Podcast Summary: From Our Own Correspondent – "Disappeared in Ukraine"

BBC Radio 4 | Aired: February 22, 2025 | Presented by Kate Adie | Episode Host: Nick Robinson

Overview

This episode of From Our Own Correspondent brings listeners a collection of in-depth stories that shine a light on global events beyond breaking headlines. The lead feature investigates the pain, uncertainty, and resilience of Ukrainian families facing disappearances amidst Russia’s invasion. Other reports explore U.S. science under the Trump administration’s new policies, the experience of Gambian migrants returning home, and the intertwined histories of Muslim and Jewish communities in Uzbekistan. Each segment is delivered with the BBC’s trademark mix of insightful reporting and personal storytelling.

Segment 1: Disappeared in Ukraine

[02:30 – 11:18] | Reported by Sarah Rainsford

Key Points & Insights

• Three Years of War: Marks nearly three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion, with ongoing diplomatic uncertainty and Ukraine’s exclusion from recent peace talks (01:14).
• The Disappeared: More than 61,000 people are currently listed as missing in Ukraine, including both soldiers and civilians.
• The Plachkov Family: Focuses on Lyudmila, who gave a DNA sample to try to identify her father, Oleg, detained and disappeared with his wife Tatiana by Russian forces in Melitopol (occupied southeastern Ukraine) in September 2023.
• Tatiana’s Fate: Months after being detained, Tatiana was found in a coma in a hospital, having been accused of espionage by the FSB, and later died in custody (Tatiana “was a fierce optimist, waiting for Ukrainian troops to liberate their town…”).
• Life Under Occupation: Protesters and civilians with pro-Ukrainian views have been targeted. In Melitopol alone, at least 350 cases of abduction are recorded.
• Official Obfuscation: Russian authorities provide contradictory or meaningless replies, failing to comply with international law on detainee reporting.
• Torture and Fear: Many former detainees, like Leonid, report credible stories of torture, confinement, and trauma.
• Ongoing Struggle: Lyudmila hesitates to begin grieving her mother, still focused on finding her father. The uncertain political course, with President Trump pressuring for a settlement favoring Russia, further dims hopes for answers.

Notable Quotes

• On the wave of disappearances:

  “Since the start of Russia's all out war on Ukraine, the authorities in Kyiv have listed more than 61,000 people as missing. That includes both soldiers and civilians.” — Sarah Rainsford [04:53]

• On Tatiana’s fate:

  “My mother is a warrior. She had to help Ukraine, but she knew the risk.” — Lyudmila [07:25]

• On living with uncertainty:

  “She tells me she hasn't chosen a photo for her mother's grave yet, as if she's stalling her grieving until she can find her dad.” — Sarah Rainsford [10:19]

• On the consequences of geopolitical decisions:

  “Trump's vision for peace would likely leave all the occupied territories under Russian control. For the families of the disappeared, that would make it even harder to find answers.” — Sarah Rainsford [10:44]

Segment 2: Scientific Upheaval in the U.S.

[11:18 – 16:50] | Reported by Sandra Kantal

Key Points & Insights

• Sweeping Budget Cuts: President Trump enacts major federal spending reductions, especially in research, affecting universities and institutions across the U.S.
• Atmosphere of Fear: Scientists at the annual AAAS conference in Boston feel anxious about unpredictable staffing and funding changes.
• Undermining Science: Programs are being eliminated, staff fired, and research threatened; scientists face pressure not to speak publicly, with a preference for “off the record” discussions.
• Loss of Talent and Data: The purges include firing new hires and efforts to preserve public health data before deletion.
• Uncertain Future: Courts are the last line of defense for research funding, but confidence is low among the scientific community.

Notable Quotes

• On the mood among scientists:

  “Some of the scientists I spoke with were subdued and despondent, others simply dazed.” — Sandra Kantal [13:42]

• On defending science:

  “A former director of the National Institutes of Health tried to reassure an assembled audience that science was magic that worked. But wands and potions aren't going to hold back the onslaught facing America's scientists.” — Sandra Kantal [16:25]

Segment 3: Gambian Migrants’ Return Home

[17:57 – 23:43] | Reported by Alex Last

Key Points & Insights

• Failed Journeys: Focus on Gambian migrants, such as Alaji, who endured hardship and peril trying to reach Europe, only to be returned from Tunisia with help from the UN.
• Migration Risks: Migrants suffer violence, deprivation, and abuse in transit countries, amid EU-funded North African efforts to block crossings.
• Community Stigma: Returnees face shame, emotional trauma, and the burden of family expectations for prosperity from Europe.
• Peer Support: Organizations like Youth Against Irregular Migration work to educate potential migrants through broadcasts and outreach, but myths of easy success remain strong.
• Emotional Reunions: Alaji’s homecoming is marked by relief and sorrow, both for him and his mother, who went into debt trying to support him abroad.

Notable Quotes

• On the dangers of migration:

  “Tunisia is not a safe country for black people.” — Alaji [18:50]

• Personal reflection:

  “I felt a failure. Even some in the community point the finger at you.” — Tejan, returnee and youth worker [21:13]

• On returning with empty hands:

  “I didn’t want to come back empty handed… I want to go back to school. I want to be a learned man, but what worries me is how will I help my family?” — Alaji [23:30]

Segment 4: Bukhara – Blended Faiths in Uzbekistan

[23:43 – 29:29] | Reported by Monica Whitlock

Key Points & Insights

• Historic Coexistence: The city of Bukhara, a historic Islamic and Jewish center, has preserved a small but resilient Jewish community despite emigration.
• Abram the Cantor: Abram Borisovich Isakov serves as cantor at Bukhara’s ancient synagogue, speaking of prized relics, shared culture, and multilingual traditions.
• Interwoven Identities: The Jewish history of Bukhara is marked by integration, mutual respect, and bilingual customs; Soviet and local languages blend into daily synagogue life.
• Emigration Choices: Many Bukharan Jews left after the USSR’s collapse, torn between preserving roots and seeking better prospects; for some, the community’s ancestral home still holds their heart.

Notable Quotes

• On blending traditions:

  “Here we have good relations with everyone, thank God… It’s just the way many people talk in Bukhara. It suits me.” — Abram Borisovich [25:58]

• On belonging:

  “If I had two lives, I might go over there to live my second life… But a human being comes into this world only once. I have been Abram Borisovitch here for 74 years. When would I become Abram Borisovitch over there?” — Abram Borisovich [29:10]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Disappeared in Ukraine: 02:30 – 11:18
• US Research Cuts: 11:18 – 16:50
• Gambian Returnees: 17:57 – 23:43
• Uzbekistan’s Blended Communities: 23:43 – 29:29

Memorable Moments

• The intimate, unresolved pain of Lyudmila’s search for her father in Ukraine.
• The demoralizing atmosphere at the AAAS, with scientists feeling “dazed” amid sweeping cuts.
• The raw reunion scene between Alaji and his mother, both brought to tears by hardship and relief.
• Abram’s philosophical take on staying rooted in Bukhara, balancing past and present.

Tone and Style

The episode is delivered with the BBC’s signature clarity and empathy: deeply personal, factual, and reflective, allowing the experiences of those affected by history’s broad currents to come alive for listeners.

This summary is designed to capture the depth and range of the stories featured in this episode, offering listeners and non-listeners alike a rich sense of its scope, detail, and emotional power.