it s two years since russia began its full scale invasion of ukraine, triggering the bloodiest conflict in europe since the second world war. but after 730 days of fighting, who has the upper hand? what is life like in ukraine and russia today, and when will the killing end? the global news podcast and ukrainecast have come together to answer your questions. ukrainecast from bbc news. hello, i m oliver conway from the global news podcast. i m vitaly shevchenko, the co presenter from ukrainecast in the ukrainecast studio. i m olga robinson from bbc verify, also in the ukrainecast studio. i m lyse doucet, the bbc s chief international- correspondent and i m back. in the ukrainian capital, kyiv. and i m steven rosenberg, the bbc s russia editor and i m in moscow. thank you all forjoining us. we have had lots of questions from listeners to the global podcast, and ukrainecast. thank you all. we will try to answer as many as we can. hello, i m derek from london in the uk. is there
thank you all. we will try to answer as many as we can. hello, i m derek from london in the uk. is there really a stalemate in ukraine at the moment? this is angela from - auckland in new zealand. could you talk please - about the changes, zelensky s strategy with the departure of zaluzhnyi, the general. in charge of the army? well, lyse, first of all, is there a stalemate on the battlefield or has the tide turned in favour of russia? i will answer the question about the stalemate, and i will partially be answering the second question. it was general zaluzhnyi the last commander in chief who used the words stalemate in an interview and it is said to have angered president zelensky. he felt it was too negative a description of the situation along the front line. president zelensky himself recently went to visit his troops in the east. he described the situation as extremely difficult. he is saying the russian forces are pressing ahead in at least five directions. and he believ
and the global news podcast. it is two years since russia began its full scale invasion of ukraine, triggering the bloodiest conflict in europe since the second world war. but after 730 days of fighting, who has the upper hand? what is life like in ukraine and russia today, and when will the killing end? the global news podcast and ukrainecast have come together to answer your questions. hello, i m oliver conway from the global news podcast. i m vitaly shevchenko, the co presenter from ukrainecast in the ukrainecast studio. i m olga robinson from bbc verify, also in the ukrainecast studio. i m lyse doucet, the bbc s chief international- correspondent and i m back. in the ukrainian capital, kyiv. and i m steven rosenberg, the bbc s russia editor and i m in moscow. thank you all forjoining us. we have had lots of questions from listeners to the global podcast, and ukrainecast. thank you all. we will try to answer as many as we can. hello, i m derek from london in the uk. is the
the toughest times it has seen since those early weeks after the full scale russian invasion? it s yes and no. yes, because we have entered a new stage where the factors are very different and we have to find a new modus operandi both inside the country and outside the country. but the very first hours and days were exceptionally difficult, and i m proud that both my people and my leadership have done the best. how closely do you, sitting here at the united nations in new york, follow the front line fighting? cos i m guessing that, if you do, you have deep concerns right now about what is happening in the east, particularly around the city of avdiivka, where it seems, after months of hugely costly attritional fighting, ukrainian forces are in retreat. i think that. i m not a military expert, but my humble view is that. ..those retreats, as you call them, they are very incremental. and the costs for the russians are much, much higher than for the ukrainians. so i would not rea
nice to see you. ambassador, do you think that, right now, ukraine is facing the toughest times it has seen since those early weeks after the full scale russian invasion? it s yes and no. yes, because we have entered a new stage where the factors are very different and we have to find a new modus operandi both inside the country and outside the country. but the very first hours and days were exceptionally difficult, and i m proud that both my people and my leadership have done the best. how closely do you, sitting here at the united nations in new york, follow the front line fighting? cos i m guessing that, if you do, you have deep concerns right now about what is happening in the east, particularly around the city of avdiivka, where it seems, after months of hugely costly attritional fighting, ukrainianforces are in retreat. i think that. i m not a military expert, but my humble view is that. ..those retreats, as you call them, they are very incremental. and the costs for th