Ukrainian troops ‘cross river’ as Donbas advance continues & Russia drafts children from occupied territories into army

Day 1,685.
Today, as reports emerge of a possible Ukrainian advance in the Donbas with some Russians saying they are ‘doomed’, Dom asks: is this Vivaldi’s fourth season? Russia continues its campaign of state terrorism with a drone strike on a kindergarten and we report powerful testimony from inside the besieged and occupied town of Oleshky. Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is said to be trying to negotiate a deal with Russia to reopen the Nord Stream pipeline, just as a Ukrainian delegation arrives in Florida to try to negotiate a deal to end the war. And later, Adelie speaks to a human rights lawyer about recent reports of children from territories occupied since 2022 being drafted into the Russian army.
Image: Ukrainian service members cross a river outside the city of Sievierodonetsk in 2022.

Contributors:
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.
Mykola Bielieskov (Research Fellow at Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies). @MBielieskov on X.
With thanks to Kateryna Rashevska.

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

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:
Buy tickets to ‘War Room’, a new interactive event in London, hosted by Dom:
squadup.com/events/the-war-room
Use code UTL20 for 20% off (first 30 users only)

If you’re interested in sponsoring Dom’s upcoming defence event, email our colleagues at events@telegraph.co.uk

Regional Center for Human Rights:
rchr.org.ua/en

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:
– Ukrainian troops ‘cross river’ as Donbas advance continues
– Russia drafts children from occupied territories into army
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.