Ukraine destroys key bridges to 'strangle' occupied Crimea & shock resignation by UK Defence Secretary John Healey

Day 1,567.


As Ukraine intensifies its campaign against Crimea by striking
key bridges and transport links in an effort to isolate the
peninsula, we examine potentially seismic political developments
in London. Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey – one of
Kyiv’s strongest allies and a leading advocate for military
rearmament – has dramatically resigned in protest over defence
spending and the country’s preparedness for a future conflict,
triggering a crisis that could topple the Prime Minister Keir
Starmer. Francis and Dom comb through Healey’s damning
resignation letter and consider how Kyiv will react to the news.
Later, Francis explores a major new report on the risks of a
sudden ceasefire in Ukraine with some of the world’s leading
experts.


Thumbnail image shows Crimean bridge ablaze in 2022.


Contributors:


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


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


With thanks to:


Orysia Lutsevych OBE (head of the Ukraine Forum, Chatham House)


Simon Smith (chair of the steering committee, Ukraine Forum,
Chatham House, and British ambassador 2012 to 2015)


Keir Giles (senior consulting fellow, Russia and Eurasia
Programme, Chatham House, and author Who Will Defend Europe?)


John Lough (associate fellow, Chatham House, and head of foreign
policy, New Eurasian Strategies Centre)


Producer: Phil Atkins


Senior Producer: Lilian Fawcett


Video Producer: James England


Social Producer: Tom Steed


Studio Director: Meghan Searle


Executive Editor: Francis Dearnley


Created by David Knowles


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:


John Healey resigns over Starmer’s defence spending plan (The
Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/06/11/john-healey-resigns-as-defence-secretary-labour-starmer/ 


Russia is creating launch sites for combat drones near the
borders of Belarus. We show you where (Radio Liberty, in
Belarusian):


https://www.svaboda.org/a/33777451.html 


How a Russia–Ukraine ceasefire could imperil Ukrainian and
European security (Chatham House):


https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/05/how-russia-ukraine-ceasefire-could-imperil-ukrainian-and-european-security


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:








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