minsk Accords. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) examines the Western reaction to the annexation of Crimea in February 2014, following the appearance of "little green men." Professor Plokhy asserts that had the West reacted to the Crimean annexation with the same severity as they did to the 2022 invasion, the major war might have been avoided. Instead, the collective West treated Crimea as an isolated exception, drawing a historical parallel to the 1930s Anschluss of Austria, and mistakenly believed that Putin would stop there. This flawed assumption led Germany to pursue economic ties like Nord Stream 2, hoping escalation would be less likely. Moreover, NATO's policy was to pacify Russia by not placing military units close to its borders, leaving the alliance with "very little to respond with" in 2014. Although the annexation was quickly followed by Russian-concocted violence in Donbas, leading to a massive Russian counterattack in summer 2014, the West pursued the Minsk II agreements. These agreements were often implemented according to Russia's interpretation: requiring elections first under Russian military control, intended to create a "Trojan horse" to destabilize Ukraine and preclude its movement toward the EU or NATO. This approach was closely related to the "policies of appeasement of the 1930s." 1840 KHIV

6. The Dictatorial Power of Putin and the Unification of Ukraine Post-2014. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) focuses on the unilateral nature of decision-making in the Kremlin regarding the 2014 invasion. The decision to annex Crimea and fragment Ukraine was made by Vladimir Putin and his security chiefs during an all-night meeting on February 23–24, 2014. This process confirmed that Russia operates as a dictatorship, transitioning from the hope of Russian democracy under Yeltsin to the current reality where Putin's power is rooted in the super-presidential constitution established in 1993. Putin initially gained public support through brutality in Chechnya. While Ukraine was traditionally viewed as split between Eastern and Western orientations, Russia actively exploited these linguistic, cultural, and religious divisions in 2014 to justify the takeover of Crimea and the initiation of hybrid warfare in Donbas. Crucially, the professor emphasizes that the shock of the 2014 conflict had the opposite effect desired by Moscow: it unified Ukrainian society far more than it had ever been before. Moscow's biggest error in planning the 2022 invasion was proceeding under the assumption that Ukraine was still the divided country it had been in 2014.

8. The West's 2014 Appeasement: The Failure to Respond to Crimean Annexation. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) focuses on the annexation of Crimea in 2014 via "brute force" and the Western response. Professor Plokhy suggests that if NATO's reaction to Crimea had been commensurate with its response to the 2022 invasion, the current large-scale war might have been avoided. Instead, the West treated the annexation as an exception, comparing it to the 1930s Anschluss of Austria, believing Putin would cease aggression after securing the Russian-majority region. This thinking was a mistake; for example, Germany continued pursuing Nord Stream 2, based on the failed premise that economic ties guaranteed peace. NATO's overall policy was designed to pacify Russia and avoid placing military units near its borders, resulting in NATO having "very little to respond with" when the annexation occurred. Russia quickly moved beyond Crimea, concocting uprisings in Donbas, leading to a massive Russian counterattack against Ukrainian forces in the summer of 2014. This led to the Minsk II agreements, which NATO backed. However, Russia exploited Minsk II by insisting on holding elections first under its military control—a plan intended to insert a "Trojan horse" into Ukraine's political body to destabilize it and block its Euro-Atlantic integration. This resembled the policies of appeasement seen in the 1930s. 1855 BRITISH ARMY CRIMEA

Nu zit Trump weer op de lijn van Poetin | Waarom Oekraïne de Donbas niet kan opgeven | Amerikaans leger beschiet CaliforniëSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US-Russia Summit in Budapest Amid Ukraine Escalation Fears. Anatol Lieven discusses how US President Trump and Russian President Putin agreed to meet in Budapest to discuss ending the Ukraine conflict following a productive call. The meeting, hosted in Viktor Orbán's Hungary, aims to reduce extreme tensions and avoid direct clashes between Russia and NATO. Discussion points include potential territorial compromise in Donbas and concerns over deploying Tomahawk missiles, which Russia views as a major escalation. 1686 BUDAPEST

US-Russia Summit in Budapest Amid Ukraine Escalation Fears. Anatol Lieven discusses how US President Trump and Russian President Putin agreed to meet in Budapest to discuss ending the Ukraine conflict following a productive call. The meeting, hosted in Viktor Orbán's Hungary, aims to reduce extreme tensions and avoid direct clashes between Russia and NATO. Discussion points include potential territorial compromise in Donbas and concerns over deploying Tomahawk missiles, which Russia views as a major escalation. 1884 BUDAPEST

CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 29224 THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE ESCALATION OF RHETORIC IN THE UKRAINE WAR,.. FIRST HOUR 9-915 US-Russia Summit in Budapest Amid Ukraine Escalation Fears. Anatol Lieven discusses how US President Trump and Russian President Putin agreed to meet in Budapest to discuss ending the Ukraine conflict following a productive call. The meeting, hosted in Viktor Orbán's Hungary, aims to reduce extreme tensions and avoid direct clashes between Russia and NATO. Discussion points include potential territorial compromise in Donbas and concerns over deploying Tomahawk missiles, which Russia views as a major escalation. 915-930 US-Russia Summit in Budapest Amid Ukraine Escalation Fears. Anatol Lieven discusses how US President Trump and Russian President Putin agreed to meet in Budapest to discuss ending the Ukraine conflict following a productive call. The meeting, hosted in Viktor Orbán's Hungary, aims to reduce extreme tensions and avoid direct clashes between Russia and NATO. Discussion points include potential territorial compromise in Donbas and concerns over deploying Tomahawk missiles, which Russia views as a major escalation. 930-945 China's Tech Espionage and the Difficulty of Reverse Engineering Advanced Chip Tools. Chris Riegel discusses how TSMC and ASML technology face constant threats from Chinese industrial espionage. ASML's chipmaking tools are highly complex, making reverse engineering nearly impossible. Europe is waking up to the risks; recently, the Dutch government seized China-owned chipmaker Nexperia. China is estimated to be two to three years behind US high-end chip technology and requires access to advanced ASML tools to catch up. 945-1000 Hostage Situation and Political Realities in Gaza Ceasefire. Cliff May explains how the Gaza ceasefire focuses on the return of hostages, with 19 (including two Americans) still unaccounted for. Hamas is suspected of withholding hostages to retain bargaining power and resist relinquishing political control in phase two of the peace plan. Rhetoric about regional forces disarming Hamas is dismissed. May notes that in the Middle East, there are only permanent battles, viewing the current truce as a hudna, allowing jihadists to regroup and rearm. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 US Escalates Pressure on Maduro Following Machado's Nobel Prize. Evan Ellis discusses how, following the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to opposition leader María Corina Machado, the US escalated pressure on Venezuela. President Trump authorized CIA operations, coupled with naval deployments and B-52 overflights, to pressure the Maduro regime. The goal is triggering a tipping point where Maduro's inner circle calculates that leaving is preferable to facing US action. Separately, Peru's President Boluarte was ousted due to corruption and the nation's struggle with extreme urban violence and illegal mining. 1015-1030 US Escalates Pressure on Maduro Following Machado's Nobel Prize. Evan Ellis discusses how, following the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to opposition leader María Corina Machado, the US escalated pressure on Venezuela. President Trump authorized CIA operations, coupled with naval deployments and B-52 overflights, to pressure the Maduro regime. The goal is triggering a tipping point where Maduro's inner circle calculates that leaving is preferable to facing US action. Separately, Peru's President Boluarte was ousted due to corruption and the nation's struggle with extreme urban violence and illegal mining. 1030-1045 US Escalates Pressure on Maduro Following Machado's Nobel Prize. Evan Ellis discusses how, following the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to opposition leader María Corina Machado, the US escalated pressure on Venezuela. President Trump authorized CIA operations, coupled with naval deployments and B-52 overflights, to pressure the Maduro regime. The goal is triggering a tipping point where Maduro's inner circle calculates that leaving is preferable to facing US action. Separately, Peru's President Boluarte was ousted due to corruption and the nation's struggle with extreme urban violence and illegal mining. 1045-1100 US Escalates Pressure on Maduro Following Machado's Nobel Prize. Evan Ellis discusses how, following the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to opposition leader María Corina Machado, the US escalated pressure on Venezuela. President Trump authorized CIA operations, coupled with naval deployments and B-52 overflights, to pressure the Maduro regime. The goal is triggering a tipping point where Maduro's inner circle calculates that leaving is preferable to facing US action. Separately, Peru's President Boluarte was ousted due to corruption and the nation's struggle with extreme urban violence and illegal mining. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 Iran's Women-Led Uprising: Origins, Brutality, and Defiance. Nilo Tabrizy discusses how the Iranian women-led uprising, detailed in For the Sun After Long Nights, was triggered by the 2022 murder of Mahsa Amini by the morality police. The slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" (Zan, Zendegi, Azadi) is the rallying cry. The regime's brutality is severe, suppressing protests through executions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acts as an octopus, maintaining control across society. Defiance continues today, demonstrated by women actively ignoring state-mandated dress codes. 1115-1130 Iran's Women-Led Uprising: Origins, Brutality, and Defiance. Nilo Tabrizy discusses how the Iranian women-led uprising, detailed in For the Sun After Long Nights, was triggered by the 2022 murder of Mahsa Amini by the morality police. The slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" (Zan, Zendegi, Azadi) is the rallying cry. The regime's brutality is severe, suppressing protests through executions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acts as an octopus, maintaining control across society. Defiance continues today, demonstrated by women actively ignoring state-mandated dress codes. 1130-1145 Iran's Women-Led Uprising: Origins, Brutality, and Defiance. Nilo Tabrizy discusses how the Iranian women-led uprising, detailed in For the Sun After Long Nights, was triggered by the 2022 murder of Mahsa Amini by the morality police. The slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" (Zan, Zendegi, Azadi) is the rallying cry. The regime's brutality is severe, suppressing protests through executions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acts as an octopus, maintaining control across society. Defiance continues today, demonstrated by women actively ignoring state-mandated dress codes. 1145-1200 Iran's Women-Led Uprising: Origins, Brutality, and Defiance. Nilo Tabrizy discusses how the Iranian women-led uprising, detailed in For the Sun After Long Nights, was triggered by the 2022 murder of Mahsa Amini by the morality police. The slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" (Zan, Zendegi, Azadi) is the rallying cry. The regime's brutality is severe, suppressing protests through executions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acts as an octopus, maintaining control across society. Defiance continues today, demonstrated by women actively ignoring state-mandated dress codes. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 US Military Pressure Campaigns Maduro Amid Silence from Regional Allies. Mary Anastasia O'Grady explains how Venezuela's illegitimate leader, Maduro, faces escalating pressure from the US, including a Navy flotilla, B-52 flights, and authorized CIA operations. The goal is to compel Maduro and his generals, who profit from transnational crime, to flee. The silence from traditional allies like Russia and China suggests they lack political justification to defend Maduro's record. However, Mexico's president offered no comment regarding Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, reflecting leftist sympathies. 1215-1230 Tariffs Harm Consumers, Reduce Hiring, and Cause Customs Backlogs. Veronique De Rugy explains how tariffs are costing American consumers and businesses over 80% of the expense, leading to higher prices and reduced corporate margins. The tariff policy is harming the job market, causing 40% of CEOs to pause hiring and investments. Customs authorities are overwhelmed by the volume of small packages now requiring assessment, causing significant backlogs and lost goods for consumers. Special interests are expanding the tariff application to derivative products, such as peanut butter packaged in metal containers. 1230-1245 Russia Debates Orbit and Costs for Post-ISS Space Station. Anatoly Zak explains how Roscosmos faces a debate over the orbit of its new space station: a low-inclination 51-degree orbit or a more expensive near-polar orbit. The polar orbit offers strategic Arctic observation but increases radiation risk and reduces payload capacity. Economic realities may push Roscosmos toward the cheaper 51-degree orbit, possibly using existing ISS infrastructure, to ensure an operational station for cosmonauts by 2031. 1245-100 AM Russia Debates Orbit and Costs for Post-ISS Space Station. Anatoly Zak explains how Roscosmos faces a debate over the orbit of its new space station: a low-inclination 51-degree orbit or a more expensive near-polar orbit. The polar orbit offers strategic Arctic observation but increases radiation risk and reduces payload capacity. Economic realities may push Roscosmos toward the cheaper 51-degree orbit, possibly using existing ISS infrastructure, to ensure an operational station for cosmonauts by 2031.

Mit ihrem Verein "Friedensbrücke - Kriegsopferhilfe" sammelt die 53-jährige Brandenburgerin Liane Kilinc in Deutschland Spenden für Kriegsopfer in besetzten ukrainischen Gebieten. Doch Recherchen zeigen: Das Geld fließt offenbar nicht nur in Hilfsgüter für Zivilisten, sondern auch an prorussische Bataillone in von Russland annektierten Gebieten in der Ostukraine. Darunter sind militärisch nutzbare Güter wie Drohnenkomponenten und Tarnnetze. Während in Deutschland gegen Liane Kilinc wegen des Verdachts der Unterstützung einer terroristischen Vereinigung ermittelt wird, hat sie sich nach Moskau abgesetzt. Von dort führen ihre Spuren bis ins Umfeld des russischen Geheimdiensts. In dieser 11KM-Folge erzählt WDR-Investigativjournalistin Katja Riedel, wie sie sich mit Kolleg:innen von der Recherchekooperation NDR/WDR/SZ und dem ARD-Magazin Monitor auf die Spuren von Liane Kilinc begeben hat. Welche Rolle spielt diese Frau für Russland? Hier geht's zum Film “Putins Helferin aus Deutschland”: https://www1.wdr.de/daserste/monitor/sendungen/putins-helferin-aus-deutschland-100.html Hier findet ihr alle 11KM-Folgen zum Thema Russland: https://1.ard.de/11KM_Podcast_Russland Hier geht's zu “True Crime Hamburg. Der Polizei-Podcast“, unserem Podcast-Tipp: https://1.ard.de/truecrimehh?cp=11km Diese und viele weitere Folgen von 11KM findet ihr überall da, wo es Podcasts gibt, auch hier in der ARD Audiothek: https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/11km-der-tagesschau-podcast/12200383/ An dieser Folge waren beteiligt: Folgenautor: Lukas Waschbüsch Mitarbeit: Hannah Heinzinger Host: Elena Kuch Produktion: Regina Staerke, Ruth-Maria Ostermann, Alexander Gerhardt, Marie-Noelle Svihla Planung: Caspar von Au und Hardy Funk Distribution: Kerstin Ammermann Redaktionsleitung: Fumiko Lipp und Nicole Dienemann 11KM: der tagesschau-Podcast wird produziert von BR24 und NDR Info. Die redaktionelle Verantwortung für diese Episode liegt beim BR.

This week on Battleground Ukraine, hosts Saul David and Roger Moorhouse are joined by intrepid Belgian war reporter and friend of the podcast Arnaud de Decker, who recently toured the Donbas. In this crucial and alarming dispatch, Arnaud provides a firsthand look at the realities in Donetsk, detailing how Russian forces are steadily advancing and closing in on the key Ukrainian towns of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. Before this essential interview, the hosts dissect the political and military headlines, including the shocking rhetoric from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who all but admitted Russia's role in drone sightings across Europe. They'll also be examining the difference between the opposing forces' long-range strikes—including Ukraine's successful hits on vital Russian oil infrastructure (like the Feodosia oil terminal), possibly using the new Flamingo missile, and an intelligence report on up to 5,000 Cuban fighters joining the Russian ranks. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X (Twitter): @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now passed the three-and-a-half-year mark, and there is still no end in sight. The Trump administration's recent push to negotiate a ceasefire ground to a halt in early September, after Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Vladimir Putin's proposal to meet in Moscow, dismissing the invitation as a sign that his Russian counterpart has no desire to negotiate. Meanwhile, on the battlefield in Ukraine, Russian troops are continuing their offensive in central Donbas. While Ukrainian forces have succeeded in slowing their advance, this has come at the cost of Kyiv's defenses elsewhere, creating vulnerable gaps between frontline positions that Russian forces can slip through. With the front line becoming increasingly fluid and peace talks stalled, Russia has also continued to launch deadly missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, targeting the country's energy grid ahead of the approaching winter months.  By all appearances, Putin believes that if Russia's military keeps pushing forward, it will eventually outlast and overpower Ukraine. But how much longer can the Kremlin sustain its war machine?  In a new report for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), senior fellow Maria Snegovaya and Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program director Max Bergmann break down the mounting costs of Russia's war effort and outline four plausible scenarios for the war's next chapter. Dr. Maria Snegovaya joins this episode of The Naked Pravda to discuss their analysis. Time stamps for this episode: (2:05) The current state of the Russia–Ukraine war(4:49) Russia's war strategy and unchanging goals(8:03) How sustainable is this war for the Kremlin?(13:12) How Russia is replenishing its military losses(17:30) Potential scenarios for the war's future(26:55) Strategies for Ukraine and Western alliesКак поддержать нашу редакцию — даже если вы в России и вам очень страшно

De eerste dag van de indirecte gesprekken tussen Israël en Hamas in Egypte is hoopvol afgesloten. Bronnen spreken van "positieve signalen" over een mogelijk akkoord rond het twintigpuntenplan van president Trump om de oorlog in Gaza te beëindigen. Volgens Egyptische media is een routekaart opgesteld voor de komende dagen.  Over het laatste nieuws Midden-Oostencorrespondent Ruth Vandewalle. Met Hamaskenner en islamoloog  Joas Wagemakers gaan we in op de kansen van een doorbraak.  (16:20) Overleven in een wereld van drones In de Donbas staan Russen op het punt de beslissende aanval uit te voeren op frontsteden Pokrovsk en Kostjantynivka. In die laatste stad, Kostjantynivka, zijn nog een paar duizend bewoners achtergebleven. Zij overleven in een wereld van artillerie en vliegtuigbommen en drones. Onze verslaggever Michiel Driebergen ging erheen en probeerde met een paar evacuatie-vrijwilligers de belegerde stad binnen te komen. Presentatie: Sophie Derkzen 

This week we talk about Article 4, big sticks, and spheres of influence.We also discuss Moldova, super powers, and new fronts.Recommended Book: More Everything Forever by Adam BeckerTranscriptThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, was originally formed in 1949 in the wake of World War 2 and at the beginning of the Cold War.At that moment, the world was beginning to orient toward what we might think of as the modern global order, which at the time was predicated on having two superpowers—the US and the Soviet Union—and the world being carved up into their respective spheres of influence.NATO was formed as the military component of that protection effort, as the Soviets (and other powers who had occupied that land in the past) had a history of turning their neighbors into client states, because their territory provides little in the way of natural borders. Their inclination, then, was to either invade or overthrow neighboring governments so they could function as buffers between the Soviet Union and its potential enemies.The theory behind NATO is collective security: if anyone attacks one of the member nations, the others will come to their aid. Article 5 of the NATO treaty says that an attack against one member is considered an attack against all members, and while this theoretically would be applied against any would-be attacker, it was 100% created so that the Soviets and their Warsaw Pact allies knew that if they attacked, for instance, Norway, the other NATO nations—including, importantly, the United States, which again, was one of just two superpowers in the world at that point, all the other powers, like the UK and France having been devastated by WWII—would join in their defense.NATO, today, is quite a bit bigger than it was originally: it started out with just 12 countries in Europe and North America, and as of 2025, there are 32, alongside a handful of nations that are hoping to join, and are at various points along the way to possibly someday becoming member states.What I'd like to talk about today are recent provocations by the Soviet Union's successor state, Russia, against NATO, and what these provocations might portend for the future of the region.—In early 2014, Russia invaded—in a somewhat deniable way, initially funding local rabble-rousers and using unmarked soldiers and weapons—the eastern portion of Ukraine, and then annexed an important Black Sea region called Crimea. Then in early 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, massing hundreds of thousands of military assets on their shared border before plunging toward Ukraine's capitol and other vital strategic areas.Against the odds, as Ukraine is small and poor compared to Russia, and has a far smaller military, as well, Ukrainians managed to hold off the Russian assault, and today, about 3.5 years later, Ukraine continues to hold Russia off, though Russian forces have been making incremental gains in the eastern portion of the country over the past year, and Russian President Putin seems convinced he can hold the Donbas region, in particular, even if peace is eventually declared.At the moment, though, peace seems unlikely, as Russian forces continue to grind against increasingly sophisticated and automated Ukrainian defenses, the invading force, in turn, bolstered by North Korean ammunition and troops. Ukraine's exhausted soldiery is periodically and irregularly bulwarked by resources from regional and far-flung allies, helping them stay in the game, and they're fleshing out their locally grown defense industry, which has specialized in asymmetric weaponry like drones and rockets, but Russia still has the advantage by pretty much any metric we might use to gauge such things.Over the past three weeks, concerns that this conflict might spill over into the rest of Europe have been heightened by Russian provocations along the eastern edge of the NATO alliance.Russia flew drones into Poland and Romania, fighter jets into Estonia, and aggressively flew fighters over a Germany Navy frigate in the Baltic Sea. Article 4 of the NATO treaty was invoked, which is the lead-up invocation to an eventual invocation of Article 5, which would be a full-fledged defense, by the bloc, against someone who attacked a NATO member.And that's on top of Russia's persistent and ongoing efforts to influence politics in Moldova, which held an election over the weekend that could serve as a foot in the door for Russian influence campaigns and Russia-stoked coups within the EU, or could become one more hardened border against such aggressions, depending on how the election pans out. The final results aren't in as of the day I'm recording this episode, but there are fears that if the pro-Russian parties win, they'll turn the country—which is located on Ukraine's borders, opposite Russia—into another Russian puppet state, similar to Belarus, but if the pro-Russian parties don't do well, they'll try to launch a coup, because Russian disinformation in the country has been so thorough, and has indicated, in essence, if they lose, the process was rigged.All of which is occurring at a moment in which NATO's most powerful and spendy member, by far, the US, is near-universally pulling out of international activities, the second Trump administration proving even more antagonistic toward allies than the first one, and even more overt in its disdain for alliances like NATO, as well. It's probably worth noting here, too, that part of why things are so hectic in Moldova is that the US government has stopped pressuring social networks to tamp down on overt misinformation and propaganda from Russia-aligned groups, and that's led to significant fog of war for this most recent election.Considering the US's recent unreliability, and in some cases complete absence regarding NATO and similar alliances and pacts, it's perhaps prudent that NATO member states have recently agreed to up their individual spending on defense, all of these states meeting or exceeding their pre-2025-summit goal of 2% of GDP, that target increasing to 5% by 2035.This is notable in part because it's something Trump demanded, and that demand seems to have worked and probably been a good idea, but this is also notable because of what it represents: a cessation of leadership by the US in this alliance.The US has long been the big stick wielded by its European allies, and this administration basically said, hey, you need to make your own big sticks, you may not have access to our weapons and support anymore. And while it will still take a while to both get their funding up to snuff and to spend those funds appropriately, outfitting their defenses and shoring up their numbers, this would seem to be a step in that direction—though there's simmering concern that it might be too little, too late.That concern is mostly held by Russia-watchers who have noted a big pivot by Russia's leadership, and in the Russian economy.Over the past 3.5 years since it invaded Ukraine, that invasion taking a lot longer than they thought it would, Russia has shifted into a total war stance, its entire economy becoming reliant on its continued invasion of Ukraine.Should that invasion end or ebb, or should it continue to fail to give the Russian government enough successes, so it can brag about how well it's doing to its citizenry and oligarchs, it would probably need another target—another front in the war that it can open to justify the continued churning-out of weapons and soldiers, and the continued spending of a huge chunk of its GDP toward the military. Lacking that churn, it's economy would be in even worse straits than it's in, today, and lacking that cause, it's possible support for the government could collapse.It's also been posited that it could be a disaster Putin's regime if too many Russian veterans, wounded and traumatized from their time on the front lines in Ukraine, were to arrive back in Russia all at once. That's the sort of situation that could lead to an uprising against the government, or bare minimum a lot of turmoil that they don't want to deal with. Having another front, another battle to send them to, would solve that problem; it would be an excuse to keep them fighting external enemies, rather than looking for internal ones.Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, recently said that NATO and the EU have declared a “real war” against Russia by participating in the conflict; by providing arms and financial support for Ukraine.This is, of course, a silly thing to say, though it is the kind of statement an aggressor makes when they want to make themselves sound like the victim, and want to justify moving on to victimize someone else. You attacked us for no reason! We are thus completely within our rights to defend ourselves by attacking you; we are in the right here, you're the bad guys.This could be just saber-rattling, and it usually is. Lavrov says things like this all the time, and it's almost always state-sanctioned bluster. The drone and jet flyovers, likewise, could be meant to send a signal to the EU and NATO: back off, this is not your fight, but if you continue supporting Ukraine, we'll make it your fight, and we think we can beat you.It's also possible, though, that these actions are meant to test NATO defenses at a moment in which the US is largely absent from the region, China and Russia have never been tighter, including in supporting each other's regional goals and militaries, and in which Russia seemingly has many reasons, mostly internal, to expand the scope of the conflict.Show Noteshttps://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/pistorius-russian-jet-flew-over-142629311.html?guccounter=1https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/world/europe/russian-fighter-jets-estonia-nato.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/business/russia-disinformation-trump.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/world/europe/poland-drones-russia-nato.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelude_to_the_Russian_invasion_of_Ukrainehttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygjv0r2myohttps://thehill.com/policy/international/5522862-lavrov-nato-eu-russia/https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/27/europe/putin-hybrid-war-europe-risks-intlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/world/europe/russia-europe-poland-drones-moldova-election.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-poland-drones-sanctions-rafale-429ff46431a916feff629f26a5d0c0dahttps://www.reuters.com/world/europe/denmark-has-no-plans-invoke-natos-article-4-foreign-minister-says-2025-09-26/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/09/27/More-drones-spotted-Denmark/4031758983759/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-poland-drones-defense-kyiv-ec284922b946737b98a28f179ac0c5a0https://apnews.com/article/poland-airspace-drones-russia-airport-closed-cf7236040d8c7858104a29122aa1bd57https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-poland-drones-fa2d5d8981454499fa611a1468a5de8bhttps://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-poland-drones-1232774279039f9e5c5b78bd58686cb9https://apnews.com/article/british-intelligence-mi6-russia-war-443df0c37ff2254fcc33d5425e3beaa6https://apnews.com/article/nato-article-4-explainer-russia-poland-estonia-26415920dfb8458725bda517337adb12https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/nato-article-4-russia/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/world/europe/moldova-election-russia-eu.htmlhttps://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49187.htmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATOhttps://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_52044.htm This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Bradley Gorski, a literary and culture scholar, examines the breakneck commercialization of Russian book publishing and of Russian literature more broadly – in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the early 1990s, thousands of new publishers emerged, up from a mere two hundred at the Soviet Union's end. The notion of the “bestseller” quickly came to dominate the new market, fueling he rise of immensely popular genres such as detective novels, including its zhenskii variety (detective novels written by women and featuring female sleuths. Gorski artfully weaves together the evolution of the book market - from the chaos of the early post-Communist years to the near-monopoly in the 2000s - with literary analysis of some of the most prominent post-Soviet authors. At early stages, post-Soviet literature often reflected a degree of optimism about the Western ideal of personal liberty and embraced what sociologist Boris Dubin called a Russian version of the “American success story”. In recent years, however, the Russian literary market has taken a distinctly illiberal turn, exemplified by the writer Zakhar Prilepin, a bestselling author turned jingoistic patriot who fought in the Donbas region of Ukraine and inspired many of his admirers to join the front.  Cultural Capitalism: Literature and the Market after Socialism (Northern Illinois University Press, 2025) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Bradley Gorski, a literary and culture scholar, examines the breakneck commercialization of Russian book publishing and of Russian literature more broadly – in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the early 1990s, thousands of new publishers emerged, up from a mere two hundred at the Soviet Union's end. The notion of the “bestseller” quickly came to dominate the new market, fueling he rise of immensely popular genres such as detective novels, including its zhenskii variety (detective novels written by women and featuring female sleuths. Gorski artfully weaves together the evolution of the book market - from the chaos of the early post-Communist years to the near-monopoly in the 2000s - with literary analysis of some of the most prominent post-Soviet authors. At early stages, post-Soviet literature often reflected a degree of optimism about the Western ideal of personal liberty and embraced what sociologist Boris Dubin called a Russian version of the “American success story”. In recent years, however, the Russian literary market has taken a distinctly illiberal turn, exemplified by the writer Zakhar Prilepin, a bestselling author turned jingoistic patriot who fought in the Donbas region of Ukraine and inspired many of his admirers to join the front.  Cultural Capitalism: Literature and the Market after Socialism (Northern Illinois University Press, 2025) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Bradley Gorski, a literary and culture scholar, examines the breakneck commercialization of Russian book publishing and of Russian literature more broadly – in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the early 1990s, thousands of new publishers emerged, up from a mere two hundred at the Soviet Union's end. The notion of the “bestseller” quickly came to dominate the new market, fueling he rise of immensely popular genres such as detective novels, including its zhenskii variety (detective novels written by women and featuring female sleuths. Gorski artfully weaves together the evolution of the book market - from the chaos of the early post-Communist years to the near-monopoly in the 2000s - with literary analysis of some of the most prominent post-Soviet authors. At early stages, post-Soviet literature often reflected a degree of optimism about the Western ideal of personal liberty and embraced what sociologist Boris Dubin called a Russian version of the “American success story”. In recent years, however, the Russian literary market has taken a distinctly illiberal turn, exemplified by the writer Zakhar Prilepin, a bestselling author turned jingoistic patriot who fought in the Donbas region of Ukraine and inspired many of his admirers to join the front.  Cultural Capitalism: Literature and the Market after Socialism (Northern Illinois University Press, 2025) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Bradley Gorski, a literary and culture scholar, examines the breakneck commercialization of Russian book publishing and of Russian literature more broadly – in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the early 1990s, thousands of new publishers emerged, up from a mere two hundred at the Soviet Union's end. The notion of the “bestseller” quickly came to dominate the new market, fueling he rise of immensely popular genres such as detective novels, including its zhenskii variety (detective novels written by women and featuring female sleuths. Gorski artfully weaves together the evolution of the book market - from the chaos of the early post-Communist years to the near-monopoly in the 2000s - with literary analysis of some of the most prominent post-Soviet authors. At early stages, post-Soviet literature often reflected a degree of optimism about the Western ideal of personal liberty and embraced what sociologist Boris Dubin called a Russian version of the “American success story”. In recent years, however, the Russian literary market has taken a distinctly illiberal turn, exemplified by the writer Zakhar Prilepin, a bestselling author turned jingoistic patriot who fought in the Donbas region of Ukraine and inspired many of his admirers to join the front.  Cultural Capitalism: Literature and the Market after Socialism (Northern Illinois University Press, 2025) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

In today's explosive episode, we dive deep into the fight for election transparency, foreign interference, and government accountability. We examine how institutional secrecy erodes public trust and endangers democracy. When government institutions withhold critical information, citizens are left in the dark, unable to make informed decisions. This erosion of transparency fosters cynicism, fear, and disengagement, weakening the very foundations of democratic governance.  Our special guest, Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and activist, joins the conversation to provide his unique insight on intelligence, geopolitical tensions, and the Ukraine conflict. From the buildup to the war in Donbas to the suppression of critical early warnings, McGovern sheds light on what citizens and policymakers need to understand about global security, foreign influence, and the necessity of accurate, unbiased intelligence. We also explore the impact of foreign actors on U.S. politics, with reports on Israel's influence in domestic affairs raising questions about sovereignty and accountability. The show also covers the case of Tina Peters, former Mesa County Clerk, who remains imprisoned for exposing election irregularities. Her situation highlights the dangers of selective prosecution and the suppression of political dissent. With her health deteriorating and appeals ongoing, Peters' case has become emblematic of the broader struggle for justice, transparency, and the preservation of American freedoms. This episode is essential listening for anyone committed to defending liberty, uncovering the truth, and holding powerful institutions accountable.  

Dani Belo's Russian Warfare in the 21st Century: An Incentive-Opportunity Intervention Model (Routledge, 2025) provides a comprehensive analysis of Russia's foreign policy in gray zone conflicts, with a particular focus on its interventions in Ukraine. Challenging conventional views, the book contends that Russia's use of varied gray zone tactics is influenced by both system-level incentives and domestic-level opportunities, which are integrated here into the Incentive-Opportunity Intervention (IOI) Model. The book examines case studies including Abkhazia, Crimea, Odesa, Kharkiv, and the Donbas, demonstrating how local ethnic-based movements and perceptions of regional retreat shape Moscow's coercive strategies. It highlights the reactive nature of Russia's tactics, driven by perceived threats to its protector role, and the significant role of ethnic and political dynamics in the region. The study underscores the importance of understanding these motivations for effective conflict resolution and suggests that protecting minority rights could mitigate such interventions. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for nuanced approaches that address both geopolitical and local dynamics. Ultimately, the book calls for future research to apply the IOI Model to other great powers, enhance the generalizability and applicability of the findings, and highlight the potential for multilateral coordination in promoting minority rights as a strategy for conflict prevention. This book will be of much interest to students and policy practitioners working on Russian foreign policy, international security, Eastern European politics, and International Relations.  Dani Belo is an Assistant Professor of International Relations and Security and Director of the Global Policy Horizons Research Lab, Webster University in St. Louis, USA. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Dani Belo's Russian Warfare in the 21st Century: An Incentive-Opportunity Intervention Model (Routledge, 2025) provides a comprehensive analysis of Russia's foreign policy in gray zone conflicts, with a particular focus on its interventions in Ukraine. Challenging conventional views, the book contends that Russia's use of varied gray zone tactics is influenced by both system-level incentives and domestic-level opportunities, which are integrated here into the Incentive-Opportunity Intervention (IOI) Model. The book examines case studies including Abkhazia, Crimea, Odesa, Kharkiv, and the Donbas, demonstrating how local ethnic-based movements and perceptions of regional retreat shape Moscow's coercive strategies. It highlights the reactive nature of Russia's tactics, driven by perceived threats to its protector role, and the significant role of ethnic and political dynamics in the region. The study underscores the importance of understanding these motivations for effective conflict resolution and suggests that protecting minority rights could mitigate such interventions. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for nuanced approaches that address both geopolitical and local dynamics. Ultimately, the book calls for future research to apply the IOI Model to other great powers, enhance the generalizability and applicability of the findings, and highlight the potential for multilateral coordination in promoting minority rights as a strategy for conflict prevention. This book will be of much interest to students and policy practitioners working on Russian foreign policy, international security, Eastern European politics, and International Relations.  Dani Belo is an Assistant Professor of International Relations and Security and Director of the Global Policy Horizons Research Lab, Webster University in St. Louis, USA. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

Dani Belo's Russian Warfare in the 21st Century: An Incentive-Opportunity Intervention Model (Routledge, 2025) provides a comprehensive analysis of Russia's foreign policy in gray zone conflicts, with a particular focus on its interventions in Ukraine. Challenging conventional views, the book contends that Russia's use of varied gray zone tactics is influenced by both system-level incentives and domestic-level opportunities, which are integrated here into the Incentive-Opportunity Intervention (IOI) Model. The book examines case studies including Abkhazia, Crimea, Odesa, Kharkiv, and the Donbas, demonstrating how local ethnic-based movements and perceptions of regional retreat shape Moscow's coercive strategies. It highlights the reactive nature of Russia's tactics, driven by perceived threats to its protector role, and the significant role of ethnic and political dynamics in the region. The study underscores the importance of understanding these motivations for effective conflict resolution and suggests that protecting minority rights could mitigate such interventions. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for nuanced approaches that address both geopolitical and local dynamics. Ultimately, the book calls for future research to apply the IOI Model to other great powers, enhance the generalizability and applicability of the findings, and highlight the potential for multilateral coordination in promoting minority rights as a strategy for conflict prevention. This book will be of much interest to students and policy practitioners working on Russian foreign policy, international security, Eastern European politics, and International Relations.  Dani Belo is an Assistant Professor of International Relations and Security and Director of the Global Policy Horizons Research Lab, Webster University in St. Louis, USA. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Dani Belo's Russian Warfare in the 21st Century: An Incentive-Opportunity Intervention Model (Routledge, 2025) provides a comprehensive analysis of Russia's foreign policy in gray zone conflicts, with a particular focus on its interventions in Ukraine. Challenging conventional views, the book contends that Russia's use of varied gray zone tactics is influenced by both system-level incentives and domestic-level opportunities, which are integrated here into the Incentive-Opportunity Intervention (IOI) Model. The book examines case studies including Abkhazia, Crimea, Odesa, Kharkiv, and the Donbas, demonstrating how local ethnic-based movements and perceptions of regional retreat shape Moscow's coercive strategies. It highlights the reactive nature of Russia's tactics, driven by perceived threats to its protector role, and the significant role of ethnic and political dynamics in the region. The study underscores the importance of understanding these motivations for effective conflict resolution and suggests that protecting minority rights could mitigate such interventions. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for nuanced approaches that address both geopolitical and local dynamics. Ultimately, the book calls for future research to apply the IOI Model to other great powers, enhance the generalizability and applicability of the findings, and highlight the potential for multilateral coordination in promoting minority rights as a strategy for conflict prevention. This book will be of much interest to students and policy practitioners working on Russian foreign policy, international security, Eastern European politics, and International Relations.  Dani Belo is an Assistant Professor of International Relations and Security and Director of the Global Policy Horizons Research Lab, Webster University in St. Louis, USA. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with cultural anthropologist Greta YOU-LING about her new book, Decolonizing Ukraine: The Indigenous People of Crimea and Pathways to Freedom, a fascinating story about an indigenous group in Crimea fighting for its rights.  Uehling tells us of the complex history of the Crimean Tatars, a Sunni Muslim group who were driven off their land in 1944 by the Soviet Union. This group now finds itself caught in the Russia-Ukraine war. It has rebuffed attempts by Putin and yet also has insisted on maintaining and defending its indigenous identity and rights with regard to Ukraine. We talk about the importance of both cultural memory and political struggle in the present, and hear of Greta's time at the barricade which Tatars set up to stem the flow of materials across their land.Greta Uehling is a cultural anthropologist who works at the intersection of Indigenous and Eastern European Studies. She is a Teaching Professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she is in the Program in International and Comparative Studies and is Associate Faculty of the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies. Uehling is the author of three books: Beyond Memory: The Deportation and Return of the Crimean Tatars (Palgrave 2004), Everyday War: The Conflict over Donbas, Ukraine (Cornell University Press 2023), and Decolonizing Ukraine: The Indigenous People of Crimea and Pathways to Freedom (Rowman & Littlefield 2025). Throughout her career, Uehling has served as a consultant to organizations working in the fields of international migration, human rights, and human trafficking, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Nine Met Police officers suspended after BBC investigation Labour MPs despondent, says minister after Mandelson and Rayner chaos Newspaper headlines Got him and MPs warn Starmer time is running out Memphis next US city to see National Guard troops, Trump says Jaguar Land Rover suppliers face bankruptcy due to hack crisis As Russian forces advance, Ukrainians in Donbas must choose to stay or go Court orders tribe to be evicted from Scottish woodland Prince Harry told me I was being hacked Stephen Lawrences mum Charlie Kirk We have him How the murder suspect was caught Jay Wynne, former BBC weather presenter, dies aged 56

Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, Greenland, the US and Germany.Ukraine has this week come under its heaviest bombardment in weeks, with the UK and the EU summoning their Russian envoys after their offices in Kyiv were hit. Quentin Sommerville has been in Donetsk, the area Vladimir Putin wants to fully control in the resource rich region of the Donbas, as residents flee attacks and soldiers tell of the intensification of the battle there.Greenland's status has been thrust into the spotlight after the US president has repeatedly said he wanted to annexe the semi-autonomous nation for its strategic position and mineral wealth. And despite having broad self-government since 1979, Greenland's foreign and defence policy is made in Copenhagen. On an island of just over 55,000 people, where fishing is the primary source of income, independence for Greenland would mean either increasing tourism or allowing the mining of minerals like rare earth metals. Bob Howard has been to the capital Nuuk.In the US, a record number of people are being held in immigrant detention, following President Trump's crackdown. One controversial site has become the subject of several lawsuits attempting to shut it down: Alligator Alcatraz in Florida. Josephine Casserly reports from the centre, which sits on an abandoned airstrip amid the marshes, forests, mangroves and estuaries and wildlife of the Everglades.James Naughtie has been in the German city of Weimar, at a cultural festival in the state of Thuringia in Eastern Germany – which reflects on the historical legacy of the Weimar Republic. Among the performances and installations, he found echoes of the past in the present.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Rosie Strawbridge Editor: Richard Vadon

As Russia continues to pour cold water on the prospect of an imminent summit between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, efforts to end the war in Ukraine appear to have returned to a familiar holding pattern. Despite the fanfare surrounding key summits in Alaska and Washington, significant divisions remain on key issues from territorial concessions to security guarantees. So, with Trump once again restarting the clock on the deadline for Russian cooperation, what sort of progress can we expect in the coming weeks?Today, we're joined from Ukraine's Donbas region by our correspondent Quentin Sommerville, to discuss how the lives of those on the front line are being materially affected by diplomatic deadlock. And, former senior US intelligence officer Andrea Kendall-Taylor gives her view on what it would take for headway to be made in peace negotiations.You can fill out our audience questionnaire here: bit.ly/ukrainecastfeedback This episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Laurie Kalus and Polly Hope. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The social producer was Grace Braddock. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast's Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

At least 20 people, including five journalists, are reported to have been killed in an Israeli strike on a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. Also: Ukrainian soldiers in the Donbas speak to the BBC about fierce fighting and high casualty rates; paramilitaries in Sudan's Darfur region are accused of killing civilians fleeing the besieged city of El Fasher; President Trump threatens to send National Guard troops into another Democratic stronghold, Baltimore. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Russia is losing the war in Ukraine. More than 1 million Russian troops have been killed or injured, and it's been estimated that it would take another four years and 2 million more soldiers for Putin to conquer the Donbas region. So no, Ben Shapiro, getting Ukraine to sacrifice the region in return for some kind of security guarantee would not be a "masterstroke" for Trump. Meanwhile, red state governors sending National Guard troops to D.C. are disrupting the lives and families of those troops at back-to-school time—just to please Daddy Trump. Plus, the MAGA socialism around Intel, Dems should advise foreign countries to think twice about doing corrupt deals with Trump, and Hegseth's pull-ups don't cut it in the alpha male world he thinks he's making. Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller. show notes Tim on the Louisiana governor sending the National Guard to D.C. Kinzinger's interview with Jason Riddle Jonathan Martin on Trump giving Putin more time to stall FT on Europeans comparing eastern Ukraine to Florida  *** THE BULWARK LIVE in Toronto, D.C. and NYC: Thebulwark.com/events ***

Victor Davis Hanson puts the summit in historical perspective and compares Trump's diplomacy to past U.S. presidents on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ It begs the question, do you have any collective memory? The Ukraine war started when Vladimir Putin invaded the Crimea and Donbas under the presidency of Barack Obama. Remember the hot mic in Seoul, where he said, 'Tell Vladimir that if he gives me space for my last election, I'll be flexible on missile defense'? Do you remember that? He also invaded, as you remember, in Joe Biden's tenure. He tried to take Kyiv. He didn't during Donald Trump's four years. “ All I'm asking them is, please give us an alternative strategy. How long do you wanna fight? Who is gonna fight? How many deaths, wounded are you willing to incur to push Vladimir Putin all the way back to where he was prior to the invasion of 2014, when Barack Obama allowed him to come in? Just a question.”

It's been another wild week, after the D.C. Attorney General sued the government for attempting to install the head of the D.E.A. as D.C.'s emergency police commissioner. Following an emergency hearing, US Attorney General Pam Bondi backed down and re-wrote the directive. But Andrew and Mary highlight why that's just the start: it's no longer just the D.C. National Guard being deployed in the nation's capital, National Guard units from five other red states are being sent to the city, making a complicated stew of who's in charge and who has jurisdiction. Next, they weave this thread into last week's trial over whether California's National Guard performed law enforcement operations in Los Angeles, a potential violation of The Posse Comitatus Act. And with Russia and Ukraine so much in the news, Andrew offers some reflections from the 2019 Special Counsel's report that exposes Russia's long-held goal of taking over the Donbas region. And last up, Andrew and Mary fill listeners in on two DC Circuit cases that have their attention: a decision allowing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to be dismantled and another that allows Trump to withhold billions in foreign aid.And a reminder: tickets are on sale now for MSNBC Live – our second live community event featuring more than a dozen MSNBC hosts. The day-long event will be held on October 11th at Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. To buy tickets visit msnbc.com/live25.Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.

Patrick Bet-David, Tom Ellsworth, Vincent Oshana, and Adam Sosnick break down Trump's face-to-face meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin's demand that Russia keep control of the Donbas region as part of any peace deal, and the shocking arrest of Israel's top cybersecurity official on charges of child sex crimes.------

Day 1,272.Today, after the Trump and Putin summit in the United States ends without accord – but with certain principles for peace seemingly agreed between them – we look ahead to the vital meeting between Zelensky, Trump, and European leaders in the White House, and consider why the proposal for Ukraine to cede Donbas would leave Ukraine strategically exposed.We will be releasing a bonus episode immediately after the summit.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Analyst). @RolandOliphant on X.Content Referenced:In maps: Why the entire peace deal hangs on this small strip of Ukraine (Roland Oliphant in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/18/maps-why-entire-peace-deal-hangs-on-small-strip-ukraine/ Russia taunts Ukraine by flying US flag on front line:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/18/russia-taunts-ukraine-american-flag-front-line/ Telegraph Ukraine Live Blog:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/18/ukraine-russia-war-trump-zelensky-meeting-latest-news/ SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Victor Davis Hanson explains what was (and wasn't) said at the summit, why Russia is appealing directly to Trump and the American people, and how Trump—whether the Left likes it or not—could end this war he didn't start on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ Ukraine will not be in NATO. They don't have the military wherewithal. They have the moral edge and the moral right—but they don't have the military wherewithal. Nor does Europe or the United States want to go to that length to give it to them against nuclear Russia to reclaim the Donbas—all of the Donbas—or Crimea. “ The summit was about what we could expect. Putin wants to win over America so then America will back off from Ukraine, and so it can get some more mileage westward and further deteriorate or erode or detrite the Ukrainian military. The Ukrainian military is pretty tough. It's hanging in there. It wants enough aid to leverage Putin. And between those two poles, there will be a DMZ. And if there is a peace settlement, it will be the work—whether the Left likes it or not—of Donald Trump, the one world leader, among the three, that has nothing to do with this war.”

President Zelensky has vowed to reject any proposal from Russia that would mean Ukraine ceding territory or withdrawing troops from the eastern Donbas region. He was speaking ahead of a meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska on Friday. Donald Trump has said any peace deal would involve "some swapping of territories" and it is believed one of Vladimir Putin's demands is that Kyiv surrenders the parts of the Donbas it still controls. Also: A surgeon operating in Gaza tells us he has to recycle surgical parts from dead bodies to save the living, and the owners of the video game Fortnite take on Apple and Google over access in an Australian court. Plus: the UN tells torturers in Myanmar: "We know who you are", the heatwaves blasting much of Europe, the US puts a $5 million reward on the head of a gang leader in Haiti, a former first lady of South Korea is arrested, the American woman convicted of conspiracy to murder in Britain -- disguised in an Islamic headscarf, and how AI is helping to keep elephants in India safe.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk