Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults against Ukraine, sending hundreds of drones and missiles toward Kyiv and cities across the country.
In this conversation recorded on June 15–16, 2026, journalist Chris Sampson talks with New Zealand reporter and author Tom Mutch to discuss the attack, the damage inflicted on Kyiv, and what it means for the future of the war.
Tom has spent years reporting from Ukraine, documenting everything from the siege of Mariupol to frontline combat, war crimes investigations, occupied territories, and the daily realities faced by civilians living under Russian attack.
Topics include:
• The massive overnight attack on Kyiv
• Damage to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and Dovzhenko Film Studio
• Russia’s growing missile and drone capabilities
• Air defense challenges facing Ukraine
• Reporting from the front lines since 2022
• The story behind Tom Mutch’s book The Dogs of Mariupol
• Russian propaganda and information warfare
• Journalism during wartime
• Mariupol, Kharkiv, Donbas, and Kursk
• War crimes documentation and accountability
• What the international media still gets wrong about Ukraine
Tom Mutch is a friend who has become one of the most respected independent journalists covering Ukraine’s war, bringing years of firsthand experience, deep regional knowledge, and extensive reporting from areas most reporters never reach.
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