YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZG3F-7eENw

Day 1,062.

Today, we talk about secretive air-defence systems - some developed by Ukraine and others donated by the UK in the 100-year partnership signed last week. Plus, we look ahead to the beginning of the second Trump era starting later today, in Washington.

Contributors:

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Narrative Podcast Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Francis Dearnley (Associate Editor, Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

JoeBarnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X.

With thanks to Dr Shehan Hettiaratchy (Lead trauma surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare). @ShehanHett on X.

Content referenced:

Ukraine warns Trump that early peace talks would be catastrophic (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/01/18/ukraine-warns-trump-that-early-peace-talks-would-be-fatal/

Ukraine is teaching medics how to prepare for war (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/01/18/ukraine-is-teaching-british-medics-how-to-prepare-for-a-war/

Gravehawk: the new secretive air defense system (United24):

https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/the-new-secretive-gravehawk-air-defense-system-that-the-uk-is-giving-to-ukraine-5184

Russian fuel exports fall in 2024 as drone attacks, bans add to sanctions pressure (Reuters):

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russias-2024-seaborne-oil-product-exports-hit-by-headwinds-including-drone-2025-01-17/

Attack damages Ukraine’s oldest McDonald’s in Kyiv (Kyiv Independent):

https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/the-new-secretive-gravehawk-air-defense-system-that-the-uk-is-giving-to-ukraine-5184

The New Norm - On the culture shock when the first McDonald’s opened in Moscow in 1990 (Invisibilia, NPR)

https://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/481887848/the-new-norm