Battleground

In this episode of Battleground Ukraine, Saul David and Roger Moorhouse break down a week of high-stakes diplomacy and unexpected battlefield shifts as the war approaches its four-year anniversary.

The duo discusses the rapid collapse of the latest trilateral peace talks in Geneva, which ended in acrimony after just two hours as Russian negotiators refused to budge on territorial demands. Meanwhile, Kyiv sees a "gleam of sunshine" on the ground: Ukrainian forces have retaken 78 square miles of territory near Zaporizhzhia—the most significant gain in such a short window since 2023—thanks in part to a strategic communications blackout involving Starlink terminals.

Finally, we tackle the "disgraceful" Olympic disqualification of a Ukrainian athlete, Marco Rubio’s diplomatic tour of Eastern Europe, and the history of WWII German Special Forces.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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In this gripping episode of Battleground, Patrick Bishop and Saul David explore one of World War II's most daring commando raids: Operation Frankton, better known as the Cockleshell Heroes mission. In December 1942, twelve Royal Marines volunteers led by Major "Blondie" Hasler embarked on a near-impossible mission to paddle canoes 60 miles up the Gironde estuary to sabotage German blockade runners in the port of Bordeaux.

Against brutal Atlantic conditions, freezing temperatures, and constant threat of discovery, these men demonstrated extraordinary courage and determination. But the mission came at a devastating cost—only two of the twelve would survive. Patrick and Saul examine the meticulous planning, the catastrophic setbacks, and the ultimate question: was the strategic gain worth the human sacrifice?

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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In our weekly round up of the latest news from Ukraine, Roger Moorhouse and Patrick Bishop examine a week of "salient moments" that may signal a turning point in the war.

They discuss the Kremlin’s risky move to throttle Telegram, the deepening recession across 21 sectors of the Russian economy, and the high-profile assassination attempt on Lieutenant-general Vladimir Alexeyev.

The duo also breaks down the latest friction in the Abu Dhabi peace talks and the mounting pressure on President Zelensky to hold wartime elections.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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In this episode of Battleground: Special Forces, Saul David is joined by Julius Strauss to dive into the brutal history and mixed legacy of one of Russia’s elite units: Spetsnaz.

Julius provides a unique reporter’s perspective on the ground, reflecting on his own experiences embedded with these units during some of their most controversial deployments.

The episode focuses on two of the most infamous and tragic missions in Spetsnaz history, both of which Julius was present at: the 2002 Nord-Ost theatre siege in Moscow and the 2004 Beslan school siege. Together they examine the tactics, the hardware, and the devastating human cost of these operations, asking whether the Spetsnaz's "victory at any cost" doctrine remains their greatest liability.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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This week Patrick Bishop and Saul David examine a the latest news in week of deadly limbo in Ukraine as Donald Trump’s promised "energy truce" is shattered by a record-breaking Russian bombardment in -20°C temperatures.

We analyse why Moscow’s advances are now slower than the Battle of the Somme and discuss Elon Musk’s latest move to block Starlink from Russian drones.

Later in the episode, we are joined by friend of the pod Julius Strauss, who discusses the crumbling of the post-imperial space in the South Caucasus's. Fresh from a recent trip to Azerbaijan, we explore the waning Russian influence in the region, and how the Kremlin is losing its grip on a key strategic partner.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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