Ukrainecast

There were unprecedented scenes at Alexei Navalny?s funeral in Moscow on Friday, as thousands turned out to pay their respects to the dead opposition leader.

But will there be consequences? And can people meaningfully protest in modern-day Russia?

We hear from one woman who?s previously been arrested for protesting against the war and why she won?t stop.

And Dan Storyev from the monitoring group OVD-info English discusses the challenges facing what?s left of democracy in Russia.

Today?s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet and Vitaly Shevchenko. Francis Scarr provided translation. The producers were Ivana Davidovic, Cordelia Hemming and Keiligh Baker. The technical producers were Sam Dickinson and Rohan Madison. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

How significant are Russia?s recent gains on the battlefront?

Karolina Hird, from the Institute for the Study of War, explains the current situation on the ?dynamic? front-line, what a good year would look like for Ukraine and why the fall of Avdiivka isn?t as strategically important for Russia as it may seem.

And we hear from one Ukrainian soldier on why he decided to sign up to fight just six months ago.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.

The producers were Keiligh Baker, Clare Williamson, Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480 You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its third year.

This is today's episode from The Global Story, and we thought you might want to listen to it.

A surgeon in a wheelchair, an indomitable grandmother, and a man taking care of eight cats in a bombed-out flat: just some of people the BBC?s Andrew Harding has met on repeat trips to Ukraine?s front lines. He and the BBC?s Olga Robinson, who has family in Russia and Ukraine, talk to Katya Adler about the power of individual stories, two years since Russia?s full-scale invasion.

Today marks exactly two years since Russia launched it?s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In this episode, Victoria and Vitaly are joined by Serhiy, a Ukrainian soldier who experienced catastrophic injuries when his vehicle was blown up by an anti-tank landmine in November 2022. Along with his wife Valeriia, he reflects on the reality of life after the front-line - and his big plans to make Ukraine a more disability-friendly country for injured veterans like himself once the war is over.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Cordelia Hemming. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Saturday marks exactly two years of this conflict. On today?s special episode, recorded in collaboration with the Global News Podcast, BBC experts from across the world answer YOUR questions on the war.

Today?s episode is presented by Oliver Conway and Vitaly Shevchenko, with the BBC?s chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, in Kyiv, Russia editor Steve Rosenberg in Moscow and BBC Verify?s Olga Robinson. It was made in collaboration with the Global News Podcast team. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

In today?s Ukrainecast, the latest in our week of daily episodes to mark two years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Vitaly speaks to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the UN.

They discuss what America can realistically do to help bring the war to an end, if - and when - the $60bn of promised aid will actually get to Ukraine and what a Donald Trump presidency could mean for Ukraine.

Today?s episode is presented by Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic and Keiligh Baker. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

For this special episode, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tells us what it was like sitting at the UN table as news of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine broke.

He also talks to Victoria and Vitaly about how much power the UN has, whether it can stop the war and if accusations that it?s just a ?talking shop? hold any weight.

They also look to the future and how peace might be achieved.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer was Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Russia's election commission has disqualified anti-war challenger Boris Nadezhdin from standing as a candidate in next month's presidential vote.

He joins Victoria and Vitaly to discuss why he was barred, why he won?t stop campaigning for peace and his vow to follow in the footsteps of fierce Putin critic Alexei Navalny following his death.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Last November we were joined in the studio by Ukrainian journalist and writer, Mstyslav Chernov, who made the film '20 Days in Mariupol?. It?s just won the Bafta for Best Documentary, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to remind you of the episode. He described what it was like to shoot the documentary from inside Mariupol, and chronicles the Russian invasion of the Ukrainian port city in 2022.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producer was Tim Walklate. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Putin?s main rival, opposition politician Alexei Navalny, is dead according to the Russian prison service. An outspoken critic of the Russian leader, Navalny, 47, was serving a 19-year sentence in a Siberian jail when his death was announced on Friday morning.

BBC correspondent Sarah Rainsford, who was herself expelled from Russia, explains what we know so far - and if the Kremlin could face any consequences. And Georgian-Russian writer Boris Akunin, a long-standing critic of Putin and personal friend of Navalny, gives his reaction to the news.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic, Tim Walklate and Cordelia Hemming. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Sashko and his mum were separated after being captured by Russian soldiers in Mariupol. Now 13, Sashko hasn?t seen or heard from his mother for almost two years. Along with his grandmother, he tells Victoria and Irena their story and how they?ve not given up on their search for her.

And are Nato members pulling their weight when it comes to defence spending? Donald Trump claims he?d encourage hostile states to attack Nato countries who he says aren?t paying enough. Victoria and Irena discuss this with Professor Katarzyna Zysk, from the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, and put some listener questions to her. Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Irena Taranyuk. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

In his first interview with a Western reporter since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Russian president Vladimir Putin sat down with former Fox News host-turned-online commentator Tucker Carlson.

Over the course of a two-hour long, sometimes rambling, interview, Putin gave a 30-minute history lesson and said that ending the war is ?simple? - the West just needs to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine.

BBC?s Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg and Professor Angela Stent, an expert specialising in US and European relations with Russia, at Georgetown University in Washington, help Victoria and Vitaly unpick what Putin said - and how it might further his agenda with the American public.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Ten years ago this month Crimea was occupied and then annexed by Russia. We find out what it?s like to live there now. We also speak to journalist, film-maker and Russia specialist, Nick Sturdee. He?s interviewed families who have relatives currently being held prisoner in Crimea. Victoria and Vitaly also chat to Maria Tomak, head of the Crimea Platform, which is based in Ukraine and tries to raise awareness of the situation in Crimea.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

As Ukraine?s much discussed mobilisation bill returns to parliament, we catch up with friend of the podcast and student Vitalii Pashchenko, to find out how he and his friends feel about the conscription age being lowered from 27 to 25.

He tells us about life in Kyiv, and why his family have decided to return to Ukraine after fleeing to Poland at the start of the war.

Vitaly also speaks to Ukraine?s Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin, and his UK counterpart, Victoria Prentis. They reveal how Ukraine is investigating war crimes and seeking justice - and how the UK is assisting in this work.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Ivana Davidovic, Cordelia Hemming and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

The latest series of the award-winning BBC documentary Putin vs The West delves into the first year of the war through the eyes of some of its key figures - including President Zelensky, then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Director Tim Stirzaker explains the challenges of documenting a war when it?s very much on-going, and how the team managed to get the Russian ambassador to the UN to speak candidly on camera. And Natia Seskuria, a professor of Russian politics, breaks down the latest news from Russia, from an anti-war rock group facing deportation from Thailand to Putin?s only election rival vowing to end the war.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

After the downing of the Russian plane on Wednesday, Vitaly speaks to Petro Yatsenko, the Ukrainian spokesman for the coordination for the treatment of prisoners of war. Victoria and Vitaly also discuss the successes of his team?s ?I want to live? hotline that helps Russian soldiers defect.

And they?re joined by author and Time correspondent, Simon Shuster, to talk about his new book ?The Showman?. It follows President Zelensky and his team in the lead up to the full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. They discuss how the President has changed over the course of the war, and if being a comedy actor has helped him in his presidential role.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic, Clare Williamson and Keiligh Baker. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

A Russian plane has been shot down near the Russian-Ukraine border. Russia claims it was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were on their way to a prisoner swap. Ukraine claims it wasn?t told to secure airspace around Belgorod for the transportation of PoWs, as has happened in previous prisoner swaps. Earlier, Ukraine had claimed the plane had been carrying Russian weapons. So, who is to blame and what was on the plane? Victoria and Vitaly are joined by Olga Robinson of BBC Verify to discuss the latest.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producer was Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Several cities in Ukraine were hit this morning in the latest wave of Russian missile attacks, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens more. The assaults come after a series of blasts at the weekend in Russian-held Donetsk and St Petersburg.

The BBC?s Ukraine correspondent, James Waterhouse, and BBC Monitoring?s Russia reporter, Francis Scarr, explain the significance of attacks on Russian soil, plus the importance of Russia?s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov?s address to the United Nations.

Victoria and Vitaly also speak to the coach of a Ukrainian football team for amputee veterans injured during the war.

Today?s episode is hosted by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

With little progress being made on either side of the front line, Ukraine is also facing a challenge when it comes to the recruitment of new soldiers. A bill to increase the number of people who would be eligible to be conscripted recently stalled in the Ukrainian parliament. Victoria and Vitaly speak to Lily, who hasn?t seen her husband for nearly two years, after he volunteered to fight at the start of the war. She?s calling on the government to put a much shorter time limit on how long soldiers can serve. And Veronika Melkozerova, from Politico Ukraine, explains how many more soldiers are needed in Ukraine and what the situation is with the Russian army.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Matt Hewitt. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Lyudmila Huseynova was living and working in the Ukrainian border town of Novoazovs?k when she was arrested in 2019. As a Ukrainian patriot who refused to accept Russian citizenship, her actions angered Russian-backed separatists in the area, and she was taken to the notorious Izolyatsia prison.

She tells Victoria and Vitaly about life in one of the world's most infamous prisons, and how she found out about the full-scale invasion of Ukraine while in captivity.

And Samantha de Bendern from Chatham House explains what?s been happening at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as President Zelensky addresses world leaders there.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced the military aid package on a surprise visit to Ukraine where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. James Landale is travelling with the PM and sent us an update from on the ground.

The Economist?s Defence editor, Shashank Joshi, is back with us to help explain what the visit and the money means. And we get reaction to how this has been received in Ukraine from former defence official, Alexander Khara.

Also on today?s programme, we hear from Anastasia Taylor-Lind, a poet and photojournalist who has spent a decade documenting the war in Donbas.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Cordelia Hemming. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

What?s it like living in the Russian city under attack?

We hear from a man in Belgorod, the Russian border city that Ukraine is targeting with missiles.

Twenty-five people were killed and more than 100 others hurt there on 30 December, in what was one of the deadliest attacks on Russia since the full scale invasion. Missiles continue to be fired.

Russia editor Steve Rosenberg is on to tell us how Russians are reacting, and what it means for the future of the war.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Chris Flynn. The producers were Cordelia Hemming, Ivana Davidovic, Ben Tavener and Clare Williamson. The technical producers were Jack Graysmark and Philip Bull. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

Anna Olsen was working as an army paramedic in Ukraine?s 36th Brigade when she was captured by Russian forces during the siege of Mariupol.

The mother-of-one experienced psychological and physical torture before she was released in a prisoner exchange, after more than six months in Russian captivity. She tells us her story.

And the BBC?s Security Correspondent, Frank Gardner, explains the importance of the latest prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine - and why Middle Eastern countries have been mediating the process.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Cordelia Hemming and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

An update on the major aerial assaults by both sides.

Today?s episode is presented by Vitaly Shevchenko, Olga Robinson and James Waterhouse.

The producer was Cordelia Hemming. The technical producers were Matt Hewitt and Ricardo McCarthy. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

As the war in Ukraine approaches its second anniversary, what does 2024 hold for the conflict?

BBC correspondents from across the world join us for a one-off special, looking at how elections in the UK, US and Russia will affect funding and the frontline.

Europe editor Katya Adler, Russia editor Steve Rosenberg, Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse and US State Department correspondent Barbara Plett Usher join us to answer your questions.

Today?s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

What's it like to fight for your country over the festive season, when the rest of the world is celebrating with their family and friends?

We hear from an officer who heads an artillery reconnaissance team about what last Christmas was like - and his hopes for this holiday.

And Chef Zhenya has set up a military kitchen in Zaporizhya that makes 68,000 meals a week for a military unit. He tells us how he does it - and what he?s putting on the menu to celebrate the end of 2023.

And the BBC?s Irena Taranyuk has been busy cooking kutia, the traditional Ukrainian Christmas dish, which Victoria gets to try for the first time.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The programme was made by Clare Williamson. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

We revisit the bedtime story programme for children separated from loved ones because of the war in Ukraine.

We speak to Maryna, who is living in The Netherlands with her daughter, while her parents are still in Kyiv. They explain how important it is to hear family voices reading traditional Ukrainian stories.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Clare Williamson and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

It?s our final episode before Christmas and Ukrainecast has invited some of the Songs for Ukraine chorus, from London's Royal Opera House, to join us in the Radio 3 Classical Music studio.

As well as singing two traditional Ukrainian Christmas carols, we hear the stories of four members of the choir and conductor Danny Parashchak explains the importance of the songs.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. Today?s episode was made my Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Ross Saunders. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

A new investigation by BBC Eye, using just open source material and social media posts, follows the journey of a young Russian solider - from his conscription and training to his disappearance on the bloody Ukrainian front-line. Journalist Ned Davies reveals how they produced the shocking documentary.

And despite still being at war, Ukraine has started to re-build damaged cities like Bucha - often with large sums of money. BBC Radio 4 reporter Tim Whewell visited the city to meet the people behind the projects and spoke to some of those who are making allegations of corruption.

Today?s episode is presented by Lucy Hockings and Olga Robinson. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

President Putin has held his first televised news conference since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Russia editor Steve Rosenberg gives his verdict on the annual show.

And after a long night of intense talks, Ukraine is one step closer to joining the European Union - although long-term Putin ally Viktor Orban, of Hungary, vetoed a ?50bn aid package to Kyiv. Europe correspondent Sofia Bettiza, who was at the summit in Brussels, explains what happened.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker and the producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

President Zelensky is facing a challenging time. At home, his rule is becoming increasingly autocratic says the Mayor of Kyiv, Vitaly Klitckhko, and his Commander in Chief, General Zaluzhny, has also been openly critical.

As he heads to the US to secure a much needed funding package worth $61billion, Victoria and Vitaly talk to Lara Seligman, Pentagon Correspondent for Politico, and Samantha de Bendern from the think tank Chatham House, who is in Kyiv, to shed some light on the challenges facing President Zelensky.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

What?s life like for the women left behind following the capture of the Mariupol defenders?

During the siege of Mariupol, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers held out for several months inside the Azov steel works, until they were eventually instructed to surrender in May 2022.

Now prisoners of war, many have not been heard of for months.

We?re joined by two women who haven?t seen their husband and brother in over a year and a half, but still hold out hope.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Ukraine has again accused Russia of committing war crimes, as a viral video appears to show two unarmed Ukrainian soldiers being shot dead as they attempt to surrender. We look at whether a war crime has been committed, with Kateryna Stepanenko from the Institute for the Study of War, which has been closely monitoring the conflict since day one. And six months on from the Kakhovka Dam explosion, we explore what is happening in the region and see what archaeologists have found since the waters subsided.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. It was made by Keiligh Baker and the producers were Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Geolocation, misinformation, verification? we answer your questions on how the BBC monitors and reports on the most important events of the war in Ukraine.

Olga Robinson, an editor at BBC Monitoring and Verify specialising in Russian disinformation, and Francis Scarr, a journalist at BBC Monitoring, join Vitaly in the Ukrainecast studio and reveal all.

Today?s episode is presented by Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic and Keiligh Baker. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

As Ukraine and Russia are hit by ?the storm of the century,? how does winter weather affect troops on the front line? The BBC?s Security correspondent, Frank Gardner, and Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse discuss who stands to benefit from bad weather - and Russia?s biggest drone attack on Kyiv yet. And Ukrainian journalist Maria Romanenko, who fled Kyiv in March 2022, joins us from Manchester, where she hosts walking tours for newly arrived Ukrainian refugees.

Today?s episode is presented by Vitaly Shevchenko and Irena Taranyuk. It was made by Keiligh Baker and the producers were Clare Williamson, Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Last week Sonya?s girlfriend, artist Sasha Skochilenko, was convicted of spreading "false information" about the Russian army for putting anti-war stickers on grocery products.

The same day she was sentenced to seven years in a penal colony, Putin pardoned a convicted murderer. Dr Jade McGlynn, Research Fellow, The Department of War Studies at King's College, reflects on what this development means for Russian society, and whether Putin?s ?peace? comments have any weight behind them.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko.

It was made by Keiligh Baker with Lucy Boast, Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Ricardo McCarthy. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

What?s life like inside the Russian-occupied city?

We?re joined in the studio by Ukrainian journalist and writer, Mstyslav Chernov, who made the film '20 Days in Mariupol?. He describes what it was like to shoot the documentary from inside Mariupol, which chronicles the Russian invasion of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol in 2022.

And Zhanna Bezpiatchuk from the BBC Ukrainian service gives us an insight into everyday life there under Russian occupation today.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Thousands of men have fled Ukraine to avoid conscription, according to a BBC investigation. The BBC?s Kateryna Khinkulova joins us in the studio to explore why, as well as the moral dilemma facing those who attempt to escape the draft.

Sam Cranny-Evans from the London-based security think-tank, the Royal United Services Institute, examines how the war might pan out in the coming years.

And what does Lord Cameron?s visit to Kyiv tell us about British priorities?

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Gabriel Gatehouse. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov, Madeleine Drury and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

A new investigation claims a Ukrainian military officer coordinated the attack on Russia's Nord Stream pipelines. But was he acting as a maverick? Or on behalf of Ukraine?

We hear from James Waterhouse in Kyiv and Newsnight?s diplomatic editor Mark Urban, and get the latest update on the "stalemate" war.

And we catch up with Olga, a teacher from Kherson, who has lived through Russian occupation, constant bombardment and floods. She tells us what life was like under Russian occupation and how that compares with life one year after her city was liberated.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov, Madeleine Drury and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

In February, Ukrainecast collaborated with BBC Newsnight on a live show to mark the first anniversary of Russia?s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

One of the guests was Elya, who was just 17 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

After two weeks hiding with her family in their building?s basement, a missile strike on another floor prompted her to flee. She reunites with Victoria and Vitaly to discuss what has happened to her since.

And the BBC?s Sofia Bettiza discusses Ukraine?s chances of joining the EU.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

After Ukraine?s commander-in-chief described the war as being at a stalemate, and President Zelensky?s subsequent denial that his country?s efforts are faltering, how is the counter-offensive progressing?

We?re joined by military analyst Justin Crump, Catherine Sendak from the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington DC and hear from a soldier on the frontline.

Today?s episode is presented by James Waterhouse and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Matt Hewitt. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

How serious a threat are landmines to Ukraine?

Jasmine Dann from the Halo Trust in Mykolaiv and Paul Heslop at the UN Development Programme in Ukraine answer listener questions about the huge challenge of clearing the millions of landmines in Ukraine.

And we hear from the Economist?s Arkady Ostrovsky about his interview with the commander of Ukraine's armed forces, Valery Zaluzhny.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

An antisemitic mob stormed Makhachkala airport in Dagestan over the weekend, looking for Jewish passengers arriving from Israel.

What could this violence mean for the Kremlin?

To answer this - and more - Victoria and Vitaly chat with author and journalist Oliver Bullough and Nina Khrushcheva, a professor of International Affairs at The New School in New York.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Is private military group Redut taking the place of Wagner?

Since the death of Russian mercenary leader and oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, a number of groups have been vying to take the place of the Wagner mercenary group he built up. So who are they, what is the difference between them, and who are they recruiting? The BBC?s Lisa Fokht has been investigating...

And we hear from Ukrainian composer Iryna Gould delivering musical instruments to children in frontline towns. She tells us about the importance of music for young people in war zones.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic and Clare Williamson. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

A Ukrainian mother from Kherson whose teenage son was taken to a 'summer camp' by Russian soldiers talks about her epic journey to bring him home.

And award-winning film maker Shahida Tulaganova tells us about her new documentary, Ukraine?s Stolen Children.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic and Alex Collins. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

An exiled journalist?s tale of pain and love of Russia?

Elena Kostyuchenko speaks to Victoria and Vitaly about reporting on the war in Ukraine, having a hit put out on her and German authorities launching an investigation into her attempted murder after she experienced a sudden - and debilitating - mysterious illness.

Also, Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg discusses what a trip to the hairdresser revealed about Russian public attitudes to the war, President Putin?s latest calendar and an update on an old friend of his.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Phil Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

What winter and new weaponry means for the war?

Professor Michael Clarke and Russia analyst Anna Borshchevskaya discuss the importance of the eastern town of Avdiivka, President Putin?s visit to China and how a change in seasons might influence events on the battlefield.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

One woman?s tale of adversity, bravery and hope.

Hanna Berezynets gave birth to triplets on February 24, 2022, the same day Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Just a few short hours after the three baby girls were safely delivered at a hospital in Chernihiv, the entire family had to flee to the medical facility?s bomb shelter.

Hanna joins Victoria to tell her story.

Today?s episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire. Translation was provided by Irena Taranyuk. The producers were Arsenii Sokolov, Keiligh Baker and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Could Russia use conflict in the Middle East to its advantage?

The BBC?s Frank Gardner joins Hanna Notte, a Berlin-based analyst on Russian policy in the Middle East, to discuss what?s been happening in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Today?s episode is presented by James Waterhouse and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Yulia Volovik, Arsenii Sokolov and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Phil Bull. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast?s Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord.

Vitaly is in a Red Cross humanitarian aid centre in Przemysl, on the Polish-Ukrainian border, finding out what aid workers are doing to help Ukrainian refugees.

The BBC?s Kasia Madera, in North Macedonia, explains the up-coming Polish elections and attitudes towards the conflict in the rest of the region. Today?s episode is presented by Lyse Doucet and Vitaly Shevchenko. The producers were Keiligh Baker, Ivana Davidovic and Arsenii Sokolov. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Tim Walklate. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Email [email protected] with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.