Putin strikes NATO: Romania hit in 'major escalation' & interviews with ‘brainwashed’ Russian PoWs

Day 1,554.

Today, as Romania kicks Russian diplomats out of the country following a drone strike last night that has injured civilians in the eastern city of Galati, we ask, why is it so easy for Romania to name the perpetrator of such attacks when others still seek to avoid apportioning blame. We then look at reports Russia is continuing to be hit hard on the southern corridor, including now by drone-landed mines, followed by the second part of Francis’s special dispatch from the La Biannale art festival in Venice, today looking at the decision to permit the reopening of the Russian Pavilion and his encounter with Pussy Riot. And we finish with an audio dispatch from me, after my visit to a prisoner of war camp in western Ukraine.

Contributors:

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

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

With thanks to the soldiers, artists, and curators at the ‘Still Joy’ exhibition in Venice, and to Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot.

Producer: Rachel Porter

Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett

Video Producer: Sophie O’Sullivan

Social Producer: Tom Steed

Studio Director: Meghan Searle

Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley

Created by David Knowles

Additional thanks to Tom Steed and Natalia Makohon for dubbing.

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:

Dom’s full documentary interviewing POWs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJwjbWheClk

Francis’s first dispatch from Venice and La Biennale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay2UT-SeKDI

Learn more about ‘Resistance Imprisoned’:

https://www.ritschfisch.com/exhibition/resistance-imprisoned/

Learn more about the PinchukArtCentre’s exhibition ‘Still Joy’ (running until 1st August):

https://pinchukartcentre.org/en/exhibitions/still-joy-from-ukraine-into-the-world-biennale-arte-2026

Russian drone hits Romanian apartment block in ‘grave escalation’ (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/29/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strikes-romanian-apartment-nato/

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.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Putin strikes NATO: Romania hit in 'major escalation'
Dom Nicholls interviews ‘brainwashed’ Russian PoWs

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