‘Put Putin on trial’: pro-Kremlin hardliner turns on president & interview with Britain’s leading military expert

19 Mar 2026 · 52 min

Episode ‘Put Putin on trial’: pro-Kremlin hardliner turns on president & interview with Britain’s leading military expert

0:00 52:16

Day 1,484.

Today, as Russian casualty figures continue to climb, we ask whether Moscow’s long-anticipated spring offensive has already begun. We also return to the situation in Moscow, where Vladimir Putin has been absent from public view for several days, as a formerly loyal supporter issues a dramatic call for the Russian president to step down. Then we examine the significance of comments by the CIA director on Moscow’s involvement with Iran, before speaking to one of Britain’s leading historians of strategy about where the war now stands – and the key mistakes made by both Russia and Ukraine.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.

With thanks to historian Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman.

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: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Sir Lawrence Freedman’s book, ‘On Strategists and Strategy: Collected Essays, 2014-2024’:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strategists-Strategy-Collected-Essays-2014-2024-ebook/dp/B0F7GFDDNF

Jürgen Habermas, eminent philosopher who sought to help Germany overcome its postwar spiritual ruin (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2026/03/15/jurgen-habermas-eminent-german-spiritual-philosopher/

Ukraine agrees to pump Russian oil to Hungary to secure EU loan (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/18/ukraine-agrees-pump-russian-oil-to-hungary-secure-eu-loan/

‘Put him on trial’: pro-Kremlin loyalist turns on Putin in rare outburst (The Guardian):

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/18/pro-kremlin-loyalist-turns-on-putin-ilya-remeslo-russia?CMP=share_btn_url

Russia unveils plans to resettle occupied Ukrainian territories, media reports (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/russia-unveils-plans-to-resettle-occupied-ukrainian-territories-media-reports/?mc_cid=6dd8571311&mc_eid=08d0680a95

Two shipments of Russian oil and gas head to Cuba in defiance of US (Financial Times):

https://www.ft.com/content/bdb055d0-62c3-445c-ba89-349c63c82c1f?syn-25a6b1a6=1

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

Our weekly newsletter includes maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons, answers your questions, provides recommended reading, and gives exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights.. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. Join here – http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter

EMAIL US:

Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links in the notes 8

The episode on the publisher’s site (opens in a new tab)

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.