Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,620.
Today, we report on another weekend of intense military activity: from renewed strikes on Wildberries warehouses – so severe that the company's owner and CEO Tatyana Kim was compelled to issue a public statement – to assassination attempts and a bombing at a Moscow restaurant. Plus, drone strikes on Russian positions in Crimea and a brutal attack on Kyiv that reveals the city's vulnerability to ballistic missile strikes. Dom and Francis also examine the latest casualty figures claimed by President Zelensky, the evolving US position on Ukraine, and what the new adaptation of The Odyssey might be trying to say about how modern warfare is having a corrosive effect on contemporary society.

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

Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan
Social Producer: Tom Steed
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:

If you’re interested in sponsoring Dom’s upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at events@telegraph.co.uk

James Kilner on the true significance of the Wildberries attacks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_UYWPnaFRM&t=835s

Ukraine only able to intercept one of 27 Russian missiles aimed at Kyiv (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/01/ukraine-only-able-intercept-one-27-russian-missiles-kyiv/

Trump backtracks on promise to give Ukraine Patriot blueprints (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/31/trump-backtracks-promise-ukraine-patriot-blueprints/

'Nature of the threats has changed' — Kyiv removes protective structures from city monuments (Kyiv Independent)
https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-to-remove-protective-coverings-over-monuments/?mc_cid=f58d6cc26e&mc_eid=08d0680a95

Zelensky Updates NSDC Roster Amid Government Reshuffle (Kyiv Post):
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/81516

Tulsi Gabbard and her guru (The Washington Post):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/06/21/tulsi-gabbard-her-guru-mysterious-messages-that-helped-shape-her-political-career/

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

Thumbnail image credit: X/@bayraktar_1love

HIGHLIGHTS:
Wildberries strikes light up the sky 1000km inside Russia
Zelensky ‘reveals’ wartime death tolls
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,617.
As yet more Russian Wildberries distribution sites reach for the stars, Ukrainian missile producer Firepoint wins the month’s top-trolling award by offering merch to anyone who correctly predicts their next target. Dom reports how ballistic-missile defence is the hot topic of military and diplomatic discussion at the moment, with offers from Poland, favours asked of SpaceX and, perhaps least surprising of all, a growing coolness from Donald Trump over the plan/idea/wishful thinking that Ukraine would be given the Patriot blueprints. Alex Nichol reports that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff may be in Ukraine in the next few weeks, which would be their first trip to Kyiv despite making multiple visits to Putin in Moscow. Finally, Adélie discusses Ukrainian war poetry, with the man who brought the newest generation of poets to English-speaking audiences.

Contributors:
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Alex Nichol (Telegraph Journalist).
Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.

With thanks to Hugh Roberts (@hugh.g.a.roberts on Instagram) and the University of Exeter.

Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan
Social Producer: Tom Steed
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:
If you’re interested in sponsoring Dom’s upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at events@telegraph.co.uk

Russian missile destroys US firm’s Kyiv drone factory (The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/30/us-firm-drone-factory-terminal-autonomy-ukraine-russia

Zelensky Asked Trump for a Favor From Elon Musk (The Atlantic)
https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/07/zelensky-asked-trump-for-a-favor-from-elon-musk/688122/

Donald Trump ‘not sure’ he will let Ukraine build Patriot missiles (Financial Times)
https://www.ft.com/content/d8c42f6b-4dba-4976-a907-c7c93bca0bbd?syn-25a6b1a6=1

War and peace: Ukraine’s ambassador in Washington joins our table (Christian Science Monitor)
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/monitor_breakfast/2026/0731/ukraine-ambassador-olga-stefanishyna?icid=rss

The Geopolitics of Russia’s Civil Nuclear Exports Four Years into the War (Centre for Strategic and International Studies)
https://www.csis.org/analysis/geopolitics-russias-civil-nuclear-exports-four-years-war

Ukrainian War Time Poetry:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx2YPXiQIIQvRHSFfabgsOZM_5G5eqj5O

Jantar Publishing House:
https://www.jantarpublishing.com/

Lines from the frontline: the poet soldiers defending Ukraine (The Conversation):
https://theconversation.com/lines-from-the-frontline-the-poet-soldiers-defending-ukraine-276676

Death of a Ukrainian Writer (New Yorker):
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-death-of-a-ukrainian-writer-victoria-amelina

The Buried Book That Helped Ukraine’s Literary Revival (The New York Times):
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/20/world/europe/ukraine-publishing-buried-book.html

More about Aliaksei Lazarau: https://x.com/Alx_lazarau/status/2050195969103307014

The petition to allow non-Ukrainian to be recognised as Hero of Ukraine: https://petition.president.gov.ua/petition/264020

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

HIGHLIGHTS:

Russians 'fear being killed in Red Square,' Kyiv claims
Zelensky asks Elon Musk a favour
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,616.
A Russian cruise missile is believed to have landed in Poland overnight, just after President Zelensky and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk met to patch up a rumbling diplomatic spat. Meanwhile, inside Ukraine, former Minister of Defence Fedorov gives his first big interview since being sacked, saying there is 'resistance to change' in the defence ministry and laying out his vision to win the war. Finally, Dom, Adelie, and Francis read your best summer postcards and answer your questions.

Contributors:
Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Producer: Tom Steed
Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan
Social Producer: Anita Blay
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:
‘Russian missile’ leaves crater in Poland (The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/30/poland-explosion-russian-missile-attack/

Attacks on Ukrainians in Poland are rising. Disinformation fuels the flames (Kyiv Independent)
https://kyivindependent.com/attacks-on-ukrainians-in-poland-are-rising-disinformation-fuels-the-flames/

Watch the full interview with Mykhailo Fedorov (Ukrainska Pravda, in Ukrainian)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbjYc4-OuT0

Russia importing sensitive UK, EU tech through India, data shows (Politico)
https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-import-uk-eu-technology-india-data/

Francis’s Interview with Michael Bohnert re. Patriot missile timescales:
https://youtu.be/Fg_PmGkpJu4?si=Jf7HoU6anVj1JCQW

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

HIGHLIGHTS:

Russian missile leaves crater in Poland
Fedorov reveals all in first interview since sacking
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,615.
After Russia sees another night of Ukrainian drone strikes on a Wildberries warehouse and oil refinery attacks, Francis examines Kyiv’s campaign to disrupt Putin’s logistics and wartime economy. He also looks at encouraging developments in Washington, where Presidents Zelensky and Trump met ahead of the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, before Graham’s landmark bipartisan sanctions bill took a significant step forward in Congress. Then James Kilner has his regular Russia roundup, as rumours of a fresh mobilisation continue to circulate, before we explore the dramatic downfall of the powerful head of Russia’s international chess federation.

Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
James Kilner (Russia Analyst). @Jkjourno on X.
Malcolm Pein (Telegraph chess correspondent). @TelegraphChess on X.

Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan
Social Producer: Anita Blay
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:
Russia explores support for Wildberries after Ukrainian drone attacks, sources say (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/russia-explores-support-wildberries-after-ukrainian-drone-attacks-sources-say-2026-07-28/

Laura Loomer says she called Trump from Ukraine, plans to brief president on visit (Kyiv Independent)
https://kyivindependent.com/laura-loomer-says-she-called-trump-from-ukraine-plans-to-brief-president-on-visit/

Kremlin Gambit: German FIDE presidential candidate Vadim Rosenstein continues to earn millions in Russia (Ukrainian Independent Information Agency of News, in Russian)
https://sport.unian.net/othersports/kandidat-v-prezidenty-fide-vadim-rozenshteyn-prodolzhaet-vesti-biznes-v-rossii-13451784.html

Russians Form Street Patrol to Shield Men From Forced Recruitment (Kyiv Post)
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/81265

World chess chief faces endgame after EU announces Russia war sanctions (BBC)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewrk58k2k4o

No contact with political prisoner Andrei Trofimov since April (Memorial)
https://memopzk.org/en/news/no-contact-with-political-prisoner-andrei-trofimov-since-april/

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

HIGHLIGHTS:

Ukraine wipes out seventh Wildberries warehouse and major oil refinery
US senate advances key Russia sanctions bill
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,614.
As Ukraine strikes a target more than 1,300 kilometres from Kyiv, Francis and Alex Nichol assess the significance of President Zelensky’s visit to Washington for Lindsey Graham’s funeral and to meet with President Trump. It comes a day after Ukraine struck a tanker from Iran in the Caspian Sea, something the US president was asked about on Air Force One. Meanwhile, attention is focused on Congress as lawmakers prepare to decide the fate of the bipartisan sanctions bill, which would impose sweeping tariffs on countries continuing to buy Russian energy. Later, we take a deep dive into the Black Sea grain corridor, exploring why it’s returned to the centre of the war after recent attacks on merchant shipping, and what it means for global food security.

Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Alex Nichol (Telegraph Journalist).

With thanks to Andrey Sizov, head of SovEcon grain consultancy (@sizov_andre on X).

Producer: Tom Steed
Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan
Social Producer: Anita Blay
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:
Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Democrats ‘undermining US support for Ukraine’ (The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/27/democrat-opponents-sanctioning-russia-act-undermine-ukraine/

Life of a Ukrainian draft dodger (Antonia Langford for The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/28/ukraine-hunt-for-draft-dodgers-becomes-battle-on-the-street/

EU hesitates to target Irish plant accused of supplying Russia’s war industry (Financial Times)
https://www.ft.com/content/ef7ff634-b738-4975-91b5-2edffc51da68?syn-25a6b1a6=1

The Sizov Report
http://sizov.report

Wagner’s Remnants Are Running an Opioid Empire in the Center of Africa (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/world/africa/russia-wagner-africa-opioid-trade-d015c4bc

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

HIGHLIGHTS:
Crimea 'without power' after deadly raids
Zelensky meets Trump in Washington ahead of Lindsey Graham funeral
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.