Frontline: The War in Ukraine and Global Security

“Russia has run out of people ready to be killed for $2,000 a month."Author and Russia/Ukraine expert Anna Zafesova joins Frontline presenter Amy Kellogg, as she lays out the state of the war, arguing that Putin is in a domestically vulnerable state. As new rumours swirl about potential Russian-US business deals on team Trump's wish list, she returns to address the age-old question: What, if anything, does Putin have on the US President?

“By definition, it’s not going to be a limited response from Nato; it’s going to be a regional response, including strikes inside Russia and the risk to go nuclear.”It is “erroneous” to think that Russia may launch an armed attack against the alliance, as Putin does not have the capability to fend off a Nato response, says John Foreman, former UK defence attaché to the Russian Federation.

“He better strike while the iron’s hot because eventually Nato is ogling other be, without the US, able to take on Russia … and that day will come.”Putin and Trumps cosy relationship will backfire as it has only made Nato stronger says former deputy assistant secretary of defence Jim Townsend.

“I’m not sure Putin will survive into that period, but at some point they are going to look back and say this is a disaster.”The Russians are going to “pay the price” down the line as Russia loses all Western investment and falls behind in innovation in the AI race while Putin focuses on his war in Ukraine, says Lord Ricketts.

“The conditions have not been set on the ground for Putin to realise he is not going to win.” False information from Russian generals means that Putin is in total denial about the fact that all of his military objectives have failed, says former British Army colonel and Frontline host Philip Ingram.

“The war is not going in any sense in Russia’s way.”Trump does not understand Putin’s true position in this war and exaggerates Russia’s strength, says Dr Jamie Shea, a former deputy assistant secretary general of Nato.

“Ukraine has said, ‘Right, if you want to do a pincer movement, you have to go through the fields, which makes you very vulnerable, and we will take you out.’”It is “thoroughly miserable” for the Russians on the frontline, as their military strategy is undermined by Ukrainian drone capabilities, says former Air Vice-Marshal Sean Bell.

You have been listening to Frontline, with Kate Gerbeau, Philip Ingram, Louis Sykes and Laura Martinez-Williams, produced by Times Radio.

“The Ukrainians have a way of fighting back to scorch his economy.”Putin is “stuck” in a “dangerous place” as he finds himself fighting against a resilient and adaptive Ukraine, says Sir William Browder.