Frontline: The War in Ukraine and Global Security

Putin’s crisis deepens as Ukraine launches huge assault on Moscow | Robert Fox 21.07.2026 33min

“That would’ve really hit public opinion. It’s like saying you can’t get anything from Amazon.”Putin is under pressure as Ukraine’s largest attack on Moscow, combined with hints of full mobilisation, leads to dwindling public support, says Robert Fox, defence editor at the Evening Standard and writer for the i paper. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin’s ageing circle of command is a sinking ship | Nikolai Petrov 10.07.2026 35min

“The only way to keep this system afloat is to construct it in a manual way and replace the old guys with the new generation.”Putin must replace his management system to survive, as his inner circle is now “of his age or older”, says political scientist and analyst Nikolai Petrov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin could face oligarch uproar as Ukraine strikes the heart of Russia | Cormac Smith 08.07.2026 29min

“Drafting troops from St Petersburg and Moscow would be a massive gamble.”The strikes on St Petersburg and Moscow are making Putin’s grip on power “more tenuous”, as the cities are home to the Russian leader’s largest support base: the oligarchs, says Cormac Smith, a former British diplomat to Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin’s nightmare: Ukraine demolishes Russia’s A2/AD and targets Crimea’s grid | Maj Gen Chip Chapman 07.07.2026 30min

“Crimea is becoming a burden for Russia.”Ukraine has paralysed life in Crimea with its recent attacks on energy grids and infrastructure, increasing the burden on Putin, says former Major General Chip Chapman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin left with no way out as Ukraine leaves Crimea in a deadlock | George Barros 17.06.2026 31min

“These longer to medium range strike drones are able to pick off the Russian trucks and trains.”Ukraine isolates Crimea through a thoughtout campaign which denies Russian land forces freedom of movement and freedom of manoeuvre, says The ISW’s George Barros. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin’s war machine at breaking point as Ukraine’s ‘Darwinian innovation’ excels 12.06.2026 25min

On today’s episode of Frontline, Kate Gerbeau speaks to Major General Richard Shirreff about Ukraine’s “Darwinian innovation” and he reacts to the breaking news of the UK defence minister’s resignation.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin ’terrified’ as he cowers in Kremlin, fearing Ukrainian hit | Hamish de Bretton-Gordon 10.06.2026 30min

“I understand Putin hasn’t been outside, as it were, for weeks, if not months now.”Putin is “terrified” of venturing outside of his “highly defended palaces or the Kremlin” as he fears being taken out by Ukraine, says Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, the author of ‘Tank Command.’  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin's peace narrative 'rendered useless' by Zelensky's cunning move | Scott Lucas 09.06.2026 26min

Professor Scott Lucas & Maddie Hale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin fears assassination as Russian outrage skyrockets | Maj Gen Chip Chapman 05.05.2026 28min

“Every authoritarian regime has an internet kill switch which they can employ, but the population do get generally quite disturbed when those things happen and it can exacerbate your economic model.”Putin’s paranoia is “elevated” as outrage from internet blackouts in Russia sparks fears of assassination for its president, says former Major General Chip Chapman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin faces economic crisis as Ukraine unlocks Russia’s achilles heel | Shaun Pinner 30.04.2026 30min

“We could walk back into the occupied territories without a shot being fired.”Ukraine has “clawed back the battlefield” by targeting Putin’s “achilles heel” with its strikes on Russia’s oil refineries, says former British Army soldier and journalist Shaun Pinner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin fears Nato's wrath as he faces the point of no return | Robert Fox 28.04.2026 28min

“If you were to get shooting Putin, if it were…if we have that in the channel or the Danish narrows, we could very quickly be in a chapter five Nato confrontation.”Putin could quickly find himself in a sticky situation if someone “gets fed up with him”, says The Standard’s defence editor and writer for The Independent and the i Robert Fox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin’s generals are ‘looking over their shoulders' as the GUR ramp up attacks | Lt Gen Ben Hodges 14.04.2026 29min

“It’s got an arm like the Mossad that can hunt down Russian generals and anyone else who is responsible for war crimes.”Putin's commanders will “spend the rest of their lives looking under their cars and checking over their shoulders” as the GUR will make their lives miserable, says Lieutenant General Ben Hodges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin loses key ally as Orban ejected from power in Hungarian elections 13.04.2026 23min

Putin ally Viktor Orban has stepped down after losing the Hungarian election, Michael Bociurkiw, Ukraine based journalist and former diplomat discusses what it means for Ukraine, Russia and European security on Frontline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are Ukrainian deep strikes putting pressure on the Kremlin? 02.04.2026 29min

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on how Ukrainian deep strikes are putting pressure on the Kremlin while Putin’s forces fail to advanceOlesia Horianinova, Co-Founder of The Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center discusses Ukraine’s reforms appearing to solve the problem of recruitment in the military and  a similar crisis emerging in Russia’s theatre destabilising the Kremlin's power. And Scott Lucas tells us that Putin's spring offensive has begun reports show Russia is making gains needed to make up for losses in early 2026 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin mulls last-ditch with Kremlin reshuffle and goes underground amidst Iran threat | John Foreman 25.03.2026 30min

“There are people saying one of the lessons the Kremlin has reiterated to it is the strength of American air power with what happened against the Ayatollah in Tehran and what happened to Maduro in Venezuela…maybe that fed Putin’s own paranoia.”Putin’s disappearance from the political stage after Iran war ruins his last-ditch attempt to sort Russia-Ukraine negotiations, says former UK defence attache to Moscow and Kyiv John Foreman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Putin is afraid’: The Russian leader avoids Kremlin as he fears for his own life | Sir Bill Browder 19.03.2026 24min

“These are the acts of a scared little man.”Vladimir Putin has switched off wifi access in Moscow and is avoiding the Kremlin by “hiding in a bunker somewhere” over fears to the risk to his own life, says financier and political activist Sir William Browder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin's War could be a mistake as casualties are rising! 19.03.2026 30min

Daniel Tkiie, Ukrainian news anchor and TV host, on how rising RUssian casualties are making putin’s war less and less popular among his people Scott Lucas Professor of International Politics, University College Dublin gives us insight into the American perspective of the war. And why Trump’s concession to Iran over the Straits of Hormuz hurt him, could be a big win for Putin and a big loss for the Republicans in the midterms?Diane Francis a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center tells us how the Ukrainian army has created digital killing zones and is creating a staggering amount of Russian casualties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin’s full-scale war has backfired against his own people | Daniel Tkiie 18.03.2026 27min

“Russian territory is so large that Ukrainian drones can evade Russian air defences.”Putin’s full-scale war against Ukraine has “backfired against Russia” as Ukraine ability to produce millions of drones can stop his offensive, says Ukrainian news anchor and TV host Daniel Tkiie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin loses fifth member of his inner circle | Diane Francis 17.03.2026 25min

“This is about the fifth person in his inner circle who was about to be arrested for corruption.”Putin’s problems amount as his éminence grise, Vladislav Surkov, “suddenly disappeared”, says Kremlinologist and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Diane Francis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin’s weaknesses exposed as Russian troops are wiping each other out | Robert Fox 12.03.2026 25min

“The weaknesses they have shown are very serious indeed…the quality of troops and fighting spirit, despite all their deprivations, the Ukrainian side is beginning to expose what a dreadful mess the Russian units are in .”Ukraine have been taking advantage of Putin’s weaknesses on the battlefield as Russian troops turn on each other, says The Standard’s defence editor Robert Fox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.