While Russia’s president Vladimir Putin continues to insist that his, “special military operation” in Ukraine is succeeding, the estimated number of Russian soldiers killed and wounded in this war tells another story; 1.4 million casualties since February 2022. For that loss, Russia has gained just 2% of Ukraine’s land.

This is the story Vladimir Putin is not telling Russians. Amid parliamentary elections this past weekend, the Kremlin has claimed that most Russians back the president and the war, and it has promoted the political careers of thousands of soldiers back from Ukraine.

But what of their fallen comrades? The BBC’s Olga Ivshina has dedicated the last four years of her career to not just counting Russia’s true death toll, but building a picture of who these lost men were. She joins The Global Story’s Tristan Redman to discuss what she has learnt.

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00:00 Introduction
01:14 Searching for missing dead soldiers
2:59 Tracking deaths in Ukraine
07:01 How to find missing Russian soldiers
11:39 Why some Russians sign up to fight in Ukraine
14:01 Russia’s true death toll
19:19 The problem for Ukraine
21:15 Is Putin lied to about the Ukraine war?

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The United Nations says climate change is having a serious effect on the global supply of fresh water. Rivers and lakes are drying up while glaciers are retreating according to a new report. “This is not a single bad year, but a persistent decade-long signal,” said World Meteorological Organization chief Celeste Saulo.

Also in the Global News Podcast:

04:19 A series of deaths in South Africa raise questions about violence against women
06:45 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney outlines his vision of partnership with the EU
09:27 Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman warns that we may lose control of artificial intelligence
12:49 Russia goes to the polls on Friday for three days of voting, in the country’s first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine – but Vladimir Putin maintains a secure grip on power
15:11 A Syrian court has issued the first sentences against members of armed groups involved in massacres targeting the Alawite community in early 2025, a year after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad
16:25 A new book about Princess Diana by her brother, Earl Spencer, has prompted Buckingham Palace to issue a swift rebuttal over claims made after her death in 1997

The Global News Podcast brings you the best of the BBC’s news coverage and analysis from around the world. You can watch us on YouTube every weekday – and find the audio version wherever you get your podcasts. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk.

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A new report by United Nations investigators says Nicaraguan state institutions have carried out a widespread ​and systematic attack against civilians, including torture, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention.

Daniel Ortega, who shares the presidency with his wife Rosario Murillo, announced this year that Nicaragua would no longer hold elections, out of concern that his political opposition could “seize the government”.

Also in the Global News Podcast:

04:43 – El Niño becomes the strongest on record weeks before its expected peak
07:21 – The BBC meets Ukrainian air defence units trying to counter the threat of Russian jet-powered drones
10:16 – A study by the University of Cambridge suggests baby girls tend to be more people-focused than boys from the first hours of their lives
13:25 – Researchers attempt to stop people from having sex in robotaxis
15:47 – Inside Scotland’s wildcat HQ dubbed ”the Big Brother for cats”

The Global News Podcast brings you the best of the BBC’s news coverage and analysis from around the world. You can watch us on YouTube every weekday – and find the audio version wherever you get your podcasts. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#BBCNews

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Iran-backed Houthi rebels have made significant gains in Yemen on the Red Sea coast, impacting Saudi Arabian exports and contributing to the continued price of a barrel of oil at above $100.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the Islamic holy city of Mecca on Tuesday evening, according to the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said attacks on Mecca and Medina province, where Islam’s second holiest shrine is located, constituted an “unacceptable and intolerable transgression”.

Meanwhile, the US has allowed Iranian officials to attend the UN General Assembly next week in New York. The delegation will take part in the United Nations General Assembly’s grand debate for 2026, but will face strict travel restrictions whilst they are in the country.

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#Iran #Houthis #BBCNews

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AI is getting more powerful “by the day” and a kill switch may be required by firms, one of the co-founders of AI company Anthropic has told the BBC.

Jack Clark says AI moves faster than other technology – “getting smarter and more capable every few months”, which could become a “major risk to society”.

During the interview with the BBC’s Faisal Islam, Clark responded directly to concerns from BBC viewers – including worries about the impact on future generations.

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#AI #Anthropic #BBCNews

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