Russia ‘attacks Chinese ship’ & Ukraine hits Moscow in biggest strike of 2026

Day 1,544.


Today, after Ukraine unleashes a sweeping wave of retaliatory
strikes in response to last week’s Russian attacks – shutting
down Moscow airports, damaging naval assets, and sending huge
fireballs into the sky above Russian oil infrastructure – the
Kremlin signals it may once again be open to peace talks,
potentially even reopening channels with the European Union. We
ask whether Moscow may also need urgent talks with Beijing after
one of its Shahed drones reportedly struck a Chinese cargo ship
just days before Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Chinese President
Xi Jinping. We also hear from Berlin on how Europe is
accelerating efforts to rearm in the face of growing Russian
aggression and deepening American disengagement. And later, we
speak to an adviser to the Ukrainian government about Kyiv’s
mounting military recruitment crisis after intelligence chief
Kyrylo Budanov warned that voluntary enlistment alone can no
longer meet the army’s needs.


Contributors:


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


James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.


With thanks to Olesia Horiainova of the Ukrainian Security and
Cooperation Center.


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:


Europe’s sleeping giant rearms (James Rothwell & Joe Barnes
in The Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/11/europes-sleeping-giant-rearms-germany-weapons-war-russia/ 


Putin gifted upper hand as Trump triggers European missile crisis
(James Rothwell & Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/18/europes-deep-strike-dilemma-and-how-it-untangles-itself/ 


Ukraine launches biggest attack on Moscow in a year (The
Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/17/ukraine-launches-biggest-attack-on-moscow-in-a-year/ 


Ukrainian drones destroy £30m Russian plane at airbase (The
Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/16/ukrainian-drones-destroy-russian-aircraft-airbase/ 


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:





Russia ‘attacks Chinese ship’ in Black Sea

Ukraine hits Moscow in biggest strike of 2026









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