PODCAST · news
Talking Substance
by Kyiv Post
Dive beneath the surface of loud headlines and repetitive narratives with Kyiv Post’s "Talking Substance". This new dynamic podcast shines a fresh light on politics, war, the international scene, culture and so much more reflecting what Ukrainian society considers to be topical or not to be missed.
Episodes
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From Revolution to Reconstruction: The Battle to Rebuild a Nation at War
What does it take to move from the frontlines of a street protest to the corridors of state power? In this episode of Off the Record, host Natalka Cmoc is joined by Mustafa Nayyem—the man whose single Facebook post in 2013 ignited the Euromaidan revolution. Since those historic days, Mustafa…
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Russia's Frontline Prospects: "It Just Got Worse"
Kyiv Post special correspondents, Chuck Pfarrer and Jason Smart, provide a critical analysis of the systemic failures in the Russian military that are pushing the invaders toward a total front line collapse in 2026. In recent days, Ukraine successfully reclaimed 300 square kilometers (186 sq…
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Ukraine Must Win: Arseniy Yatsenyuk on War, Security & the West
In this episode of Off the Record, host Natalka Cmoc speaks with former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk about the future of Ukraine, the war with Russia, and what victory truly means.Yatsenyuk reflects on:-12 years of Russian aggression against Ukraine- Why Ukraine must not only stop…
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The Cat-and-Mouse Game: Weapon Evolution in the Russia-Ukraine War
From battlefield drones to electronic warfare and fiber-optic strike systems, the Russia-Ukraine war has become a living laboratory for modern combat.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, both sides have raced to innovate — developing new weapons and countermeasures in a relentless...
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Belgium’s Ambassador on Ukraine’s War, Justice, and Europe’s Responsibility
In this episode of Off the Record, host Natalka Cmoc speaks with Luc Jacobs, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Ukraine, about diplomacy during wartime and Belgium’s long-standing ties with Ukraine. Ambassador Jacobs reflects on his decision to return to Kyiv after the full-scale invasion…
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Russia’s Evaporating 2026 Power Projection
Strategic shifts on the front lines have led to a critical depletion of modern armored reserves, forcing a reliance on hardware from the early 1960s that lacks essential electronic sensors and modern metallurgy. This transition reflects a broader failure in traditional maneuver warfare as large...
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Tehran Falls? Regime Crisis Cuts Putin’s Options
The Russian winter offensive of 2026 has hit a catastrophic wall near Pokrovsk, with confirmed infantry casualty ratios reaching 15:1 against entrenched Ukrainian defenders. This tactical failure is compounded by a massive geopolitical shock: the successful capture of Nicolas Maduro by US special...
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Ukraine’s Shadow War Against Putin’s Oil Fleet
Russia’s war effort depends on oil — and Ukraine has found a way to strike at its financial lifeline.In this analytical explainer, former U.S. Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer breaks down Ukraine’s covert maritime campaign targeting Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” — a global network of tankers used to...
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Pokrovsk Horror: Why Russian Troops Are Refusing to Fight
In this exclusive winter 2025 situation report, former SEAL Team 6 Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer exposes the catastrophic reality of the Russian offensive near Pokrovsk where invading forces are suffering horrific losses of 180 soldiers per square kilometer. The analysis reveals shocking evidence...
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The Hard Questions: War Crimes, Security, and Ukraine’s Future
Today on Off the Record, Ambassador Natalka Cmoc speaks with Robert Müller, Austria’s Ambassador to Ukraine, about shared history, accountability for war crimes, humanitarian support, returning abducted Ukrainian children, disinformation, energy security, and Austria’s role in Ukraine’s future...
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Ukraine Is a Startup Nation: Chrystia Freeland on Rebuilding, Resilience & Innovation
In this episode of Off the Record, Natalka Cmoc speaks with Chrystia Freeland — Canada’s former Deputy Prime Minister and Special Representative on Ukraine’s Reconstruction — during her five-day mission in Kyiv.Freeland reflects on why the world must rethink its view of Ukraine: not only as a...
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Russia’s Economy Is Cracking: Jason Smart Speaks with Prof. Volodymyr Lugovskyy, Chair of Economics at Indiana University, on the Real Numbers Behind the Collapse
In this exclusive interview, Dr. Jason Smart speaks with Prof. Volodymyr Lugovskyy, Chair of Economics at Indiana University and a scholar published in the American Economic Review. Together they break down the hidden fractures inside Russia’s wartime economy: labor shortages, the accelerating...
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Russia’s Pyrrhic Victory: The True Cost of Pokrovsk with Jason Smart and Former U.S. Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer
The situation in Pokrovsk is critical. As Russian forces advance into the city at a staggering cost, the strategic hinge of western Donetsk is becoming a meat grinder. In this Kyiv Post interview, former U.S. Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer gives Jason Smart his brutal assessment about this battle…
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Are There Consequences for Provoking Russia
Are the red lines that are put on Ukraine, to prevent it from "provoking Russia," doing the job they are intended to do? Or do they give Putin an advantage in the war that he, without provocation, started? Chuck Pfarrer, one of America's most renowned and respected military authors and analysts,...
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Russia Cannot Cope with Kursk
Chuck Pfarrer, one of America's most renowned and respected military authors and analysts, discusses with Kyiv Post's Jason Jay Smart why Russia is showing all of the signs of having fallen into a quagmire with no strategy or hope of being able to get out. Pfarrer, having been a former Squadron...
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Now Putin Should Be Losing Sleep
Gen. Ben Hodges says that Vladimir Putin "should be looking at the disaster he has on his hands in the Kursk Region of Russia and the total ineptitude of his military. It is so bad, says the experienced General, that he sees no way that a Russian military leader could seriously hope that they…
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Is Maduro's Fall the Beginning of the End for Putin?
Estefania Melendez, who served as the interim (opposition to Maduro) government of Venezuela's Ambassador to Bulgaria, explains to Kyiv Post's Jason Smart why the Maduro-Putin alliance is so important, and what impact a revolution in Caracas could have on Ukraine' fight for freedom. Today, the...
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Jake Broe: What Russia is Hoping For
Jake Broe is well known, to those who follow Ukraine's war against Russian aggression, for his dynamic, interesting, and accurate analysis of what is transpiring in Russia's war against Ukraine. Through his battlefield map updates and articulate explanations, the war commentator has developed a...
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Ukraine's Future: The Path to Victory
In the new episode of Talking Substance, host Alina Hrytsenko discusses the future of Ukraine with Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko. Together, they delve into the pivotal outcomes of the recent NATO summit, the potential repercussions of the upcoming US elections, and the strategic…
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Battle for Latin America: The Russia, Ukraine, Argentina Factors.
In the new episode of Talking Substance host Alina Hrytsenko discusses the following with renowned Argentine journalist and TV-presenter Carolina Amoroso: How is the Russia-Ukraine war viewed in Latin America, and what are the different positions and narratives there? What is the impact of…
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Achieving Peace: Diplomacy vs. Military Force
In this new episode of ”Talking Substance” host Alina Hrytsenko talks to Dr Hanna Shelest, ”Ukrainian Prism” expert, editor-in-Chief of UA: Ukraine Analytica. They discuss how Ukraine is adapting its diplomacy during war. Dr. Shelest provides insights into the challenges and strategies of…
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Unveiling Potential Scenarios
In this new episode of Talking Substance host Alina Hrytsenko talks to Lieutenant-Geneal (Ret) Ben Hodges, ex-commanding general United States Army Europe. The discussion is dedicated to assessing the current developments of the frontline, and future scenarios of the war and searches for an…
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Changes in European Security Architecture
In this new episode of Talking Substance host Alina Hrytsenko talks to Michael Bociurkiw, a global affairs analyst, prominent journalist, Atlantic Council senior fellow, who has an extensive experience of working in international organisations. They talk about current political developments in...
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War of Drones: from Fields to Frontlines
In this new episode of Talking Substance host Alina Hrytsenko talks to Valeriy Yakovenko, co-founder of DroneUA, an international system integrator of unmanned solutions. It is one of the most innovative enterprises in Ukraine. Their discussion focuses on drones and robotics, and how new…
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Clash of Realities: The Middle East and the Russian-Ukrainian War
In this new episode of "Talking Substance" host Alina Hrytsenko and Dr Omar Ashour, Professor of Security & Military Studies at the Doha Institute, Director of Strategic Studies at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, delves into the intricate dynamics between the Middle East and the...
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Crossfire: Russia and the Shadow of World War
In the new episode of Talking Substance, host Alina Hrytsenko discusses current developments in the Russo-Ukrainian war with our guest, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Glen Grant, an ex-British Army officer, who worked as an advisor to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, as a member of its Reform Office,...
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Iran, Israel, Gaza: Why the Middle East Is a Powder Keg
In this new episode of Talking Substance, host Alina Hrytsenko talks to Iliya Kusa, an analyst at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, and illustrious expert on Middle East affairs, about the latest developments in this volatile region. The discussion covers the roots of the Israel-Iran...
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Total Defense: How Can Ukraine Safeguard Its Economy and Energy Sector During a Full-Scale War?
In this new episode of Talking Substance, host Alina Hrytsenko speaks with guest Jock Mendoza-Wilson, Joint Chairman of the British Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce (BUCC) and Director of International and Investor Relations at System Capital Management, about Ukraine’s trade issues with the EU, its...
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To Kyiv From Down Under
Kyiv Post welcomes former Australian parliamentarian Michael Danby, who is now a Sky News Australian commentator, about how the international media sees Russia's war against Ukraine.
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Negotiations Won’t Work. Lessons Learned over 2 years of Full Scale War
In the premiere episode of Talking Substance, filmed on the eve of the second-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, host Yulia Mel'nyk @Yewleea speaks with guest Peter Dickinson, a veteran British journalist based in Kyiv, Editor of the Atlantic Council's Ukraine Alert...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Dive beneath the surface of loud headlines and repetitive narratives with Kyiv Post’s "Talking Substance". This new dynamic podcast shines a fresh light on politics, war, the international scene, culture and so much more reflecting what Ukrainian society considers to be topical or not to be missed.
HOSTED BY
Kyiv Post
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Talking Substance have?
Talking Substance currently has 30 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Talking Substance about?
Dive beneath the surface of loud headlines and repetitive narratives with Kyiv Post’s "Talking Substance". This new dynamic podcast shines a fresh light on politics, war, the international scene, culture and so much more reflecting what Ukrainian society considers to be topical or not to be missed.
How often does Talking Substance release new episodes?
Talking Substance has 30 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Talking Substance?
You can listen to Talking Substance on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Talking Substance?
Talking Substance is created and hosted by Kyiv Post.
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