Battleground

"If Zelenskyy decides to remove Fedorov, it’s gonna be his biggest mistake during the war."

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Battleground: The Big Picture, where we cut through the fog of information to bring you the unfiltered reality of global conflicts.
In this episode, we sit down with Oleksiy Sorokin, the co-founder and deputy chief editor of The Kyiv Independent.

Oleksiy pulls back the curtain on the immense pressures facing the free press in Ukraine, the shifting dynamics of power within the Zelenskyy administration, and the ground-level realities of combating sophisticated Russian disinformation. From the decline of oligarch rule to the critical military dependency on Western air defence, this episode offers an essential, clear-eyed look at the internal and external forces shaping the future of the region.

Highlights:
The Birth of The Kyiv Independent: How a team of journalists took back control of their voices after being abruptly fired from the Kyiv Post for refusing to silence their political reporting.
Inside the Russian Mindset: An analysis of why domestic support for the war is shifting due to practical daily hardships—like fuel shortages and economic strain—rather than moral awakenings.
The Death of Oligarch Rule: How the full-scale invasion inadvertently shattered the political and economic grip of Ukraine’s wealthy elite, consolidating unprecedented power within the government.
Political Tensions & Reshuffles: The internal polling anxieties surrounding former Armed Forces Chief Zaluzhnyi and the potentially catastrophic stakes of moving the popular Defence Minister, Fedorov.
The Battlefield Truth: Why long-range Ukrainian drone strikes are changing the narrative, but the critical depletion of Patriot air defence interceptors leaves major cities highly vulnerable to ballistic missile attacks.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com
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Producer: James Hodgson
A Goalhanger Podcast

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

A major shift in Washington policy headlines a fraught NATO summit in Ankara.
This week, Patrick Bishop and Saul David break down Donald Trump’s surprising warming of relations with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marked by a critical deal allowing Ukraine to co-produce Patriot missile interceptors to defend its cities from brutal Russian ballistic strikes. Meanwhile, JD Vance signals a massive change in American tone, acknowledging that Russian offensives are achieving almost nothing on the battlefield.

The hosts also unpack the tightening noose around occupied Crimea as Ukrainian strikes trigger a full-scale logistics collapse, forcing Russia to take the drastic step of banning diesel exports to safeguard domestic fuel. Plus, a look at European defense gridlock, a massive hack by Ukraine's IT Army, and a philosophical dive into why Ukrainian democratic traditions breed out-of-the-box military ingenuity while Russia relies on rigid authority.

Quick Highlights:
The Patriot License: Why Trump's allowig a localised Patriot interceptor manufacturing is a massive defensive game-changer for Kyiv.
Crimea’s Fuel Crisis: How intermediate and long-range drone strikes forced Russian Deputy PM Alexander Novak to halt seaborne diesel exports.
European Disunity: The collapse of the joint French-German-Spanish stealth fighter jet project, revealing deep fractures in European defence management.
Cyber & Logistics: The IT Army of Ukraine wipes 3,000 servers from a major Russian construction firm.
Introducing The Big Picture: A sneak peek at Battleground's new midweek feature cutting through the fog of global geopolitics with genuine experts.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com
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Producer: James Hodgson
A Goalhanger Podcast

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

This week, Roger Moorhouse sits down with exiled Russian journalist and Deutsche Welle commentator Konstantin Eggert for a candid look inside the Russian psyche. As Ukrainian long-range strikes push the realities of war onto Moscow’s doorstep, Eggert explains why the average Russian remains passive, how the Kremlin relies on life-changing sign-up bonuses to avoid mass mobilisation, and why the regime's true vulnerability lies in economic collapse rather than social solidarity.

Highlights:

The Consumer Shield: Why modern Russians—who have apartments, mortgages, and holidays to lose—actively choose "learned depoliticisation" over civic responsibility.
Transactional Warfare: A look at the cold, transactional nature of Russia's heavy death toll, where "coffin money" often stifles parental grief.
The Prime Minister's Trap: How Russia’s constitution gives current PM Mikhail Mishustin massive immediate power if Putin dies, and why the FSB might not easily keep control.
A Moral Wake-up Call: Eggert’s cautious, long-term hope for a future Russian civic conscience that finally learns to say "I'm sorry" to Ukraine.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com
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Producer: James Hodgson
A Goalhanger Podcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The clock is ticking on Vladimir Putin's presidency as Ukraine’s 40-day deep-strike campaign forces a "logistics lockdown" on occupied territories. This week, Saul David and Patrick Bishop break down the surgical precision of Starlink-guided Zvezducha drones paralyzing Russian supply lines.

They also confront tough realities on both sides of the frontline, discussing catastrophic Russian casualty rates alongside a troubling investigation into misconduct within an elite Ukrainian regiment. Plus, a look at rumoured friction between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Valerii Zaluzhnyi over potential autumn elections, and a breakdown of the UK’s messy new defense investment plan.

Highlights:
The Starlink Scalpel: How mid-range drones are causing a slow strangulation of Russia’s means of waging war.
Babel’s Investigation: Addressing unprecedented abuse allegations within Ukraine's 425th Separate Assault Regiment.
Wartime Elections?: Why talks of a political showdown with Valerii Zaluzhnyi have left the hosts mystified.
Listener Q&A: Unpacking post-war partition scenarios and why targeting civilian aviation remains a high-risk gamble.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com
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Producer: James Hodgson
A Goalhanger Podcast

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

In the final episode of their latest journey through Ukraine, the team gathers in Lviv to reflect on a deeply moving and sobering trip.

The day begins with dramatic news: Hungarian journalist and team fixer, Boldi, was detained for five and a half hours of polite but intense questioning by the SBU (Ukrainian Secret Service). After attempting to investigate a Russian rocket strike on the strategic Druzhba oil pipeline near Brody.

Key Reflections from the Ground:
The "National Shrug": The team discusses how initial wartime shock has shifted into a grim, everyday resignation as citizens adapt to a conflict with no clear endpoint.
Tragedy and Fortitude: Remembrances of the trip's most haunting faces, from a grieving resident outside a destroyed Kharkiv apartment to Nastia’s heartbreaking process of identifying her fallen husband in Odesa.
Defiance in the Everyday: Inspiring stories of resilience, including a zookeeper protecting animals under active shellfire and the crowded, vibrant streets of Kharkiv celebrating International Women’s Day.
Signs of a Sea Change: A look at small tactical victories near Kupiansk, the clearing of Dnipro Oblast, and a powerful interview with Katya, a fearless female combat soldier who survived the brutal sieges of Bakhmut and Avdiivka.

The team concludes with a look at the collective, undeniable energy of the Ukrainian people that continues to inspire anyone who witnesses it.

Julius Strauss writes the blog Back from the Front and also owns and runs Wild Bear Lodge, a bear-viewing lodge, in Canada. Check out both in the links below:
Substack: https://backfromthefront.substack.com/
Wild Bear Lodge: https://wildbearlodge.ca/

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com
Follow us on:
X - @PodBattleground
Instagram - podbattleground
Producer: James Hodgson
A Goalhanger Podcast

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