Ukraine: The Latest — Ukrainian Troops Liberate Town; EU Chief’s Plane Incident & Cyber Threats

Podcast: Ukraine: The Latest
Host: The Telegraph
Episode Date: September 2, 2025
Main Theme:
A wide-ranging analysis of current events in the war on Ukraine, with a focus on Ukrainian advances, Russian drone attacks, major diplomatic developments at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, the geopolitics of Russian energy, and expert breakdowns of a suspected Russian GPS jamming incident involving EU chief Ursula von der Leyen's plane, as well as the current state of cyber warfare in and around Ukraine.

Episode Overview

This episode delivers updates from the military, diplomatic, and cyber fronts of the Russia-Ukraine war. Highlights include Ukrainian forces liberating a town in Donetsk, an in-depth analysis of claims that Russian interference forced an emergency landing for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's aircraft, and the wider implications of deepening Russia-China-India ties. The conversation ends with a meaningful reflection on the human and mental health costs of long-term conflict, especially for Ukraine’s children.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Military & On-the-Ground Updates [03:19–07:55]

• Drone and Missile Strikes: Russia launched renewed waves of drone and missile attacks on Odessa, Sumy, and Kyiv oblasts. Civilian casualties and infrastructure damage were reported, though most attacks were repelled due to timely Ukrainian defensive action.

  • Quote: “In the last 24 hours, 150 drones fired by Russia—30 got through air defenses, hitting nine locations. Eight people were killed, many more injured on the ground.” —David Knowles [04:35]

• Southern Front—Odessa: Russian drones specifically targeted port infrastructure in the Ismail district for a second consecutive day, but Ukrainian defenses mitigated destruction.

• Northern Front—Sumy: Strikes caused residential and commercial property damage and fires, with injuries reported.

• Donetsk Advance: Ukrainian General Staff communicated the recapture of the village of Odashny, with video evidence of soldiers raising the Ukrainian flag.

  • Assessment: The front lines remain largely static, with small territorial advances rather than sweeping change.

• War Crimes Allegations: The Ukrainian SBU charged Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov with war crimes for publicly ordering his fighters to execute Ukrainian troops and use POWs as human shields, as per Rome Statute.

• Ecological Crisis: A major oil spill near Russia’s Novorossiysk port threatens waters off occupied Crimea, covering up to 350 sq km.

• German-French Missile Warning System: Germany and France are set to develop a joint early warning missile defense network, “Jewel,” integrating both satellite and ground-based radars.

2. Diplomatic Front: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit [07:55–17:43]

• Slovak PM Fico Meets with Putin: Despite previous EU criticism, Slovakia’s PM Robert Fico attended events in China commemorating Japan’s WWII surrender, further pressing for normalized relations with Russia—a stance at odds with the EU consensus.

  • Quote: “Fico’s back to his old tricks... you can’t talk up the consequences and not do anything... What if they’re inside the tent pissing in?” —Francis Durnley [08:10]

• EU Cohesion Risks: The potential for Slovakia and Hungary (both NATO and EU members) to veto major EU defense legislation was raised, highlighting internal fractures.

• Putin’s Narrative vs. Facts: Putin claimed Ukraine escalated attacks on Russian infrastructure, ignoring Russia’s record of targeting Ukrainian civilian energy systems.

• Russia-China Energy Deals: Gazprom and China’s CNPC finalized a massive gas agreement (Power of Siberia 2), evidence of Moscow’s pivot east, spurred by exclusion from European markets. Visa-free travel for Russians to China announced.

• India’s Overtures to Putin: Indian PM Modi’s unusually visible demonstration of personal rapport with Putin signals a more openly pro-Russian pivot, challenging previous non-alignment.

  • Quote: “The world’s largest democracy cares little for the principles that underscore such a system. But then, neither does the US now, apparently. So why should India?” —Francis Durnley [11:45]

• US-EU Trade Deal Reconsidered: European Council President Antonio Costa openly conceded that Ukraine war pressures were a factor in EU acceptance of a US trade deal—contradicting previous Commission denials.

3. Von der Leyen’s Plane and Russian GPS Jamming Allegations [17:43–26:23]

Incident Recap:

• Ursula von der Leyen’s aircraft, on a diplomatic mission, was reported by EU sources to have suffered GPS jamming allegedly by Russia, leading to an emergency “blind” landing.
  • Quote: “The EU brief[ed] newspapers that von der Leyen’s aircraft was hit by Russian GPS jamming… pilots pulled out… paper charts to work out a way of safety landing.” —Gareth Caulfield [18:10]

Expert Analysis:

• Data Discrepancy: Flight tracking archives (Flightradar24) indicate no loss of GPS during the flight and show a routine, uninterrupted route—contradicting EU claims of extensive circling and jamming.
• Alternative Navigation: Plovdiv airport, von der Leyen’s destination, is equipped with multiple redundant navigation systems (ILS, VOR, NDB), making safe landing feasible even with localized GPS issues.
• Conclusion: No credible open-source evidence supports the EU’s assertion of Russian interference for this incident. The episode may reflect a miscommunication or a deliberate press strategy, but overstatement could risk future institutional credibility.
  • Quote: “The EU said that von der Leyen's aircraft circled for an hour, and we equally know that didn't happen... what is described... and what appears... seem to be two different things. And that's not a very good thing for... confidence in public institutions.” —David Knowles [25:15]
  • Quote: “Such an approach is frankly fraught with danger. The next time the EU speaks about Russian GPS interference... the public is going to be less inclined to trust that EU statement.” —David Knowles [38:28]

4. Cyber Warfare: What’s Really Going On? [26:23–33:57]

• Expectations vs. Reality: Although Russia was widely expected to deploy overwhelming cyber aggression at the war’s outset, the “cyber front” has leveled off to persistent but unremarkable levels of activity. Ukraine still faces significant daily cyber threats, predominantly orchestrated by Russian and allied actors.

• New Malware—‘Lamehug’: Ukrainian CERT-UA recently identified a novel Russian-linked malware campaign using AI to better target government systems. While not revolutionary, it foreshadows growing AI integration into cyberattacks.

  • Quote: “This ‘Lame Hug’ campaign targeted Ukrainian government entities and also used AI-themed lures... notable for its use of an external large language model...” —Gareth Caulfield [28:41]

• Shifting Attack Techniques: Technical intrusions have given way to lower-tech methods like phishing, credential theft, and social engineering (including password reset scams).

• English-Language Threat Actors: Russian cybercriminal groups are now increasingly recruiting English-speaking affiliates to better penetrate Western targets—a sign of improved cyber defenses requiring localized sophistication.

• ‘Goldblade’ Group: SecureWorks tracks this financially motivated outfit believed to engage in espionage-for-hire, including rare attacks against Russian interests—suggesting possibly non-Russian origins.

5. Notable Quotes & Reflections

PTSD and the Human Cost of War [36:47–38:28]

• Former paratrooper Andrew Fox’s essay on PTSD is discussed.
  • Quote: "I don't let PTSD define me. It's an inconvenience, like being short-sighted… The short-sighted learn to live with it. The same goes for PTSD.” —Andrew Fox, cited by David Knowles [37:53]

Children in Wartime Ukraine [40:07–41:43]

• Ukraine’s schoolchildren begin a new term, many learning in underground shelters due to air raids—in a chilling echo of pandemic-era educational disruption, only now driven by war.
  • Quote: “A generation scarred by the consequences of war... It will take extraordinary efforts for them to recover if it’s ever entirely possible. And... it’s a forgotten story, or at least an underreported story.” —Francis Durnley [41:22]

Key Timestamps

• 03:19–07:55: Latest on drone attacks, battlefield updates, and legal developments
• 07:55–17:43: Diplomatic context—Fico’s visit to Putin, Russia-China-India ties, EU’s trade deal rationale
• 17:43–26:23: Von der Leyen plane incident explained, with technical breakdown
• 26:23–33:57: Cyber warfare: trends, techniques, threat groups
• 36:47–38:28: Mental health: PTSD in veterans
• 40:07–41:43: The impact of war on Ukrainian children’s education

Memorable Moments

• David Knowles demystifying the military situation: “There’s almost no movement on the ground at all at the moment.” [05:38]
• Francis Durnley’s vivid metaphor on EU internal tension: “What if they’re inside the tent pissing in?” [08:16]
• Gareth Caulfield cutting through the flight incident hype: “...every commercial airplane broadcasts a radio signal that... tells how accurate its GPS data is. At no point... had they lost GPS signal.” [21:41]
• Reflections on information integrity: “The public is going to be less inclined to trust [the] EU’s statement and... more likely to listen to sceptical voices who reflect what they…feel at that moment.” —David Knowles [38:36]

Summary & Takeaway

The episode underscores the grinding, attritional nature of the conflict on the ground; the increasingly jumbled geopolitics of the East; the ease with which information gets spun and misreported—even at the highest levels; and the hidden but ongoing battles playing out in cyberspace. It also reminds listeners of the personal, civilian cost of this war, especially among Ukrainian children and veterans, urging continued attention to oft-forgotten and underreported stories amid the chaos of global events.