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Battleground

Battleground

By: Goalhanger
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A history podcast that explores the narratives, turning points, and characters that shape conflicts, encompassing a blend of social and military history. Following on from the series on the Falklands War, best-selling military historians Patrick Bishop, Saul David, and Roger Moorhouse turn their attention every Friday to the war in Ukraine, and every Wednesday look back at the significant wars, events, and figures from conflicts around the world. Goalhanger PodcastsGoalhanger Podcasts World
Episodes
  • 407. Black Smoke Over St Petersburg: Ukraine Targets Putin’s "Russian Davos"

    407. Black Smoke Over St Petersburg: Ukraine Targets Putin’s "Russian Davos"
    Jun 5 2026
    In this episode, Patrick and Roger dive into what has officially become the new reality: Ukraine has gained the upper hand in the war against Russia. We break down the stunning and deeply embarrassing Ukrainian drone strikes on St Petersburg and the Kronstadt naval base—timed perfectly to shatter Vladimir Putin's illusion of stability right as he hosted his flagship economic forum. Not only did these strikes degrade Russia's crucial energy sector, but they successfully sank a Russian Navy corvette, the Boikiy, right in the headquarters of the Baltic Fleet. As Russia resorts to press-ganging occupied citizens and faces a widening budget deficit due to unsustainable military spending, we ask a critical question: With the US under Donald Trump seemingly losing interest and stepping back, can Europe fill the diplomatic and military vacuum to maintain this forward momentum? To help answer this, we are joined by renowned historian, author, and political commentator Dr. Helene von Bismarck. We get her expert diplomatic perspective on a weakening Russia, a strengthening Ukraine, and what comes next for European security. Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com Follow us on: X - @PodBattleground Instagram - podbattleground Producer: James Hodgson A Goalhanger Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • 406. Fighting the War Within – Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Battle

    406. Fighting the War Within – Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Battle
    Jun 2 2026
    As the brutal conflict continues, Ukraine is fighting a war on multiple fronts—not just in the trenches, but internally within the corridors of power against a long-standing weapon of Kremlin information warfare: the accusation of irredeemable corruption. In this episode, hosts Saul David and Julius Strauss sit down in Kyiv with Andrii Borovyk, the executive director of Transparency International Ukraine, for a brutally honest assessment of where the country stands today. Borovyk pulls back the curtain on the Global Corruption Perception Index, exploring how Ukraine remarkably managed to stabilize and even improve its score during wartime—a feat virtually unheard of for a nation in conflict. The conversation dives deep into the high-stakes friction between wartime efficiency and democratic transparency, covering: The Reality of the Index: Exactly where Ukraine sits globally, how its score compares to neighbours like Hungary and Slovakia, and why the metric is about external perception rather than a direct measurement of ground-level corruption. The High-Stakes U-Turn: The dramatic, late-night political maneuvering surrounding a controversial bill aimed at bringing anti-corruption agencies under political control, the ensuing public protests, and the resulting erosion of international trust. Watchdogging under Fire: How Transparency International Ukraine operates on the policy and legislative levels, saves millions for the state budget through public procurement monitoring, and the institutional distrust surrounding agencies like the State Bureau of Investigations. The Leadership Report Card: A candid evaluation of Ukrainian leadership—from Yanukovych to Poroshenko and Zelenskyy—in their historical and current fights against corruption. The Path Forward: The heavy influence of international leverage (like the EU and IMF) on pushing reforms forward, and a sobering look at Ukraine's post-war future, demographic challenges, and shifting immigration needs. Julius Strauss writes the blog Back from the Front and also owns and runs Wild Bear Lodge, a bear-viewing lodge, in Canada. Check out both in the links below: Substack: https://backfromthefront.substack.com/ Wild Bear Lodge: https://wildbearlodge.ca/ Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com Follow us on: X - @PodBattleground Instagram - podbattleground Producer: James Hodgson A Goalhanger Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr
  • 405. Escalation, Ambiguity, and the Ghost of Katyn

    405. Escalation, Ambiguity, and the Ghost of Katyn
    May 28 2026
    In this episode of Battleground Ukraine, Roger Moorhouse and Saul David analyse a week defined by Russian escalation, psychological warfare, and deep structural fractures behind the frontline. The Kremlin has intensified its campaign of domestic terror, launching a brutal round of strikes against Kyiv. Among the targets was the newly refurbished Chornobyl Museum—a deeply symbolic attack on historical truth and memory. Russia's deployment of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile has drawn fierce international condemnation, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas slamming it as "reckless nuclear brinkmanship." Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned US diplomats to evacuate the capital ahead of planned "systematic strikes"—a move the team discusses as classic coercive diplomacy designed to fracture Western support. The hosts also unpack the murky diplomatic fallout surrounding a deadly strike on a dormitory in occupied Starobilsk, a location that carries chilling historical echoes of the 1940 Katyn Massacres. Despite Russia's aggressive rhetoric, the strategic picture tells a different story. Ukraine’s targeted long-range drone strategy continues to bite, successfully shutting down the massive Syzran oil refinery deep inside Russian territory and shifting battlefield momentum. This pressure is exposing cracks within Moscow itself, as reports emerge of an unprecedented split between "hawks" and "doves" among Russia's elite military analyst class. Finally, Roger and Saul dive into the listener mailbag to answer your questions on: Whether Russian electronic jamming is sending Ukrainian drones off-course into civilian buildings. The legal complexities and political fallout surrounding third-party Russian oil sanctions. The terrifying reality of Putin's nuclear brinkmanship. Whether the high-tech, 20-to-1 casualty ratio achieved in Kupiansk can be replicated across the entire front line. Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com Follow us on: X - @PodBattleground Instagram - podbattleground Producer: James Hodgson A Goalhanger Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    36 mins
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Really enjoying this podcast. Well presented and very informative. Just sorry you have had to report on Ukrainian for so long hope that war ends soon.

Great podcast.

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