Documentaries365

Leaders including Boris Johnson, Theresa May and Volodymyr Zelensky discuss how they confronted Putin and manoeuvred to try and prevent his invasion of Ukraine.

Putin turns to the Middle East. After Gaddafi’s overthrow in Libya, Putin shows just how far he’s willing to go to keep his ally, President Assad of Syria, in power.

Could Donald Trump return to the White House? He keeps hinting that he is about to attempt one of the biggest political comebacks of all time, so could it really happen? Katty Kay has reported from the US for 20 years, and now she sets off on an epic road trip across the US on the eve of the midterm elections to discover how strong support for Trump still is. Can American democracy weather the storm if he runs again?

In the initial episode, we delve into the account of Europe's leaders disagreeing on how to halt Putin's first attack on Ukraine in 2014. During massive demonstrations demanding closer EU ties in Kyiv, the Ukrainian president escapes to Russia, leaving a power vacuum that Putin exploits by sending troops into Crimea - the boldest move of his presidency to date. We take a behind-the-scenes look at the critical summits and tense phone calls as the west searches for ways to push back against the Russian aggression. The situation escalates as the violence spreads to Donbas in Eastern Ukraine and Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 is downed. Key figures such as David Cameron, Francois Hollande, Jose Manuel Barroso, and then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko recount the EU's indecisiveness and the all-night talks with the warring sides. Though a ceasefire is signed in Minsk, Russian forces continue to occupy Donbas. Meanwhile, Putin exudes confidence. The message is clear, according to French President Francois Hollande: "If we do not penalize at first, we are compelled to penalize more severely later."

The S-300 & S-400 are Russia’s most advanced anti-aircraft defence systems. They are capable of intercepting any aerial target, including cruise and ballistic missiles, stealth aircraft, and drones. The S-300 and S-400 are fully automated and can engage dozens of targets at the same time. This episode of the Kalashnikova Show gives you a glimpse at these hi-tech systems in action.

In the new episode of the Kalashnikova Show, host Anna Knishenko takes a closer look at Russian Engineering Troops in Syria. Combat engineers or sappers carry out de-mining operations in Aleppo, Palmyra and Deir Ez-Zor. They are also responsible for examining the Khmeimim airbase and surrounding areas. Sapper teams cover the same areas every day to see any difference. Each member carries portable detectors to look for explosives hidden inside objects or lying more than 40 cm underground. The film crew joins the engineering troops on a mission outside the Khmeimim airbase. The operation includes sappers, an armoured vehicle and service dogs. The combat engineers use the BTR-82 armoured personnel carrier that can travel up to 100 kph. The Uran-6 mine-clearing robot is also at their disposal to locate and destroy any explosive device. Finally, we get to see how sappers are trained in Russia.