Ukraine: The Latest

Today, in a special episode recorded before his death, David Knowles attends a football match in Ukraine, exploring how 'the beautiful game' has served as an anchor in a country at war. Produced by Rachel Porter.Donate to David's charity:This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,034Today, in addition to military and political updates, we report speculations about potential offensives over the New Year period, and feature an interview we did in Kharkiv with a lady who lived under Russian occupation. Then, we end with music in David's memory.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Venetia Rainey (Co-host Battle Lines podcast). @venetiarainey on X.Video of Kharkiv Dispatch with Francis:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi20lWX4FykDonate to David's charity:This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ Learn more Portsmouth Cathedral Choir:https://www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk/musicArticles Referenced:N. Korea preparing for additional troop deployment, suicide drone supply to Russia (Yonhap News Agency, South Korea):https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241223002700315Ukraine’s All-Robot Assault Force Just Won Its First Battle (Forbes):https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/12/21/ukraines-first-all-robot-assault-force-just-won-its-first-battle/Trump to demand Nato nations spend 5pc of GDP on defence (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/20/donald-trump-nato-nations-demand-increase-defence-spends/Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,031Today, as Kyiv comes under renewed intense bombardment, we speculate over a possible Russian advance in the South, and later, we interview a blind lawyer in Kharkiv.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist & narrative podcast producer). @adeliepjz on X.Donate to David's charity:This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ Francis's Article on the Kharkiv underground School, with photos and clips:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/2024/12/17/inside-kharkivs-underground-school-for-ukrainian-children/Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day : 1,030Today, as continued attacks on civilians in the Kherson area suggest Russia’s so-called 'human safari' is ongoing, we report on Putin’s annual press conference, where he said Russia had ‘reached all its goals’ in Syria. Then, our latest dispatch from the frontline city of Kharkiv.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Hamish de Bretton Gordon (Former Tank Commander). @HamishDBG on X.With thanks to our guests Luda and Ilia, and to Adélie Pojzman-Pontay.Donate to David's charity:This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ Francis's Article on the Kharkiv underground School, with photos and clips:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/2024/12/17/inside-kharkivs-underground-school-for-ukrainian-children/Articles Referenced:Putin: Russia ‘getting closer’ to achieving goals in Ukraine (Telegraph Live Blog):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/19/putin-moscow-ukraine-zelensky/ Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,029.Today, as the fallout from the assassination in Moscow of General Kirillov continues, we report on the environmental damage being wrought along Russia’s Black Sea coast following the loss of shadow-fleet tankers and examine the possible poisoning of the mother of Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X.Daniel Hardaker (Foreign Correspondent). @DanielHardaker4 on X.Donate to David's charity:This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,028.Today, we react to the news that the Russian general in charge of the military’s nuclear and chemical weapons division has been assassinated in a scooter bomb attack, we hear live from the Joint Expeditionary Force summit in Estonia, and we hear our latest dispatch from the frontline city of Kharkiv.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Hamish De Bretton-Gordon (Former British Army Tank Commander). @HamishDBG on XJames Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.With thanks to Jack Leather and Adélie Pojzman-Pontay for photographs, videos, and recordings.Donate to David's charity:This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ Francis's Article on the Kharkiv underground School, with photos and clips:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/2024/12/17/inside-kharkivs-underground-school-for-ukrainian-children/Articles Referenced:Why Russian blimps appearing on Nato’s border are a message from Moscow (James in The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/16/russia-mysterious-blimps-sow-fear-and-confusion-nato-border/The 500-mile high speed rail line that can carry Nato troops to a war with Russia (James in The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/17/rail-baltica-nato-troops-russia-estonia-latvia-lithuania/Russia’s War Economy Is Hitting Its Limits (Foreign Policy)https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/11/14/russia-war-putin-economy-weapons-production-labor-shortage-demographics/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=emailSubscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,027.Today, as video evidence emerges of North Korean troops in combat, in a special episode we hear a report David Knowles recorded before his death which looks deeper into the question of Pyongyang’s early involvement in this war, and hear about the charity we are fundraising for this year, in David’s memory.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist & narrative podcast producer). @adeliepjz on X.David Knowles (Host & Creator).With thanks to Damien Spleeters (Director of Expeditionary Operations, Conflict Armament Research) @damspleet on X, Ihor Nalyvaiko (translator), and the team from Conflict Armament Research in Kyiv.Donate to David's charity:This Christmas, the Telegraph is honouring the life and work of our late colleague David Knowles by working with Humanity & Inclusion, a charity helping the ill, vulnerable and disabled left behind in Ukraine’s warzones. You can donate here:https://telegraph.ctdonate.org/ Content Referenced:Telegraph’s David Knowles, who launched Ukraine podcast, wins posthumous award (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/12/15/the-telegraph-david-knowles-ukraine-the-latest-award/Russian oil tankers sink off coast of Crimea (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/15/russian-oil-tankers-sink-off-coast-of-crimea/Covert Shores:http://www.hisutton.com/Ukraine delays critical minerals deal with US ‘so Trump can claim credit’ (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/15/ukraine-delays-critical-minerals-deal-us-trump-claim-credit/Russia pulls hundreds of troops out of Damascus (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/6782dbd1-39cb-48b4-8b94-92925dbd60d5North Korean missiles produced in 2024 used in Ukrainehttps://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/15ae6ca767bc46a1b536ac7e2d962b66North Korean missile relies on recent electronic componentshttps://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0814c6868bbd45a98b15693a31bd0e7fDocumenting a North Korean missile in Ukrainehttps://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3a4e9d713f59426d9d1ea3881abecbf3Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,024.Today, amid renewed Russian bombardments across the entirety of Ukraine, we consider the impact of new weapons of war. Then, our first formal dispatch from the frontline city of Kharkiv.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Michael Bohnert (Engineer & Researcher, RAND Corporation). @mbohnert on X.With thanks to Oleh Synyehubov, Governor of Kharkiv Oblast.Articles Referenced:‘A brilliant journalist and brilliant human being’: David Knowles remembered with Public Service Awardhttps://pressgazette.co.uk/news/david-knowles-francis-dearnley-public-service-british-journalism-awards-2024/Russian spy ring ‘plotted to exploit small boats crisis to abduct journalist in UK’https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/12/10/russian-spy-ring-plotted-to-exploit-small-boats-crisis-to-a/Russian missile scientist ‘assassinated by Ukrainian special forces’https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/12/russian-cruise-missiles-designer-assassinated-by-ukraine/Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,023.Today, as Russian forces seek to capitalise near Pokrovsk, we consider the reasons for a drop in Russian air strikes, and hear about an extraordinary case of alleged Kremlin spycraft.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Kilner (Moscow Desk). @jkjourno on X.Hayley Dixon (Special Correspondent). @haylesdixon on X.Content Referenced:Russian spy ring leader described honeytrap agent as a ‘true sexy bitch’, court hearshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/02/russian-spy-ring-leader-honeytrap-agent-sexy-bitch/Russia uses civilians as ‘target practice’ for killer drones https://www.ft.com/content/31b630b3-2639-456c-ba50-3caea7a9b2b5 Macron, Tusk to discuss deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine after ceasefirehttps://kyivindependent.com/macron-tusk-to-discuss-deploying-peacekeepers-to-ukraine-bloomberg/Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk