Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,554.
Today, as Romania kicks Russian diplomats out of the country following a drone strike last night that has injured civilians in the eastern city of Galati, we ask, why is it so easy for Romania to name the perpetrator of such attacks when others still seek to avoid apportioning blame. We then look at reports Russia is continuing to be hit hard on the southern corridor, including now by drone-landed mines, followed by the second part of Francis’s special dispatch from the La Biannale art festival in Venice, today looking at the decision to permit the reopening of the Russian Pavilion and his encounter with Pussy Riot. And we finish with an audio dispatch from me, after my visit to a prisoner of war camp in western Ukraine.

Contributors:
Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
With thanks to the soldiers, artists, and curators at the ‘Still Joy’ exhibition in Venice, and to Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot.

Producer: Rachel Porter
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
Additional thanks to Tom Steed and Natalia Makohon for dubbing.

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:
Dom’s full documentary interviewing POWs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJwjbWheClk

Francis’s first dispatch from Venice and La Biennale:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay2UT-SeKDI

Learn more about ‘Resistance Imprisoned’:
https://www.ritschfisch.com/exhibition/resistance-imprisoned/

Learn more about the PinchukArtCentre’s exhibition ‘Still Joy’ (running until 1st August):
https://pinchukartcentre.org/en/exhibitions/still-joy-from-ukraine-into-the-world-biennale-arte-2026

Russian drone hits Romanian apartment block in ‘grave escalation’ (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/29/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strikes-romanian-apartment-nato/

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected] . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Putin strikes NATO: Romania hit in 'major escalation'
Dom Nicholls interviews ‘brainwashed’ Russian PoWs

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

Day 1,554.
Today, as a senior intelligence chief cites a considerably higher figure of Russian deaths than has previously been cited, we hear about a raft of announcements from Ukraine’s allies that will see new fighter jets and Patriot missiles available to Kyiv, as the country suffers a new wave of strikes. Then – in a special dispatch – I take you to Venice for our first film looking at the decision of the La Biannale art festival to permit the reopening of the Russian Pavilion, and exploring the work of Ukrainian artists in wartime.

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

With thanks to the soldiers, artists, and curators at the ‘Still Joy’ exhibition in Venice. Additional thanks to Sophie O’Sullivan for video production, Phil Atkins for audio production and to Tom Steed and Natalia Makohon for dubbing.

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:
Learn more about the PinchukArtCentre’s exhibition ‘Still Joy’ at La Biennale (running until 1st August):
https://pinchukartcentre.org/en/exhibitions/still-joy-from-ukraine-into-the-world-biennale-arte-2026

Britain and Poland to manufacture missile under new military pact (The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/27/britain-poland-manufacture-missile-under-new-military-pact/

Putin arms Russian banks to combat Ukrainian drone attacks (The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/27/putin-arms-russian-banks-to-combat-ukrainian-drone-attacks/

GCHQ puts AI in charge of stopping cyber attacks (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/27/gchq-ai-stopping-cyber-attacks-keast-butler-humans-threat/

Europe should not negotiate Ukraine peace, insists Norway (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/28/europe-should-not-negotiate-ukraine-peace-insists-norway/

Exclusive: How US ambassador's preplanned trip caused a diplomatic scandal in Kyiv and Brussels (Kyiv Independent):
https://kyivindependent.com/exclusive-how-us-ambassadors-preplanned-trip-caused-a-diplomatic-scandal-in-kyiv-and-brussels/

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected] . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
'500,000 Russians killed in Ukraine,' says UK spy chief
Sweden pledges new fighter jets in 'historic' deal
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,553.
Today, in the aftermath of one of the most intense aerial assaults on Ukraine of the entire war, we report on fresh strikes against Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery – the site of the extraordinary “manmade volcano” that has become symbolic of Kyiv’s campaign against Moscow’s energy infrastructure. Antonia Langford joins us live from Kyiv after witnessing ballistic missile attacks on the capital firsthand. We also examine the shrinking number of countries contributing to the Czech-led ammunition initiative, which now supplies around half of Ukraine’s artillery ammunition, and assess Britain’s attempt to regain control of the political narrative after last week’s easing of sanctions on Russia by unveiling new measures targeting cryptocurrency networks accused of financing Putin’s war machine.

Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Antonia Langford (Freelance Journalist in Kyiv). @Antonialford on X.

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

CONTENT REFERENCED:
Learn more about ‘Ukraine Focus’:
https://ukrainefocus.org/

How a bombed-out café became a symbol of hope in Kyiv (Antonia Langford for The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/25/how-a-bombed-out-cafe-became-a-symbol-of-hope-in-kyiv/

UK sanctions crypto networks funding Putin’s war machine (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/26/uk-sanctions-crypto-networks-funding-putins-war-machine/

Does the "White Tiger" scene pose a new terrorist threat? (Der Speigel):
https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/white-tiger-droht-aus-der-szene-eine-neue-terrorgefahr-a-2a91696d-9746-40c1-8c30-a189f1fa7c01

Donald Trump’s Board of Peace fund is empty (Financial Times):
https://www.ft.com/content/5ba3bd2c-0e0e-4306-84be-99d6d89b0d49?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Nine countries pull out of Ukraine ammunition coalition (Financial Times):
https://www.ft.com/content/f5dd7bd9-6da8-438b-bf80-1f942b91333d?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Zelensky’s top negotiator flies to Berlin for talks with Germany, France, UK (POLITICO):
https://www.politico.eu/article/volodymyr-zelenskyy-top-negotiator-rustem-umerov-in-berlin-for-ukraine-peace-talks/

Exclusive: Zelensky sends Trump urgent letter warning of Ukraine's critical missile defense shortages (Kyiv Independent):
https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-sends-trump-urgent-letter-warning-of-critical-missile-defense-shortages/

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected] . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Fresh strikes against Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery
Antonia Langford joins us live from Kyiv
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,552.
Today, as Russia plays the victim, claiming its latest mass attack that killed and injured civilians over the weekend was a ‘retaliation’ for a Ukrainian attack, we ask who the audiences are for such cynical mischaracterisation. We report on Ukraine’s continued mid-range strike campaign that has forced Russia to limit traffic on the land corridor to Crimea and look at the upcoming NATO summit as the Secretary General says Britain, France and others have scuppered a proposal for allies to spend a quarter of one per cent of GDP on military aid for Ukraine. And later, we hear from our regular Russia expert about how there is speculation Putin is losing his power of speech.

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

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

CONTENT REFERENCED:
Putin burns through his best missiles in desperate Ukraine fightback (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/26/putin-burns-through-his-best-missiles-in-ukraine-fightback/

Britain rejects Nato plan for extra Ukraine military aid (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/24/britain-rejects-nato-plan-for-extra-ukraine-military-aid/

Putin’s mid-air hijackings turn Ukraine’s drones against Europe (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/22/putin-mid-air-hijackings-turn-ukraine-drones-against-europe/

Revealed: The secret suburban life of Britain’s greatest Cold War spy (The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/26/revealed-the-secret-suburban-life-of-britains-greatest-cold/

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected] . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Russia burns through best missiles in ‘desperate’ Ukraine fightback
Putin 'losing power of speech'
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,548.
Today, as the US administration reveals details of its participation in Vladimir Putin’s flagship business and investment forum, Russia and Belarus conclude major nuclear exercises just as Ukraine continues its campaign of strikes against oil and gas infrastructure near Moscow. We also examine Kyiv’s latest act of political trolling: a “Refinery Advent Calendar” tracking how many Russian energy targets Ukrainian forces have hit this month alone. And later, Dom reflects on a day spent deep inside a secret section of the London Underground, where he interviewed a senior NATO commander who warns that while Russia’s forces may not be unbeatable, they are now far more battle-hardened, battle-tested, and lethal than they were at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

NOTE: Monday 25th is a Bank Holiday in the UK. Normal service will resume on Tuesday.

Contributors:
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
With thanks to Lieutenant General Michael Richard Elviss, CB, MBE – commander of NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC).

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:

Dom’s Video interview with top NATO commander in secret London base:
https://youtu.be/vEKtKqMs-9E?si=Cp-3GOrW_dUcrLYG

Putin’s attack on Hungarians in Ukraine marks new phase of war (Verity Bowman in The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/21/putins-attack-hungarians-new-phase-ukraine-war-russia/

Austrian ex-intelligence officer found guilty of Russia spying charges (BBC):
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy21541dz4o

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on [email protected] . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Exclusive: Inside NATO's secret base preparing for war with Russia
Putin loses 145,000 troops in 2026
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.