Ukraine special forces launch Black Hawk helicopter raid to stop Russian encirclement & exclusive interview with former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg

Day 1,349.

Today, as reports emerge that General Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, travelled to the embattled frontline city of Pokrovsk, we sit down with former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who led the alliance in the first years of the full-scale invasion. We also speak with Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Gulliksen about his powerful new documentary Facing War – which takes viewers inside the rooms where Stoltenberg and world leaders made pivotal decisions that shaped the course of the conflict.

Contributors

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

With thanks to former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg. @jensstoltenbergdocumentary on X.

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CONTENT REFERENCED:

Learn more about ‘Facing War’ - new film about Jens Stoltenberg by Tommy Gulliksen:

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt35671816/

Ukraine special forces launch helicopter raid to stop Russian encirclement (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/01/ukraine-special-forces-helicopter-assault-pokrovsk/

Draft dodger who jumped from moving train faces deportation to Russia (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/01/draft-dodger-who-jumped-moving-train-deportation-russia/

Russia deploys 170,000 troops in battle for Pokrovsk (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/31/russia-deploys-170000-troops-battle-pokrovsk/

‘How to Negotiate with Putin’ by Robert Person (Journal of Democracy):

https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclusive/how-to-negotiate-with-putin/

Zelensky Is Winning Trump Voters Over (Wall Street Journal):

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/zelensky-is-winning-trump-voters-over-72d5f6c1?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

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