Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,678.Today, Ukraine successfully uses its FP-7 ballistic missile for the first time, though they won’t disclose on what or where. Meanwhile, reports point to Russia's sinister plans for the winter which include isolating Ukraine’s main largest cities from the power grid. Russia has vowed to use ‘all the weapons at its disposal’ in case of a war against Nato. We bring you a Telegraph scoop on the Russian biker who masterminded the Leipzig drone incident, plus exclusive footage from a former Ukrainian drone pilot.Contributors:Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.Jade McGlynn (Senior research fellow, King’s College London). @DrJadeMcGlynn on X.With thanks to Dimko Zhluktenko, from the 413th Regiment of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (@dim0kq on X).Producer: Rachel PorterSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Tom SteedSocial Producer: Natalia MakohonStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW 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/@UkraineTheLatestCONTENT REFERENCED:Putin has told military leaders to abandon rules of war, Zelenskyy says (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/c2ad4cd1-a08a-4f55-8d57-fa83dbfa98af?syn-25a6b1a6=1Exclusive: The Russian biker ‘spy’ behind airport drone attack (The Telegraph and Welt am Sontag): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/02/unmasked-russian-biker-spy-leipzig-airport-drone-attack/Russia Is Planning Its Most Powerful Blow Yet to Try to Freeze Ukraine (The New York Times):https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/world/europe/russia-ukraine-winter.htmlUkraine Has an F-16 Emergency (Wall Street Journal):https://www.wsj.com/opinion/ukraine-f-16-maintenance-delays-russia-sabena-engineering-85ca626aDr Jade McGlynn’s Insights survey of internally displaced persons (Centre for Statecraft and National Security, King's College London):https://totinsights.org/idp-survey-2026.htmlDimko’s charity Dzyga’s Paw:https://dzygaspaw.com/Dimko’s book, Ordinary Guy At War:https://kovyla.pub/books/ordinary-guy-at-war-a-ukrainians-journey-paperback-29On the double biopic about Charles de Gaulle wartime actions, Résistance (Part I) and Liberté (Part 2):https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28553375/If you’re interested in sponsoring Dom’s upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at [email protected] US:Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.Thumbnail image credit: @ZelenskyyUa/XHIGHLIGHTS:Ukraine fires home-grown ballistic missile in combat for first timeExclusive footage: 24 hours as a frontline drone pilot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,677.Today, on Ukraine’s Day of Defenders, Russia unleashes a new weapon against the country, one specifically designed to hurt civilians as winter approaches. Another school in Kyiv is hit and the British Foreign Office adds 31 more names to its list of sanctioned Russians, along with personal details including a few phone numbers. We gave one of them a ring. Russia seemingly gets the wrong end of the stick and threatens nuclear war over its Kaliningrad enclave. Later, Francis speaks to the director of a Lviv-based institute promoting Ukrainian culture and documenting Russia’s war in the form of folk tales.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Sophie O’Sullivan (Telegraph journalist).Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to Sasha Dovzhyk, founder of Index: institute for documentation and exchange.Producer: Rachel PorterSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O’SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW 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/@UkraineTheLatestCONTENT REFERENCED:Pentagon excludes key allies from NATO meeting (Politico)https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/30/trump-nato-allies-left-out-01100310Lockheed Martin in ‘Deep’ Overseas Patriot Production Talks as Ukraine Eyes Domestic Output (Kyiv Post)https://www.kyivpost.com/post/85792'Apocalypse Baroque: Tales from Ukraine at War' by Sasha Dovzhyk:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apocalypse-Baroque-Tales-Ukraine-War/dp/1917569319 Victoria Amelina Fellowship Programme 2027 (INDEX):https://www.index-ukraine.org/en/news/vidkritij-konkurs-na-stipendiyu-imeni-viktoriyi-amelinoyi-2027 If you’re interested in sponsoring Dom’s upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at [email protected] US:Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Russia launches new missile at Ukraine designed to destroy energy infrastructureMoscow lost 46,000 troops in September, its highest monthly toll of the year Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,676.Today, amid yet more deadly strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding oblast – and as parts of airspace above Poland are once again shut down – we bring you developments causing deep concern across Europe. President Trump, frustrated by the lack of progress and eager to unlock a path to business, is reportedly considering a deal with the Kremlin that would see the US ease sanctions on Russia in exchange for the release of political prisoners. Then, Francis is joined by journalists from the Kyiv Independent to talk about why Ukrainians feel “betrayed” by Europe.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to Francis Farrell, Toma Istomina, and Dominic Culverwell of the Kyiv Independent.Senior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O’SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW 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/@UkraineTheLatestCONTENT REFERENCED:Exclusive: Trump's push for a Ukraine energy truce runs into a Putin problem (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-push-for-a-ukraine-energy-truce-runs-into-a-putin-problem/Putin envoy, US officials discussed Ukraine war and energy initiatives, US official says (Reuters)https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-envoy-us-officials-discussed-ukraine-war-energy-initiatives-us-official-2026-09-29/Trump’s Latest Appeal to Russia Could Outrage Even His Allies (Simon Shuster for The Atlantic)https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/09/trump-russia-putin-ukraine-sanctions/688808/Frontline Club Event with the Kyiv Independent on 1st October (Francis Dearnley moderating):https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/panel-discussion-ukraine-inside-their-war-tickets-2000033706656?aff=oddtdtcreator The Kyiv Independent Live in London on 2 October:https://tickets.kyivindependent.com/events/thekyivindependentlive/2281999/r/frontline If you’re interested in sponsoring Dom’s upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at [email protected] US:Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Fleeing Russians using Ukrainian civilians as 'human shields' in KharkivHuge blaze after Russian bomber crashes in Far East Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,675.Today, after more deadly daytime raids strike Kyiv – with people climbing out the windows of burning buildings – we hear how Poland is changing its rules of engagement regarding drones entering its airspace as the number of incursions continue to rise across Europe. Then we do a deep dive into the future of modern warfare and defence procurement following a new long read by the former Secretary of the US Army and The Telegraph’s exclusive interview with Ukraine’s Drone Chief, Robert ‘Magyar’ Brovdi.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 XProducer: Rachel PorterSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O’SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW 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/@UkraineTheLatestCONTENT REFERENCED:RAND paper: Tomorrow's Victory and the Army of the Future: Forecasting the Next Steps in Ukraine's Military Evolutionhttps://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2026/09/tomorrows-victory-and-the-army-of-the-future.html?project=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=1789510664&utm_medium=rand_social&utm_source=twitterRussia attacks scientists in strikes on Kyiv (Antonia Langford for The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/28/russia-attacks-scientists-kyiv-national-academy-fire/Rewiring the Arsenal of Democracy (Dan Driscoll for Foreign Affairs)https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/rewiring-arsenal-democracy-war-dan-driscollFrontline Club Event with the Kyiv Independent on 1st October (Francis Dearnley moderating):https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/panel-discussion-ukraine-inside-their-war-tickets-2000033706656?aff=oddtdtcreatorThe Kyiv Independent Live in London on 2 October:https://tickets.kyivindependent.com/events/thekyivindependentlive/2281999/r/frontlineDavid Knowles’s episode dedicated to Babyn Yar:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/gas-shortages-finally-hit-moscow-as-kyiv-intensifies/id1612424182?i=1000728581605If you’re interested in sponsoring Dom’s upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at [email protected] US:Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Scientists cling to burning building after Russian raidUkraine's Operation Vivaldi liberates occupied villages Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,674.Today, as Russia’s manufactured humanitarian catastrophe in the occupied town of Oleshky attracts global attention, amid reports civilians are now resorting to eating grass and weeds, the Council of Europe shows the United Nations how to respond. Victor Orban’s year gets even worse, and look who’s back! Mykhailo Fedorov launches his Army of Robots. Later, we have an exclusive interview with the head of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces and pioneer of modern warfare: Robert Brovdi, callsign ‘Magyar’, during which he says he’s supremely relaxed about the prospect of another possible Russian mobilisation, saying, "we are ready to welcome these limitless portions of stewed meat”.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Antonia Langford (Freelance Journalist in Kyiv). @Antonialford on X.Producer: Rachel PorterSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O’SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesFor the Brovdi interview:Additional reporting: Kateryna Hatsenko and Oleksiy MuzchynaVideographer: Edward MatthewsEditor: Josh BourneTranslation: Natalia MakohonProducer: Jack LeatherNOW 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/@UkraineTheLatestCONTENT REFERENCED:‘We will turn Putin’s new foot soldiers into stewed meat’ (full written interview with Robert Brovdi, by Antonia Langford for The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/28/we-will-turn-putins-new-foot-soldiers-into-stewed-meat/If you’re interested in sponsoring Dom’s upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at [email protected] US:Contact the team on [email protected]. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Exclusive interview with Ukraine’s drone chief Robert ‘Magyar’ BrovdiRussia’s manufactured humanitarian catastrophe in the occupied town of Oleshky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.