Today, on the third anniversary of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, The Telegraph has announced the launch of its podcast, Ukraine: The Latest, in both Ukrainian and Russian. The publisher says this will allow millions more people from across the world to access the reporting of its Ukraine experts and guests. The daily podcast will use AI to replicate the English version of the podcast into both languages, while maintaining the cadence and tone of the presenters. The Telegraph claims it is the first news publisher to pioneer the use of AI in this way.
Speaking exclusively to The Telegraph, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi said: “This is the first Ukrainian-language episode of the Ukraine: The Latest podcast by The Telegraph – a podcast that has been covering the events of the war daily since Russia's full-scale invasion, sharing stories of Ukrainian heroism, analyzing the situation on the battlefield and the diplomatic front. Today, more than ever, it is crucial for the world to hear the truth. It is important for Ukrainians to have access to verified information, analysis, and voices that help us understand what is happening and the challenges we face. Ukraine is fighting for its freedom, independence, and future. And we are grateful to everyone who supports us, who speaks about Ukraine, and who spreads the truth. So listen, analyze, and share this podcast. Together, we will prevail."
To preserve the authenticity, personality and connection with the presenters, The Telegraph says its technology team will use a sophisticated AI voice cloning and translation model. This creates a digital likeness to the speaker, capturing the natural rhythm and nuances of their voice. A non-English speaking listener will receive the artificially-produced product as if the presenters are speaking in the listener’s own language.
The Telegraph says the AI model was tailored in-house and refined with a native Ukrainian speaker, who is also fluent in Russian and English. The output of each episode then goes through a rigorous editorial process to ensure the translation is accurate and that any misinterpretations are fixed, added the publisher. This process utilises the best of the technology while also ensuring journalistic oversight and quality control, the publisher continued.
The Telegraph says the decision to translate the podcast into Ukrainian and Russian is born out of the paper’s long-standing commitment to reporting on the war. The podcast will now reach those who find it difficult to access quality journalism as well large expat populations around the world who are concerned about the war and how it affects them.
According to The Telegraph, Ukraine: The Latest is the only dedicated daily podcast in the UK detailing the ongoing effects of the war. The team has reported from across Ukraine throughout the conflict and also toured the US, where over 30% of its audience is based. The Telegraph says it is now the most listened-to podcast in its history, with overall listens currently at over 100 million from the podcast's 800 episodes.
The publisher says the podcast has earned major accolades, winning Best News Podcast at the 2024 Publisher Podcast Awards and Podcast of the Year at the Society of Editors’ Media Freedom Awards. Its creator, David Knowles – who died unexpectedly in September 2024 – was posthumously honoured with the Public Service Journalism award at the British Journalism Awards. It is in his memory that the team continues to build and develop the podcast.
Francis Dearnley, one of the presenters of the podcast along with Dom Nicholls, added: “Ukraine stands at a crossroads, with questions over negotiations and the future of the war growing ever louder. We wanted to ensure our reporting is accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus."
Dom Nicholls said: “Only a quarter of our listeners are in the UK, with the rest spread across the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. We are proud that the podcast has a global impact. While there are understandable concerns about AI in news, this is about presentation, not production.”
Group Technology Director, Dylan Jacques, said: “The Telegraph is proud to pioneer the use of AI to help distribute our brilliant journalism to ever-wider audiences. As part of this innovative initiative, we have been rigorously testing the system to ensure it meets our editorial standards and we are committed to continually adapting and enhancing the technology to best serve our readers. This is a new era of audio journalism and we are proud to lead the way.”
Listen to Ukraine: The Latest using the Telegraph's audio player, Apple, Spotify, YouTube or on your preferred podcast app.
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