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: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdHjleMvPSs-JEjiQ8_D2cA

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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