Global Security Briefing

Vitaly Shevchenko of BBC Monitoring joins Natia Seskuria to explore the implications of a radiation warning found on a downed Russian drone. In April 2026, Ukrainian air defences shot down a modified Russian Geran-2 strike drone near Chernihiv, and investigators found a radiation warning label on the warhead, recording gamma readings far above natural background levels. Within hours the story spread internationally, often described as Russia deploying radioactive weapons or a dirty bomb, but neither description is accurate. Ukrainian investigators say the drone was carrying an R-60 air-to-air missile fitted with a depleted uranium fragmentation element, a modification Russia appears to be using to threaten Ukrainian aircraft intercepting the drones. The SBU has since documented further cases and opened a war crimes investigation. This episode looks at the weapon itself, how claims like this are verified, and what the incident reveals about information warfare and media monitoring in a fast-moving conflict. It also explores: What Ukrainian investigators found in the drone wreckage, and what the modification reveals about Russian production and stockpiles. How BBC Monitoring verifies claims of this kind, and what separates an established finding from an allegation. How radiation has featured in Russia-Ukraine information warfare since the 2022 'dirty bomb' claims. The social and cultural resonance of radiation stories in Ukraine and Russia. What responsible media monitoring looks like in an environment of overload and disinformation. Vitaly Shevchenko is Russia Editor at BBC Monitoring, where he has spent more than a decade analysing Russian and Ukrainian media. BBC Monitoring is a specialist service within the BBC World Service, delivering trusted analysis of open-source media around the world

Trump's revived 'America First' policy is reshaping US-Latin America ties, testing regional stability, governance and the balance between Washington, Beijing, and Moscow. Nearly a year into his second term, President Trump has revived the 'America First' doctrine with a renewed focus on the Western Hemisphere. As Washington prioritises border security, transactional diplomacy and strategic competition with China and Russia, Latin American governments are reassessing how to navigate a more conditional and bilateral US approach. In this episode of Global Security Briefing, Neil Melvin is joined by Dr Carlos Solar, Senior Research Fellow for Latin American Security at RUSI. The discussion explores: · How the Trump Administration is reshaping US engagement with Latin America. · The effects of aid cuts, tariff threats and bilateral deals on regional governance. · Shifts in defence and security cooperation under the new US strategy. · How Latin American governments are responding to a tougher, more transactional Washington. · The challenge of balancing US pressure with growing Chinese and Russian influence.

As the end of the fourth year of the Russia-Ukraine war approaches, questions mount over President Trump's peace efforts and shifting international dynamics. In this episode of Global Security Briefing, Neil Melvin is joined by Andriy Zagorodnyuk, a former Ukrainian Minister of Defence and now Chairman of the Centre for Defence Strategies in Kyiv, to assess where the war now stands. The discussion explores: - Russia's intensified military campaign and Ukraine's counterstrikes - The collapse of Trump's diplomatic effort after the Alaska summit with Putin - Europe's response after being sidelined by Washington - Moscow's long-term strategy and potential challenges to NATO cohesion - Ukraine's security guarantees and the prospects for peace as a fifth year of fighting looms