Could this offensive sway the dynamics of the war in Kyiv’s favour? Thousands of Russians have been evacuated from border regions as Ukrainian forces continue to gain ground. Meanwhile Vladimir Putin has called the offensive a “major provocation” and vowed to “kick the enemy out”.

In this episode, Sumi Somaskanda is joined by Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia Editor for BBC Monitoring and co-host of Ukrainecast, and Francis Scarr, a Russia expert from BBC Monitoring.

The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Alice Aylett Roberts, Beth Timmins and Peter Goffin.

Sound Engineers: Jonny Hall and Ben Andrews.

Assistant Editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas.

Senior Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.

Ukraine's surprise attack on Russian soil 25:47 Share

The Global Story

Shownotes Transcript

Ukraine's surprise attack on Russian soil