Ukraine: The Latest

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

Day 1,022.Today, Kyiv says it has enough money and weapons to resist Russia until mid-2025, and an interview with a rising star in President Zelensky's party.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Hamish de Bretton Gordon (Former Tank Commander). @HamishDBG on X.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.With special thanks to our guest Dmytro Natalukha @DmytroNatalukha on X.Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,021.Today, we consider the huge ramifications for Russia of the loss of its naval bases and influence over Syria, and look once again to the subject of war crimes and the kidnapping of Ukrainian children.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @barnes_joe on X.Con Coughlin (Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor). Nathanial A Raymond (Executive Director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health). @nattyray11 on X.Content Referenced:Assad: The Triumph of Tyranny (by Con Coughlin):https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/con-coughlin/assad/9781529074925Russia’s Systematic Program of Coerced Adoption and Fostering of Ukraine’s Children (Yale Report) - https://hub.conflictobservatory.org/portal/apps/sites/#/home/pages/ukraine-russia-children-adoptionStolen Ukrainian children put up for adoption on websites funded by Putin (The Telegraph) - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/03/stolen-ukrainian-children-forced-adoption-russia-putin/70% of Ukrainians support 'West German' model for NATO accession, survey shows (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/west-germany-survey/ Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,020.Today, following historic, impromptu meetings at the reopening of Notre-Dame in Paris - including between President Zelensky and President-elect Trump - we dig into the significance of Bashar al Assad's fall for Russia and Ukraine. And we interview author Jacob Heilbrunn about why some on the political right are sometimes attracted to the easy answers that dictators provide.Contributors:Venetia Rainey (Co-host Battle Lines podcast). @venetiarainey on X.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X.With thanks to Jacob Heilbrunn (Editor, The National Interest). @JacobHeilbrunn on X.Content Referenced:How Russia is expanding its military foothold in Africahttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/03/russia-expands-military-presence-libya-pictures/Jacob Heilbrunn's book, 'America Last':https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324094661Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,017.Today, as Kyiv forces launch a fresh assault in Kursk and capture Russian soldiers, we hear the mood in the combat zone of the Donbas, as Zelensky’s right-hand man Yermak tours Washington to speak to Trump’s team.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Tom Mutch (Freelance Journalist). @Tomthescribe on X.Ed Cumming (Senior Feature Writer). @edcumming on X.Content Referenced:Ukrainian special forces ‘capture 12 Russian soldiers’ in fresh Kursk advance (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/06/russia-ukraine-zelensky-putin-war-latest-news/Ukraine to open talks with Trump team on halting war (Wall Street Journal):https://www.wsj.com/world/ukraine-to-open-talks-with-trump-team-on-halting-warSubscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk