Ukraine: Four Years of War

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Max Pearson introduces stories from Ukraine, Iran, and the United States. February marks four years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Around 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in that time and a large number are considered officially missing. Sarah Rainsford has witnessed the war since the beginning, and on her latest visit to Ukraine she met soldiers and civilians who shared stories of grief, resistance and a desire for peace. The Iranian government recently put on a show of strength to mark the anniversary of the revolution that saw the return from exile of Ayatollah Khomeini - and the dawn of the Islamic Republic. But 47 years on, Iran has once again experienced widespread unrest, as millions of people took to the streets in nationwide anti-government protests. Lyse Doucet was recently given rare permission to report from Tehran, on condition that none of her material is used on the BBC's Persian Service. February is traditionally Black History Month in the United States – and this year marks 100 years since the country’s first Black history commemorations. In 1926, the historian Carter G. Woodson founded the first national observance, although it was just for a week. The idea grew in popularity and fifty years later, in 1976, it was extended to a month-long celebration to coincide with the USA’s bicentennial. Lindsay Johns recently embarked on a road trip across the Deep South, to explore the region’s place in the civil rights movement. Producer: Phoebe Keane Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith (Image: Portraits of fallen Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen and flags covered with snow Credit: Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images)