Inside Oleshky’s chaotic evacuation as Russia ‘prepares fresh offensive’

Day 1,706.
As the first buses evacuate residents in Russian-occupied Oleshky, Dr Jade McGlynn puts us on the ground with reports from local sources. During a brief local ceasefire, brokered by US first lady Melania Trump, she tells us about residents’ mistrust of the process and fear of Russian authorities, to the point that some may prefer to stay in the starved city. In Russia’s Samara oblast, a Ukrainian strike transforms an oil refinery into an apocalyptic landscape, amid reports that Kyiv defied President Trump’s energy truce. Finally, we discuss Washington’s latest plans to ease sanctions on Moscow and the closure of the last independent Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta.

Contributors:
Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.
Jade McGlynn (Senior Research Fellow, King’s College London). @DrJadeMcGlynn on X.
Sophie O’Sullivan (Telegraph journalist).

Producer: Rachel Porter
Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan
Social Producer: Tom Steed
Studio Director: Meghan Searle
Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley
Created by David Knowles

SUPPORT US – JOIN OUR MEMBERS’ CLUB
For more from the team, join UTL+. For a small monthly fee, you’ll get behind-the-scenes content, bonus videos, and discounted tickets to live events and merch: youtube.com/channel/UCdHjleMvPSs-JEjiQ8_D2cA/j…

If you joined shortly after we launched the membership scheme on Monday 26th October, email ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk with your YouTube handle and mailing address. If you’re one of the first 50, we’ll send you a mug!

You can also join in the conversation on our YouTube community page (it’s free!): youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest/community

Buy tickets to War Room, a new interactive event in London:
telegraph.co.uk/telegraph-events/the-war-room

Members of UTL+ can read the members-only YouTube post here to find out how they could win a free ticket:
youtube.com/post/UgkxqSgx1mio5cviI1WrQnrbAdIur…

NOW 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: youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:
Listen to Adélie’s interview with the mother of a Ukrainian child adopted by Putin ally
On Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nato-and-russia-…
On Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5qaTQOZyq5jVUK1B2U7Cq…

Residents leave devastated Russian-occupied Oleshky as evacuation corridor opens (BBC)
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c60me298k1yeo

Melania’s ceasefire is cover for major offensive, say Ukrainian soldiers (The Telegraph)
telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/30/melania-…

Ukraine Hits Russian Oil Refinery, Ending Pause and Defying Trump (Wall Street Journal)
wsj.com/world/europe/ukraine-hits-russian-oil-…

South Korean ‘tilt’ towards Russia alarms European allies (Financial Times)
ft.com/content/91f45684-1e10-4aa1-b1d5-019fc41…

EU governments helpless as energy prices soar to four-year highs (Politico)
politico.eu/article/eu-energy-prices-fossil-fu…

Ukrainian composer Lubomyr Melnyk
youtube.com/channel/UC7KVIfxOuAwtuVaWejKmKuA

EMAIL US:
Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Inside Oleshky’s chaotic evacuation as Russia ‘prepares fresh offensive’
• Ukraine ‘defies Trump’s energy truce’ with major strike on Russian refinery
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.