Ukraine: The Latest

Day 996.

Today, as Russia's state TV propagandists and government officials express delight at the Donald Trump's cabinet selections, we ask how feasible it would be for Ukraine to develop its own nuclear weapon.

Contributors:

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon (Chemical Weapons Expert and Former Tank Commander). @HamishDBG on X.

Kamal Ahmed (Director of Audio and presenter of The Daily T Podcast). @kamalahmednews on X.

Content referenced:

Lord Hague's Comments on The Daily T (The Telegraph):

Today, we discuss the new wave of bombardments on Kyiv, the latest appointments to the Trump administration and what it means for the wider West, and learn more about Radio Liberty’s impact during the Cold War. Then, later, we do a deep dive into the cosmopolitan history of the city of Odesa and what its people have endured over the course of the war.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Julian Evans (author of Undefeatable: Odesa in Love & War). @thejulianevans on X.

Julian Evans' book, Undefeatable: Odesa in Love & War

Day 994.

Today, we look at renewed Russian efforts to retake Kursk before Trump returns to the White House, consider the evidence Europe is responding to the threat of an American withdrawal, and assess potential new appointments in for the new government Washington. Then, later, we hear the euphoric memories of a Ukrainian officer who served in the historic Kharkiv counteroffensive.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

With special thanks to our guest, a Ukrainian officer we shall not name who served in the historic Kharkiv counteroffensive.

Content referenced:

Putin rushes to recapture Kursk from Ukrainians before Trump takes office (The Telegraph):

Day 993.

Today, after a weekend in which Ukrainian forces launched their largest ever drone attack on Moscow, and Russian losses in Ukraine reached a record daily high, we reflect on the Prague Defence Conference, with discussions centred heavily on President-elect Donald Trump.

Contributors:

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Day 990.

Today, we consider the Trump peace plan reportedly being mooted by his staffers, hear live from another vital summit of European leaders, and discuss a ‘shopping list’ of weapons and permissions Western leaders could action over the next two months to support Ukraine. Later, following the missile damage to Kharkiv’s iconic Derzhprom building, we do a deeper dive into the impact of this war on Ukrainian heritage and architecture.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.

James Crisp (Europe Editor). @JamesCrisp6 on X.

Michael Bohnert (Engineer & Researcher, RAND Corporation. @mbohnert on X.

With thanks to Ievgeniia Gubkina, Ukrainian architect, architectural and urban historian, and curator. @BartlettArchUCL on X.

Articles Referenced:

Trump mulls Ukraine peace plan: British troops patrolling an 800-mile buffer zone (The Telegraph):