Mark Urban

Oh my Lord. UK officials are apparently wandering around chatting to random strangers in Brussels about Freedom of Movement. Cos the EU sure as hell isn't holding talks with us about it.... www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

WATCH: America's secret drone war in the Strait of Hormuz. My latest Defence video www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrND...

Is Argentina really threatening the Falklands? And how might different scenarios play out? That’s our theme on this week’s Fourcast Indicators pod! t.co/w532Ydj749

Your cut and and keep fact file on how the Patriot missile became the most sought after weapon in the world markurban.substack.com/p/patriot-ga...

We’re going to do a Q&A episode of The Fourcast Indicators podcast this weeks - feel free to add questions beneath this YouTube promo or indeed here t.co/t6rJRmITMJ

How the crisis in Ukraine's access to satellite bandwidth has its roots in Elon Musk's early investment in Starlink and what the UK and Europe might do to avoid the same dependence - my latest for the Sunday Times (£) www.thetimes.com/world/europe...

Well it's obviously Putin/Trump/Iran/Zelenskyy's fault!* *Delete according to prejudice. I've blogged on the galloping price of diesel and who's to blame markurban.substack.com/p/the-diesel...

A spying special on the Fourcast Indicators pod this week as @krishgm.bsky.social and I are joined by Mark Lyall Grant to discuss how threats are evolving rapidly youtu.be/jVjWnZ8Xir8

Having worked the coal-face at the IWM I have to say this is a very fair defence of an institution I grew to like more across the short time I worked there - and it's hard to escape the fact that it is 1) a popular destination and 2) one that impresses almost every visitor who enters

The BBC has announced it will be cutting a raft of Radio 4 programmes including the long-running consumer and social affairs show You and Yours. The social sciences show Thinking Allowed will also be cut along with arts and ideas programme Free Thinking… 🤔 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Being a great cultural institution, the Imperial War Museum gets its share of brickbats. Here's what I learned in eight years on the board markurban.substack.com/p/secrets-of...

On the subtleties of diplomatic meetings and why that New York handshake was a mistake markurban.substack.com/p/britains-i...

The USS Abraham Lincoln just arrived in Guam after more than 300 days deployed - a telling example of operational overstretch. In my latest Times Defence Decoded video I ask whether these ships have turned from a symbol of US might into one of its limitations www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpr...

Trump and Xi - what the summit tells us about the most important bilateral relationship in the world today? Get your Fourcast Indicators pod while it’s fresh! youtu.be/IOPFCrjXICY

"Given all of this, rushing headlong towards greater dependence on space seems odd. Doesn’t national resilience demand the retention of as many reversionary or back up ways of operating as possible, if there is a growing danger of the orbiting infrastructure is in danger of being obliterated?"

Britain enters the space warfare business - just as its dependence on satellites has never been higher markurban.substack.com/p/britain-en...

WATCH: a video I made for @thetimes Originals channel that's gone well north of 500k viewers now. How Iran prepared for its war with the US ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMUj...

Amidst the doom and gloom about what’s been going on in the Middle East and the energy sector we may be missing a big story about the transformation of the US military markurban.substack.com/p/americas-d...

WATCH: how Iran prepared for war against America - my latest Defence Decoded video youtu.be/vMUj3CikMSg

Strong words today from Britain, ten European allies and Canada, denouncing 'ethnic cleansing' by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Underlying that is a deeper alienation between that country and many of its western democratic allies markurban.substack.com/p/europe-san...

Interesting column by @markurban.bsky.social in the ST on the shifting dynamics in Strait of Hormuz. Best part (in my view) this reflection on shifting US objectives (and what it cost to get even here) apple.news/AaFEGrammS42...

Germany has accused Russia of trying to blow up a plane at Leipzig airport last month - so what happens next given that everyone in Europe seems braced for escalation? markurban.substack.com/p/germany-ac...

Back with another Fourcast Indicators pod this week alongside @krishgm.bsky.social and a lot to process - notably the ways the Gulf crisis links to the one in the bond markets, and not forgetting Russia! youtu.be/SyVEHrRb0SM

Excellent article, thank you. Here's the 🎁 link (no paywall) for those who need it. www.thetimes.com/article/080c...

Thanks @markurban.bsky.social for quoting me in this cogent assessment of the Ratcliffe mission to Moscow. Whatever his precise talking points, the visit itself was part of the message, and is best followed up by prompt NATO-wide action to up the pressure on Russia in response to provocations.

After the CIA boss's dash to Moscow my Sunday Times column this week asks whether the threat of escalation by Putin is serious and whether a visit like that can make a difference (£) www.thetimes.com/world/russia...

The future of the BBC's Newsnight was in the news this week. The Corporation's DG described as 'nonsense' the idea it was about to be scrapped. As a veteran of the show, naturally, I have views markurban.substack.com/p/newsnight-...

Two very different headlines today in Russia. The army paper: “Victory will be ours!” Nezavisimaya Gazeta: “Is there a way out of the petrol crisis if infrastructure isn’t protected?” #ReadingRussia

“We see telltale indicators of escalation in Russian actions towards [Nato]. Whether it was explosive-laden drones at Leipzig airport, Geran one way ‘effectors’ flying into Polish airspace or an uncrewed sea vessel targeting Romania’s offshore gas installations there are myriad signs of it…”

We've got used to there being a stalemate in Ukraine - but things are changing now, with risks for Putin, Zelenskyy, and indeed Europe markurban.substack.com/p/double-jeo...

How on earth did the US get itself into the position that it has fired off most of its stockpile of key missiles? My piece from today' Sunday Times (£) www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...

Let's be real - love of hate Trump, the threats to his life are evident and have to be taken seriously. Journalists covering leaders need to reflect upon that markurban.substack.com/p/iran-wants...

Stand by! Your Fourcast Indicators pod is out - does the strike in Leipzig mark a new escalation by Putin against NATO, and how might Zelensky convert his deep strike campaign into something that could pose a real threat to the Kremlin? youtu.be/YCzDIsuwFTI

Of all the decisions we make as citizens, there are few as consequential as those for - or against - war. Good journalism plays an important role in keeping us - as citizen, not just consumers, informed, so this, from an experienced and very talented defence correspondent is important

I’ve been thinking about the coverage of defence and conflict - who’s stepping up, and who isn’t markurban.substack.com/p/making-sen...

Dramatic events in the Middle East during the past week as Iran finally played the Houthi card. How one side in this conflict escalates to advantage ... while the other posts on social media open.substack.com/pub/markurba...

🎧 Listen to Deputy Director of @chrussiaeurasia.bsky.social & head of @chathamhouse.org #UkraineForum - Orysia Lutsevych discussing recent government reshuffle in Ukraine with Matt Frei & @markurban.bsky.social on Channel 4’s The Fourcast: Indicators. Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=caG3...

Just as Ukraine looks like turning the tide, a bitter row and sackings at the top of their forces - time for a @C4TheFourcast Indicators pod! youtu.be/caG3bWH3VQ8

Can America ever restore its relationships with Nato allies post-Trump? This week I found some reasons to be hopeful open.substack.com/pub/markurba...

As America and Iran resume their struggle for the Strait of Hormuz, time for us on @channel4news.bsky.social Indicators pod to discuss whether there is any path to success for Trump youtu.be/paS6vi0zuO0

Nine European countries have agreed to back an ambitious Ukrainian effort to develop a domestic missile defense system that, if successful, would reduce reliance on U.S. technology such as Patriot interceptors.

Whether it's US targeting in Iran, the drones that the Islamic Republic sends back at its Arab neighbours or Ukraine's recent hits on Russia there's a pattern ... open.substack.com/pub/markurba...

Is the US/Iran war breaking out again? A stormy day demanded an emergency Fourcast Indicators pod with @krishgm.bsky.social and I youtu.be/7HxqRd8urEE

Today we remember the 52 people who were killed, the people who were injured and affected, the heroes who helped and those who lost loved ones because of the terrible events twenty one years ago on the 7th of July 2005 in London. #LondonBombings #NeverForget #7July @allontheboard.bsky.social

WATCH: Has Ukraine managed to gain the upper hand? how is it prosecuting its attack on Russia differently? My latest video for the Times www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA2R...

Fascinating, and made me realise how little I know about the period - including that 10% of the population chose to leave after Britain's defeat.

Happy Birthday rebels! As the USA celebrates its 250th birthday, a deep dive into what the army that tried to stop the revolution thought of the Americans open.substack.com/pub/markurba...