In this episode, we sit down with Francis Farrell in a Crimean restaurant in Kyiv. He's a seasoned war correspondent for The Kyiv Independent, together we discuss the latest developments in the war in Ukraine as of January 11th 2025, the day of the recording.

 Francis is a seasoned observer of the conflict and gives us a unique perspective on the fighting along the frontline, the role of drones in modern warfare, and the challenges facing Ukraine's leadership.

We also discuss the use of North Korean troops by Russia, and the impact the war is having on Ukrainian society. Francis shares his insights on the challenges of working as a journalist in a war zone, and how Kyiv Independent is continuing to deliver vital information to the world. 

If you want to support The Kyiv Independent, you can do it here.

In this episode, we sit down with Francis Farrell in a Crimean restaurant in Kyiv. He's a seasoned war correspondent for <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/">The Kyiv Independent</a>, together we discuss the latest developments in the war in Ukraine as of January 11th 2025, the day of the recording.
&nbsp;Francis is a seasoned observer of the conflict and gives us a unique perspective on the fighting along the frontline, the role of drones in modern warfare, and the challenges facing Ukraine's leadership.
We also discuss the use of North Korean troops by Russia, and the impact the war is having on Ukrainian society. Francis shares his insights on the challenges of working as a journalist in a war zone, and how Kyiv Independent is continuing to deliver vital information to the world.&nbsp;
<a href="https://kyivindependent.com/membership/">If you want to support The Kyiv Independent, you can do it here.</a>

Nettavisens prisvinnende podkast om krigen i Ukraina. Her snakker Tormod Malvin Sæther og Jørn Sund-Henriksen om siste nytt fra slagmarken, og andre nyheter om krigen og dens konsekvenser. Har du tips, innspill eller spørsmål? Ta kontakt på ukrainapodden@nettavisen.no

Nettavisens prisvinnende podkast om krigen i Ukraina. Her snakker Tormod Malvin S&aelig;ther og J&oslash;rn Sund-Henriksen om siste nytt fra slagmarken, og andre nyheter om krigen og dens konsekvenser. Har du tips, innspill eller sp&oslash;rsm&aring;l? Ta kontakt p&aring; ukrainapodden@nettavisen.no

Nettavisens podkast om krigen i Ukraina. Her snakker Tormod Malvin Sæther og Jørn Sund-Henriksen om siste nytt fra slagmarken, og andre nyheter om krigen og dens konsekvenser. Har du tips, innspill eller spørsmål? Ta kontakt på <a href="mai

Ukrainapodden

Nettavisens prisvinnende podkast om krigen i Ukraina. Her snakker journalistene Tormod Malvin Sæther og Anders Lohne Fosse med Nettavisens ukrainaspaltist Jørn Sund-Henriksen om siste nytt fra slagmarken, og andre nyheter om krigen og dens konsekvenser. Har du tips, innspill eller spørsmål? Ta kontakt på ukrainapodden@nettavisen.no

Nettavisens prisvinnende podkast om krigen i Ukraina. Her snakker journalistene Tormod Malvin Sæther og Anders Lohne Fosse med Nettavisens ukrainaspaltist Jørn Sund-Henriksen om siste nytt fra slagmarken, og andre nyheter om krigen og dens konsekvenser. Har du tips, innspill eller spørsmål? Ta kontakt på ukrainapodden@nettavisen.no

Ukraine's Frontline: A Conversation with Francis Farrell on Drones, North Korean Troops, and the War's Impact

Welcome to a brutally honest and eye-opening episode of Ukrainapodden. In this session, we are joined by Yevhen Hlibovytsky, one of Ukraine's most prominent thinkers, to dissect the profound layers of Western naivety and the geopolitical paralysis surrounding the war in Ukraine. Yevhen Hlibovytsky delivers a chilling critique of the current international strategy, arguing that treating this purely as a localized conflict ignores a dark reality: without a decisive stance, this will become the first theater of World War Three.

We dive deep into why both Moscow and Western analysts completely failed to predict Ukraine’s historic resilience. While Russia relied on cold quantitative metrics and the West analyzed formal institutions, both overlooked the invisible, self-reliant networks of Ukrainian civil society. Hlibovytsky challenges the Western concept of the «steel porcupine»—a strategy that cynically allows Ukraine to bleed eternally on its own territory while receiving financial aid.

The conversation exposes the sophisticated, legal corruption deployed by the FSB to compromise thousands of Western corporate managers, creating an embedded network of internal lobbyists who now attempt to slow down weapons supplies. We also confront the West’s ultimate taboo: the chaotic deconstruction of the Russian land empire. Hlibovytsky argues that Europe must transition from a comfortable welfare union into a powerful geopolitical union to survive the inevitable fallout of Russia breaking into smaller, indigenous statehoods. From decentralized drone innovation to the deep cultural divides between Ukraine and Belarus rooted in historical serfdom, this episode offers an unparalleled, high-level strategic analysis.

Welcome to a brutally honest and eye-opening episode of Ukrainapodden. In this session, we are joined by Yevhen Hlibovytsky, one of Ukraine's most prominent thinkers, to dissect the profound layers of Western naivety and the geopolitical paralysis surrounding the war in Ukraine. Yevhen Hlibovytsky delivers a chilling critique of the current international strategy, arguing that treating this purely as a localized conflict ignores a dark reality: without a decisive stance, this will become the first theater of World War Three.
We dive deep into why both Moscow and Western analysts completely failed to predict Ukraine&rsquo;s historic resilience. While Russia relied on cold quantitative metrics and the West analyzed formal institutions, both overlooked the invisible, self-reliant networks of Ukrainian civil society. Hlibovytsky challenges the Western concept of the &laquo;steel porcupine&raquo;&mdash;a strategy that cynically allows Ukraine to bleed eternally on its own territory while receiving financial aid.
The conversation exposes the sophisticated, legal corruption deployed by the FSB to compromise thousands of Western corporate managers, creating an embedded network of internal lobbyists who now attempt to slow down weapons supplies. We also confront the West&rsquo;s ultimate taboo: the chaotic deconstruction of the Russian land empire. Hlibovytsky argues that Europe must transition from a comfortable welfare union into a powerful geopolitical union to survive the inevitable fallout of Russia breaking into smaller, indigenous statehoods. From decentralized drone innovation to the deep cultural divides between Ukraine and Belarus rooted in historical serfdom, this episode offers an unparalleled, high-level strategic analysis.

EUROPE'S BETRAYAL: The secret anger growing in Ukraine. Guest: Yevhen Hlibovytsky

I dag har vi besøk av Tor Bukkvoll, sjeffforsker ved Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt. Sammen analyserer vi hvordan situasjonen har snudd betydelig siden september 2025, med Ukraina som nå demonstrerer at tallmessig underlegenhet kan kompenseres med overlegen teknologi og taktikk.

Bukkvoll forklarer hvordan Ukrainas revolusjonerende dronebruk har transformert konflikten gjennom 2026. Spesielt framheves angrepene mot den strategisk viktige Novorossijaveien, som forbinder okkuperte områder med Krym-halvøya. Trafikken har ifølge Robert «Madyar» Brovdi falt med cirka 70 prosent, og bensinmangelen på Krym har skapt kilometerlange køer og desperate rasjoneringstiltak.

Samtidig er Ukraina under sterkt press, spesielt rundt Kostjantynivka i Donbas.

Episoden dekker også den prekære situasjonen for russisk rekruttering, hvor kvaliteten på nytt personell synker dramatisk. Russland holder tilbake erfarne styrker mens utrente rekrutter sendes direkte til fronten, noe som kan forklare den stagnerende russiske framgangen.

En særlig mørk del av samtalen omhandler systematisk tortur av ukrainske krigsfanger, hvor tilnærmet hundre prosent rapporterer mishandling. Bukkvoll avdekker hvordan det russiske fengselssystemets spesialstyrker, opprinnelig designet for å slå ned fangeopprør, nå systematisk torturerer ukrainske soldater som del av et «omskoleringsprosjekt» for å overbevise dem om at de egentlig er russere.

Teknologiske nyvinninger som bakkedroner og fjernstyrte våpensystemer diskuteres som potensielle game-changere, med prognoser om at infanteristyrker kan reduseres med 30 prosent. Samtidig analyseres Ukrainas strategiske angrep på russiske våpenfabrikker, inkludert det siste Flamingo-missilangrepet dypt inne i Russland.

 

I dag har vi bes&oslash;k av Tor Bukkvoll, sjeffforsker ved Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt. Sammen analyserer vi hvordan situasjonen har snudd betydelig siden september 2025, med Ukraina som n&aring; demonstrerer at tallmessig underlegenhet kan kompenseres med overlegen teknologi og taktikk.
Bukkvoll forklarer hvordan Ukrainas revolusjonerende dronebruk har transformert konflikten gjennom 2026. Spesielt framheves angrepene mot den strategisk viktige Novorossijaveien, som forbinder okkuperte omr&aring;der med Krym-halv&oslash;ya. Trafikken har if&oslash;lge Robert &laquo;Madyar&raquo; Brovdi falt med cirka 70 prosent, og bensinmangelen p&aring; Krym har skapt kilometerlange k&oslash;er og desperate rasjoneringstiltak.
Samtidig er Ukraina under sterkt press, spesielt rundt Kostjantynivka i Donbas.
Episoden dekker ogs&aring; den prek&aelig;re situasjonen for russisk rekruttering, hvor kvaliteten p&aring; nytt personell synker dramatisk. Russland holder tilbake erfarne styrker mens utrente rekrutter sendes direkte til fronten, noe som kan forklare den stagnerende russiske framgangen.
En s&aelig;rlig m&oslash;rk del av samtalen omhandler systematisk tortur av ukrainske krigsfanger, hvor tiln&aelig;rmet hundre prosent rapporterer mishandling. Bukkvoll avdekker hvordan det russiske fengselssystemets spesialstyrker, opprinnelig designet for &aring; sl&aring; ned fangeoppr&oslash;r, n&aring; systematisk torturerer ukrainske soldater som del av et &laquo;omskoleringsprosjekt&raquo; for &aring; overbevise dem om at de egentlig er russere.
Teknologiske nyvinninger som bakkedroner og fjernstyrte v&aring;pensystemer diskuteres som potensielle game-changere, med prognoser om at infanteristyrker kan reduseres med 30 prosent. Samtidig analyseres Ukrainas strategiske angrep p&aring; russiske v&aring;penfabrikker, inkludert det siste Flamingo-missilangrepet dypt inne i Russland.
&nbsp;

Putin fremstår svakere, russisk general drept og hvorfor torturerer Russland ukrainske krigsfanger? Gjest: Tor Bukkvoll

In this gripping episode of Ukrainapodden, host Tormod Malvin Sæther welcomes back two prominent voices from Kyiv’s defense and security apparatus: Lesia Ogryzko, Head of the Reforms Support Office at Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and leader of the Sahaidachnyi Security Center, alongside Yurii Buhai, advisor to the Reform Support Office and head of Transparency International Ukraine's supervisory board. Together, they outline a historic shift in the war and detail how Ukraine has seized a rare tactical and operational advantage over the Russian military.

The guests dive into the shifting battlefield strategy, explaining how Ukraine’s sophisticated drone warfare and «kinetic sanctions» are causing massive destruction to Russia’s energy infrastructure. With Russian monthly losses spiking to 35,000–36,000 soldiers in May, the Kremlin faces a severe logistics crisis and recruitment deficit against the strict «mathematics of war». Despite these vulnerabilities inside the Russian military machine, the discussion addresses the deep frustration over Western hesitation. While the EU’s financial support provides a baseline, Europe's lack of a unified security policy and paralyzing fear of a total Kremlin collapse remains a major hurdle.

Additionally, the episode unpacks the geopolitical ripples of billionaire Roman Abramovich's secret meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, exposing the reality behind Moscow's cynical diplomatic maneuvers and the subsequent letter sent to Putin. Through sharp analysis, Ogryzko and Buhai urge international partners—especially forward-leaning nations like Norway—to shed their fears, scale up financial resources for domestic weapons production, and push for a definitive strategic defeat of Russia. Lesia Ogryzko and Yurii Buhai are colleagues at the Reform Support Office, and are also married.

In this gripping episode of Ukrainapodden, host Tormod Malvin S&aelig;ther welcomes back two prominent voices from Kyiv&rsquo;s defense and security apparatus: Lesia Ogryzko, Head of the Reforms Support Office at Ukraine&rsquo;s Ministry of Defense and leader of the Sahaidachnyi Security Center, alongside Yurii Buhai, advisor to the Reform Support Office and head of Transparency International Ukraine's supervisory board. Together, they outline a historic shift in the war and detail how Ukraine has seized a rare tactical and operational advantage over the Russian military.
The guests dive into the shifting battlefield strategy, explaining how Ukraine&rsquo;s sophisticated drone warfare and &laquo;kinetic sanctions&raquo; are causing massive destruction to Russia&rsquo;s energy infrastructure. With Russian monthly losses spiking to 35,000&ndash;36,000 soldiers in May, the Kremlin faces a severe logistics crisis and recruitment deficit against the strict &laquo;mathematics of war&raquo;. Despite these vulnerabilities inside the Russian military machine, the discussion addresses the deep frustration over Western hesitation. While the EU&rsquo;s financial support provides a baseline, Europe's lack of a unified security policy and paralyzing fear of a total Kremlin collapse remains a major hurdle.
Additionally, the episode unpacks the geopolitical ripples of billionaire Roman Abramovich's secret meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, exposing the reality behind Moscow's cynical diplomatic maneuvers and the subsequent letter sent to Putin. Through sharp analysis, Ogryzko and Buhai urge international partners&mdash;especially forward-leaning nations like Norway&mdash;to shed their fears, scale up financial resources for domestic weapons production, and push for a definitive strategic defeat of Russia. Lesia Ogryzko and Yurii Buhai are colleagues at the Reform Support Office, and are also married.

Ukraine's Frontline: A Conversation with Francis Farrell on Drones, North Korean Troops, and the War's Impact

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