Battleground

In this episode Saul and Patrick digest the news that seemingly the Ukrainian counteroffensive is gaining some traction on the western Zaporizhia oblast front, reports that President Putin will be asking North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to help him out, and the rather negative development that there’s been another corruption scandal inside the army with President Zelensky announcing he has sacked the longtime minister of defence Oleksii Reznikov.

There is also some interesting insight into the capabilities of the F-16 fighter jet, and some fascinating listeners questions.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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This week Patrick and Saul discuss the big news developments of the past week, Ukraine has taken out two Russian warships at the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in Sebastopol using cruise missiles. Also in the news, Vladimir Putin met North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in the far east of Russia, and there’s been some very encouraging predictions from US intelligence suggesting that a big Ukrainian breakthrough could come by the end of the year.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

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In this episode Saul and Patrick speak to Briton Aiden Aslin, who travelled to Ukraine in 2018 and enlisted with the Ukrainian 36th Naval Infantry Brigade. He describes his time on the frontlines in the Donbas before the full scale invasion was launched in February 2022, when he was deployed to Mariupol. Aiden was then surrounded by Russian forces in the Siege of Mariupol where he describes what it was like in the vast steel works complex in the final days of the siege before his surrender to Russian troops.

Join us next week for the second half of Aiden's interview when he describes his time in Russian captivity.

If you have any thoughts or questions, send them to [email protected].

Producer: James Hodgson

Twitter: @PodBattleground

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In light of Putin's call up of reservists, Patrick speaks to friend of the show Askold Krushelnycky, who's been in the recently recaptured areas of Ukraine around Kherson in the past week.

Twitter: @PodBattleground

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This week on Battleground: Ukraine - Patrick and Saul David discuss a fascinating week in which the word breakthrough has been heard everywhere. The Ukrainians are claiming a series of small victories that collectively could bring about a decisive and favourable shift in their fortunes. Also in the news is the spectacular cruise missile attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol, they discuss the significance of this and more, and answer a host of interesting listeners questions.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

Twitter: @PodBattleground

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