Ukraine: The Latest Exclusive: ‘My face-to-face with Russian prisoners of war’ & Europe ends largest military drill since the Cold War
May 1, 2026
A reporter recounts a face-to-face visit to a prisoner of war camp and conversations with fighters who served for Russia. There is discussion of ethical limits and the Red Cross role in camp access. Coverage moves to repeated strikes, including attacks on a Tuapse refinery and drone hits on military sites. The programme also examines Europe’s massive post-Cold War military drill and a cultural row at the Venice Biennale.
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Face to Face With Russian Fighters
- Dom Nicholls visited a POW camp in western Ukraine and interviewed fighters captured while serving Russia, many recruited from prisons or foreign countries.
- Several prisoners said they joined to leave jail or felt duty-bound to fight if the state ordered it, showing ambivalence rather than remorse.
Ethics Of Interviewing Prisoners Of War
- Interviewing POWs raises ethical and legal dilemmas because the Geneva Conventions caution against exposing prisoners to public curiosity.
- Dom chose to avoid humiliating questions, prioritising humanitarian safeguards and journalistic restraint.
Camp Conditions And Journalist Access
- The camp appeared orderly: repurposed soviet factory, dorms, exercise yard, greenhouses and workshops where prisoners work and earn small wages.
- A prisoner told Dom conditions improve for journalists and claimed ICRC complaints had gone unanswered, which Dom said he'd investigate.