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Borderlands Talks

Conversations on the war, history, and the people who fight it.

Our podcast — featuring leaders like General David Petraeus — on Ukraine's fight, its history, and the leadership lessons that shape the future.

Borderlands Talks

Featured episodes

Leadership lessons with General Petraeus

Borderlands Talks · September 30, 2023

Leadership lessons with General Petraeus

General David Petraeus shares hard-won insights on leadership, drawing the line between his experience in Iraq and Afghanistan and Ukraine's fight today.

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Ukraine unveiled: centuries of resilience and identity

Borderlands Talks · October 2, 2023

Ukraine unveiled: centuries of resilience and identity

Sam and Suzanne dive into Ukraine's long, turbulent history — the resilient spirit and culture that Russia has spent centuries trying to erase.

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Bridging histories and heroes: the U.S.–Ukraine veterans connection

Borderlands Talks · October 5, 2023

Bridging histories and heroes: the U.S.–Ukraine veterans connection

How Sam fuses the legacies of U.S. and Ukrainian veterans through initiatives like the charity golf tournament — turning shared service into lasting bonds.

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The unseen toll: Ukraine's fight and the world's future

Borderlands Talks · October 12, 2023

The unseen toll: Ukraine's fight and the world's future

A hard look at the human cost of the war — and what it means for the free world's future.

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Strategic leadership: war and diplomacy in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine

Borderlands Talks · October 21, 2023

Strategic leadership: war and diplomacy in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine

A seasoned general on the nuances of strategic leadership across three theatres of war — and the diplomacy that shapes their outcomes.

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Some Borderlands Talks videos are being re-hosted so they play everywhere — tracked in WEB-38.

From our Military History Institute

The Ukraine Military History podcast

New episodes with Rob Lee, Sam Cook, and Ukraine's commanders — published on ukrainemilitaryhistory.org.

Why Ukraine's military history matters

Ukraine Military History · Episode 1

Why Ukraine's military history matters

Sam Cook and Rob Lee open the show — why the history of Ukraine's wars is a weapon for the fight today.

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Russia's next move: the front line right now

Ukraine Military History · Episode 2

Russia's next move: the front line right now

Rob and Dima on the current state of the front — Russian redeployments, operational depth, and the energy grid.

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Why history wins wars: Blitzkrieg & mission command

Ukraine Military History · Episode 3

Why history wins wars: Blitzkrieg & mission command

Lt. Gen. Zabrodskyi on military history as a warfighting tool — Blitzkrieg as a product, mission command, and the drone as a platoon weapon.

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Drone warfare & the kill zone

Ukraine Military History · Episode 4

Drone warfare & the kill zone

Drone doctrine on the modern battlefield — the 0–15km kill zone, interceptors, and brigade autonomy.

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Back from the front: Ukraine closes the deep-strike gap

Ukraine Military History · Episode 5

Back from the front: Ukraine closes the deep-strike gap

Rob Lee reports from a June 2026 frontline trip — how Ukraine now strikes at operational depth with cheap, scalable drones.

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Inside the battalion that killed over 2,000 Russians in two months

Ukraine Military History · Episode 6

Inside the battalion that killed over 2,000 Russians in two months

A frontline unit's account of one of the war's most lopsided defensive stands.

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The making of a Marine: Ievgen Malik and the last stand at Mariupol

Ukraine Military History · Episode 7

The making of a Marine: Ievgen Malik and the last stand at Mariupol

Marine Ievgen Malik on Poltava, enlisting in 2018, and the last stand at Mariupol.

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