Ukraine: The Latest – Putin’s Secret Conscription & British Microchips in Russian Missiles

Podcast: Ukraine: The Latest
Host: The Telegraph
Episode: Putin prepares secret rolling conscription & exclusive: the British microchip powering Russia’s missiles
Date: February 19, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode unpacks three major developments:

• The fallout from peace talks in Geneva and analysis of current diplomatic negotiations.
• An exclusive Telegraph investigation revealing how British-made microchips have ended up in Russian and North Korean missiles used in Ukraine.
• The formation of a new international volunteer air defence unit in Kyiv, open to experienced expats.

Through interviews with experts and frontline contributors, the Telegraph team scrutinizes Russia’s evolving tactics—including secret conscription laws and the exploitation of Western technology. They consider the international political context, including U.S. and European strategy, and examine the practical response on the ground.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Latest Military and Political Updates in Ukraine

[04:08–13:53] Dom Nicholls

• Russian oil depots struck deep within Russia—including Pskov Oblast and Belgorod—causing serious outages (“There are major damages… partial loss of electricity and heat.” — [06:14])
• President Zelenskyy, in a British interview, disclosed “dozens of thousands of Ukrainians had died fighting in the Donbas alone.”
  • “It’s not about the land, it’s about people.” — Zelesnkyy (paraphrased by Dom Nicholls, [07:01])
• Talks in Geneva: Some technical progress on ceasefire monitoring, but little hope on political settlement or security guarantees.
• New Russian drone tactics: “Mothership” drones (fixed-wing) delivering FPV first-person drones remotely operated over Ukrainian mobile networks.
• Ukraine may require passport verification to buy SIM cards, attempting to curb Russian drone operations. These restrictions are controversial and likely unpopular domestically.
  • “Restricting the sale of Ukrainian SIM cards… would be politically unpopular… but might curb an uncontrolled process.” — [09:18]
• Russian conscription laws evolving:
  • New laws for involuntary reserve call-ups.
  • Rolling conscription; reserve deployment abroad without formal mobilization or state of war.
  • Laws making evasion “socially unacceptable”—but with clear coercion behind the rhetoric.

2. Exclusive: British Microchips in Russian Missiles

[13:53–14:28] Dom Nicholls

• Joint investigation between Telegraph and Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong uncovers Hong Kong-based middlemen exporting dual-use Western components to Russia.
• Between 2022 and 2024, nearly 800 shipments worth ~$2.5M ended up in Russia, sometimes reaching North Korean missiles.
• Case study: A UK-manufactured microchip found in a North Korean missile that killed multiple civilians in Kyiv, including a 15-year-old girl’s family.
  • The British manufacturer maintains strict controls and claims shipments stopped post-invasion or products may have been counterfeit. “All our sales contracts now include clauses to specifically prohibit onward… to Russia.” — [13:24]

3. Diplomacy Breakdown: Geneva Talks & Western Divisions

[14:28–24:57] Francis Dernley & Dom Nicholls

• Zelenskyy’s bluntness: “I don’t need historical shit to end this war and move to diplomacy because it’s just a delay tactic.” — Zelenskyy, quoted by Francis Dernley [14:38]
  • Open frustration about Russia’s parading of propagandists at talks, lack of seriousness.
  • Contrasts between military and political negotiation tracks—technical details progressing, political will lagging.
• U.S. delegation in Kyiv—pressing for harsher sanctions and highlighting internal debate about special envoy Steve Witkoff’s suitability (“…a property developer, is not equipped to handle these talks…” — [18:36])
• Congress hesitancy: Senators critical behind the scenes but wary to publicly oppose President Trump’s approach.
• Western intelligence consensus: Putin believes he is winning and has no incentive to compromise.
  • “He is convinced that even if it takes 18 months to two years to complete his hold on Donbas, each day of fighting… secures him more leverage.” — Western official, cited [21:04]

4. Western Defence Readiness & Spending Debates

[22:43–25:47] Francis Dernley & Dom Nicholls

• UK’s underfunded military: Open letter from ex-military chiefs decries chronic underfunding, arguing recent spending increases are eaten up by inflation and mandatory pay raises.
  • “The Ministry of Defence is being forced… to make cuts despite the increase.” — [22:57]
• Persistent black hole in defence funding (between £14–28B shortfall). Government officials dodge specifics when pressed.
• Calls for an urgent recalibration of the UK’s and Europe’s defence posture.

5. Expert Interview: U.S. Diplomat Kurt Volker on Geneva Talks

[25:48–38:49] Interview by Ross Saber

Geneva Talks: Outlook Grim

• “Nothing. I don’t think we’re going to see any movement at all… Russia is still maintaining its maximalist demands.” — Kurt Volker [25:55]
  • Only real pressure—financial or military—could change Russia's behavior.

Russia’s War Economy: Under Stress

• “You have double digit inflation, you have double digit interest rates… declining revenue from oil and gas… [Russia is] dipping into their national wealth funds to continue to both sustain the state and prosecute the war.” — Volker [27:09]
  • European energy purchases are still a critical funding source for Russia.

Western Leverage—And Its Absence

• Tougher sanctions and secondary sanctions, plus a fully committed Western supply of arms (including deep strikes), would pressure Russia to compromise.
  • “We have not done [enough] to create certainty about the supply of arms and ammunition to Ukraine…” — [28:53]

U.S. Policy Under Trump

• “You can’t really talk about a Trump administration. There is President Trump… he is the one making all the decisions.” — Volker [30:14]
  • Trump’s stated hope: settle the conflict quickly, seek a peace prize.
• Improvements: Shift from “support Ukraine as long as it takes” to “end the war”—aligning U.S., Ukraine, and Europe on negotiation points.
• Critique: “He has not put any pressure on Putin at all. And that’s the main reason there’s a war.” — [32:06]

NATO, Europe, and British Defence

• Trump has “gotten European allies to put real money into defense,” making NATO “better balanced and stronger.” But cohesion is damaged by threats and erratic U.S. leadership.
• On British defence: “There has been great under investment in the military itself… I think that people are beginning to wake up to that.” — [36:10]

On Ukraine’s Future and Russia’s Nuclear Posturing

• Outcome: “The only outcome… is that Ukraine is a sovereign, independent European democracy… part of the EU and have security guarantees from NATO members.” — [32:48]
• Russian nukes in Belarus: “It’s messaging, trying to get us… to be alarmed so that we back down. That’s the whole reason this is a topic for discussion.” — [38:21]

6. Ground-Level Response: International Volunteer Air Defence in Kyiv

[38:57–44:10] Dom Nicholls & John Richardson

• John Richardson (Volunteer Air Defence Reserves unit founder): Launching a new formal unit open to Kyiv-based expats (5+ years), both with and without military experience.
  • “If you’re living, working in or around Kyiv… and you have a temporary resident permit… you can step forward and join the Territorial Defence Force.” — [39:34]
  • Roles range from manning static machine gun positions to mobile teams—two 24-hour shifts per month minimum.
  • Volunteers sign the same contracts as Ukrainians—with flexibility to leave and freedom from combat deployment elsewhere.
  • “Even if it’s just carrying cans of ammunition… you’ll all be making a difference.” — [43:31]

7. Listener Q&A Highlights

[44:49–47:42]

• Are visitors welcome in Ukraine? Most locals are friendly and appreciative, not resentful of Western visitors.
  • “It’s a very warm and friendly country… you don’t have to dig too deep to find a very thick vein of goodwill.” — John Richardson [45:38]
• NATO’s 1.5%/3.5% GDP spending on infrastructure (e.g., bridges, transport corridors) is debated for defence effectiveness.
• Why was Russia able to access Starlink for so long?
• Should Ukraine consider extending conscription to all adults 18+?
• Are fiber optic drones immune to electronic interference?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I don’t need historical shit to end this war and move to diplomacy because it’s just a delay tactic.”
  — President Zelenskyy (quoted at [14:38]), expressing exasperation with the Geneva talks' lack of substance

• “We have not done [enough] to create certainty about the supply of arms and ammunition to Ukraine…”
  — Kurt Volker ([28:53]), emphasizing the absence of a decisive Western push

• “He has not put any pressure on Putin at all. And that’s the main reason there’s a war.”
  — Kurt Volker ([32:06]), on Trump’s approach

• “If you’re living, working in or around Kyiv… you can step forward and join the Territorial Defence Force… you’ll all be making a difference.”
  — John Richardson ([39:34], [43:31]), launching the international volunteer air defence effort

• “There is President Trump, and he is the one making all of the decisions… The reality is [the Russians] are not negotiating in good faith at all.” — Kurt Volker ([30:14], [31:11]), on Trump-era U.S. policy and Russian intentions

Key Timestamps

• 00:00–04:08 — [Intro, announcements skipped]
• 04:08–13:53 — Military & political update (strikes, casualties, Ukraine’s drone/SIM dilemma, Russian secret conscription, UK chip investigation)
• 13:53–14:28 — Details of the Telegraph investigation: British microchips in missiles
• 14:28–24:57 — Diplomatic fallout, U.S. congressional politics, Zelenskyy’s “F bomb,” analysis of talks’ prospects
• 25:48–38:49 — Kurt Volker interview: Geneva talks, Russia’s economy, U.S./NATO policies
• 38:57–44:10 — John Richardson: Air defence volunteer unit in Kyiv—how it works, who can join, why it matters
• 44:49–47:42 — Listener Q&A: Ukraine’s reception to visitors, NATO GDP spending, Starlink, conscription, drone tech
• 47:42–End — Closing messages [ad content skipped]

Conclusion

This episode delivers hard analysis on the impasses in peace talks, exposes the convoluted global trade that enables Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian civilians, and highlights both high-level diplomatic tensions and local efforts for resilience. Above all, the hosts maintain a pragmatic, often blunt, tone, reflecting both the gravity and urgency of Ukraine’s fight—and the West’s responsibility.

For further resources, interview links, and ways to support, see the episode’s show notes and The Telegraph’s Ukraine coverage.