Zelensky defies Trump with ‘massive’ raid on sites across St Petersburg

Day 1,695.
Today, following the temporary Starlink-Starshield shutdown last week, we reveal how Musk approached President Trump to slow down Starlink in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador to the EU – following Trump’s last minute executive order to block the bipartisan, Russian sanctions act – warns European companies face "devastating" retaliation from Washington if Brussels moves forward with plans to restrict American tech rivals. Meanwhile, with the so-called “energy ceasefire” a distant memory, we report on the continued attacks by both Russia and Ukraine, including a major strike on an oil terminal in St Petersburg. Finally, we turn to the fundamental questions facing Europe: who will be leading it in a few months' time, and how can pro-Ukraine politicians prepare for the worst case scenarios?

Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.
James Crisp (Europe Editor). @JamesCrisp6 on X.

Producer: Rachel Porter
Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett
Video Producer: Tom Steed
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:
telegraph.co.uk/telegraph-events/the-war-room

Exclusive: Musk approached Trump to slow down Starlink in Ukraine (Joe Barnes for The Telegraph)
telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/16/musk-app…

US threatens European companies over Starlink restrictions (Financial Times)
ft.com/content/d1e28d93-8574-4a46-946a-b261c40…

Zelenskyy says Ukraine 'will not prevail’ if U.S. takes Russia's side: Full interview (NBC)
nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/zelenskyy-say…

Europe’s populist Right has a Russia problem (James Crisp, Joe Barnes, James Rothwell, Henry Samuel and Meike Eijsberg for The Telegraph):
telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/19/putin-uk…

EU rushes to sanction Russia in case Le Pen takes power (The Telegraph)
telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/18/eu-rushe…

Trump: Zelensky never wanted to end Ukraine war (The Telegraph)
telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/18/rubio-no…

Latvia calls for visa ban on Russians (Financial Times)
ft.com/content/75a42e7d-1497-4760-bd75-1cbd083…

Learn more about ‘Ukraine Focus’:
ukrainefocus.org/about

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:
• Zelensky defies Trump with ‘massive’ raid on sites across St Petersburg
• Exclusive: Elon Musk approached Trump about limiting Starlink in Ukraine
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