Pentagon 'asks Ukraine for help' to shoot down Iranian weapons & Putin swells regular Russian army to 2.4 million men

Day 1,470.


Today, as the Pentagon and at least one Gulf state are revealed
to be in talks with Kyiv to buy Ukrainian-made interceptors to
fend off attacks by Iranian drones, we look at the latest
expansion of the Russian armed forces, before looking at what
Moscow is telling its population about the war in the Middle
East. Then we bring you an exclusive interview with the French
Ambassador to Ukraine to hear how prepared they are for boots on
the ground.


Contributors:


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


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


Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz
on X.


James Kilner (Russian Analyst). @Jkjourno on X.


With thanks to the French Ambassador to Ukraine, Gaël Veyssière.


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:
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CONTENT REFERENCED:


France and Germany dash Ukraine’s hopes of fast-track EU
membership (The Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/04/france-germany-dash-ukraines-hopes-fast-track-eu-membership/ 


Putin is failing: these charts prove it (Washington Post):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/03/04/russia-ukraine-war-territorial-gains-putin/ 


Anniversary of the occupation of the ZNPP: sanctions should cover
the entire Rosatom ecosystem (dixigroup):


https://dixigroup.org/richniczya-okupaczi%D1%97-zaes-sankczi%D1%97-mayut-ohopiti-vsyu-ekosistemu-rosatoma/ 


Exclusive: Ukraine's F-16 jets were starved of US-made missiles
for weeks (Reuters):


https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraines-f-16-jets-were-starved-us-made-missiles-weeks-2026-03-05/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social 


Pentagon eyes Ukrainian interceptor drones to counter Iran
(Financial Times):


https://www.ft.com/content/d077e9c6-1573-46dc-8658-3db3aaf7cdfb?shareType=nongift 


Ukraine Unbroken: 5 short plays by acclaimed writers about
Ukraine’s resilience, now on at the Arcola Theatre in London
until March 28::


www.arcolatheatre.com


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