Mark Urban
@markurban.bsky.social
Host @crisisroompod.bsky.social writes for Sunday Times, ex-BBC guy covering war & peace + sometime Newsnight presenter 1990-2024, IWM trustee, author Big Boys Rules, Generals, Rifles, Task Force Black, The Tank War, Skripal Files, Red Devils, Tank & more!
Reposted by Mark Urban
‘I agree, “call me daddy”… that’s cringe.’
Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social get into why leaders keep pandering to Trump—and whether Europe needs its own Hugh Grant/Love Actually moment to finally take a stand
Watch The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#LoveActually
Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social get into why leaders keep pandering to Trump—and whether Europe needs its own Hugh Grant/Love Actually moment to finally take a stand
Watch The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#LoveActually
December 12, 2025 at 5:09 PM
‘I agree, “call me daddy”… that’s cringe.’
Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social get into why leaders keep pandering to Trump—and whether Europe needs its own Hugh Grant/Love Actually moment to finally take a stand
Watch The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#LoveActually
Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social get into why leaders keep pandering to Trump—and whether Europe needs its own Hugh Grant/Love Actually moment to finally take a stand
Watch The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#LoveActually
The stakes couldn’t be higher now for our defence - Trump’s new strategy has seen to that. Yet we’re strapped for cash & dragging our heels on spending more. So we’re joined @crisisroompod.bsky.social by former chancellor, def & foreign sec Lord Hammond to discuss podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Will Britain break its promises on defence spending?
Podcast Episode · The Crisis Room · 11/12/2025 · 40m
podcasts.apple.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:52 PM
The stakes couldn’t be higher now for our defence - Trump’s new strategy has seen to that. Yet we’re strapped for cash & dragging our heels on spending more. So we’re joined @crisisroompod.bsky.social by former chancellor, def & foreign sec Lord Hammond to discuss podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Great to see @crisisroompod.bsky.social get picked as one of the best political pods @theweek.com if you haven’t checked it out yet, give us a listen theweek.com/arts-life/cu...
Best politics podcasts: from Political Currency to Westminster Insider
Make sense of it all with our pick of the top current affairs shows
theweek.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Great to see @crisisroompod.bsky.social get picked as one of the best political pods @theweek.com if you haven’t checked it out yet, give us a listen theweek.com/arts-life/cu...
Trump’s new national security strategy has been making waves - I’ve been separating the new from the not so new markurban.substack.com/p/trumps-par...
Trump's Paradigm Shift
How the post-Cold war era ends...
markurban.substack.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Trump’s new national security strategy has been making waves - I’ve been separating the new from the not so new markurban.substack.com/p/trumps-par...
Reposted by Mark Urban
A vital eye witness on the ground report by #BBC’s Defence Correspondent Jonathan Beale: “ #Pokrovsk has not fallen yet. That is despite President Vladimir #Putin's recent claim that Russian forces have taken the city.”
Ukrainians raise flag in Pokrovsk to show BBC the fight goes on in city claimed by Russia
Ukraine barely has a hold on Pokrovsk, but its forces are keen to show they are still resisting Russia's advance.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 9, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Reposted by Mark Urban
Today’s Russian papers are loving the new US national security strategy. One Russian paper on the implications for Europe: “Trump isn’t their Daddy any more.” Kremlin spokesman comments: “The adjustments in the updated strategy correspond in many ways to our vision” #ReadingRussia
“Trump’s not their Daddy any more.” Russian paper on Europe, over new US national security strategy
YouTube video by Steve Rosenberg
youtu.be
December 8, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Today’s Russian papers are loving the new US national security strategy. One Russian paper on the implications for Europe: “Trump isn’t their Daddy any more.” Kremlin spokesman comments: “The adjustments in the updated strategy correspond in many ways to our vision” #ReadingRussia
Reposted by Mark Urban
Do you have a burning question you’d like Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social to answer in the next Q&A episode? 🤔
Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻 or email us at [email protected] ✉️
#QnA #questions #podcast
Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻 or email us at [email protected] ✉️
#QnA #questions #podcast
December 8, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Do you have a burning question you’d like Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social to answer in the next Q&A episode? 🤔
Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻 or email us at [email protected] ✉️
#QnA #questions #podcast
Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻 or email us at [email protected] ✉️
#QnA #questions #podcast
As the Salisbury inquiry issues its final report, I reflect on how Sergei Skripal dreams of sanctuary in this country were shattered (£) t.co/CK1scYjwzT
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/sergei-skripal-novichok-poisoning-inquiry-7kk9hzrb7
t.co
December 7, 2025 at 6:05 PM
As the Salisbury inquiry issues its final report, I reflect on how Sergei Skripal dreams of sanctuary in this country were shattered (£) t.co/CK1scYjwzT
Reposted by Mark Urban
“There was the risk of panic”
With the Salisbury inquiry in focus, @markurban.bsky.social & Amber unpack why key details weren’t shared sooner — and whether greater transparency might have sparked public panic
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#Salisbury #Putin #Poision
With the Salisbury inquiry in focus, @markurban.bsky.social & Amber unpack why key details weren’t shared sooner — and whether greater transparency might have sparked public panic
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#Salisbury #Putin #Poision
December 5, 2025 at 5:34 PM
“There was the risk of panic”
With the Salisbury inquiry in focus, @markurban.bsky.social & Amber unpack why key details weren’t shared sooner — and whether greater transparency might have sparked public panic
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#Salisbury #Putin #Poision
With the Salisbury inquiry in focus, @markurban.bsky.social & Amber unpack why key details weren’t shared sooner — and whether greater transparency might have sparked public panic
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#Salisbury #Putin #Poision
Reposted by Mark Urban
🚨 New episode alert!
Putin found "morally responsible" for the Novichok attack that killed Dawn Sturgess — @markurban.bsky.social & Amber break down the Salisbury inquiry and what the government got wrong
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#Putin #Salisbury #Inquiry
Putin found "morally responsible" for the Novichok attack that killed Dawn Sturgess — @markurban.bsky.social & Amber break down the Salisbury inquiry and what the government got wrong
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#Putin #Salisbury #Inquiry
December 4, 2025 at 5:48 PM
🚨 New episode alert!
Putin found "morally responsible" for the Novichok attack that killed Dawn Sturgess — @markurban.bsky.social & Amber break down the Salisbury inquiry and what the government got wrong
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#Putin #Salisbury #Inquiry
Putin found "morally responsible" for the Novichok attack that killed Dawn Sturgess — @markurban.bsky.social & Amber break down the Salisbury inquiry and what the government got wrong
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
#Putin #Salisbury #Inquiry
Lots to talk about @crisisroompod.bsky.social this week - Salisbury poisoning, Europe’s Ukraine dilemma and whether Trumps targeting of narco boats is legal podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
British blood on Putin’s hands: Salisbury inquiry unpacked
Podcast Episode · The Crisis Room · 04/12/2025 · 38m
podcasts.apple.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Lots to talk about @crisisroompod.bsky.social this week - Salisbury poisoning, Europe’s Ukraine dilemma and whether Trumps targeting of narco boats is legal podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Reposted by Mark Urban
@markurban.bsky.social’s early take on the release of the Salisbury inquiry. Worth a read.
open.substack.com/pub/markurba...
open.substack.com/pub/markurba...
The Salisbury Inquiry is Out
My first thoughts on publication ...
open.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:25 PM
@markurban.bsky.social’s early take on the release of the Salisbury inquiry. Worth a read.
open.substack.com/pub/markurba...
open.substack.com/pub/markurba...
The official report into the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and death of Dawn Sturgess in Salisbury in 2018 has just been published open.substack.com/pub/markurba...
The Salisbury Inquiry is Out
My first thoughts on publication ...
open.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:19 PM
The official report into the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and death of Dawn Sturgess in Salisbury in 2018 has just been published open.substack.com/pub/markurba...
Reposted by Mark Urban
'Why did the Russians risk killing so many people?'
@markurban.bsky.social reflects on the 2018 Salisbury poisonings and the tragic death of Dawn Sturgess, who collapsed after unknowingly using a perfume bottle laced with Novichok
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
@markurban.bsky.social reflects on the 2018 Salisbury poisonings and the tragic death of Dawn Sturgess, who collapsed after unknowingly using a perfume bottle laced with Novichok
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
December 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
'Why did the Russians risk killing so many people?'
@markurban.bsky.social reflects on the 2018 Salisbury poisonings and the tragic death of Dawn Sturgess, who collapsed after unknowingly using a perfume bottle laced with Novichok
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
@markurban.bsky.social reflects on the 2018 Salisbury poisonings and the tragic death of Dawn Sturgess, who collapsed after unknowingly using a perfume bottle laced with Novichok
Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
Reposted by Mark Urban
This is a really useful summary of what is going on with regard to accusations against some members of the Special Forces in Afghanistan. But (and I really hesitate to say that to Mark, who is a way way better analyst and writer than I will ever be), I think that there is something missing.
1/
1/
There's been a big drop of previously classified evidence by the Afghanistan Inquiry into alleged war crimes by UK Special forces. Here's my take markurban.substack.com/p/afghan-all...
Afghan Allegations Will Not go Away
There's fresh evidence from the inquiry into UK special forces operations
markurban.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 10:04 AM
This is a really useful summary of what is going on with regard to accusations against some members of the Special Forces in Afghanistan. But (and I really hesitate to say that to Mark, who is a way way better analyst and writer than I will ever be), I think that there is something missing.
1/
1/
There's been a big drop of previously classified evidence by the Afghanistan Inquiry into alleged war crimes by UK Special forces. Here's my take markurban.substack.com/p/afghan-all...
Afghan Allegations Will Not go Away
There's fresh evidence from the inquiry into UK special forces operations
markurban.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:21 AM
There's been a big drop of previously classified evidence by the Afghanistan Inquiry into alleged war crimes by UK Special forces. Here's my take markurban.substack.com/p/afghan-all...
Reposted by Mark Urban
New episode 🚨
In a special episode of The Crisis Room, Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social look back at the Salisbury Poisonings - Russia's extraordinary attempt to assassinate a former spy on British soil.
Listen on @globalplayer.com 🎧
In a special episode of The Crisis Room, Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social look back at the Salisbury Poisonings - Russia's extraordinary attempt to assassinate a former spy on British soil.
Listen on @globalplayer.com 🎧
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
New episode 🚨
In a special episode of The Crisis Room, Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social look back at the Salisbury Poisonings - Russia's extraordinary attempt to assassinate a former spy on British soil.
Listen on @globalplayer.com 🎧
In a special episode of The Crisis Room, Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social look back at the Salisbury Poisonings - Russia's extraordinary attempt to assassinate a former spy on British soil.
Listen on @globalplayer.com 🎧
Ukraine? Venezuela? The British Army’s very noisy new vehicle?! We’re doing another Q&A episode of the Crisis Room. Fire any questions you have to [email protected] or put them in the replies here.
November 25, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Ukraine? Venezuela? The British Army’s very noisy new vehicle?! We’re doing another Q&A episode of the Crisis Room. Fire any questions you have to [email protected] or put them in the replies here.
Why trying to rush through a deal won’t work and may even prolong the Ukraine war markurban.substack.com/p/why-you-ca...
Why You can't Force a Peace Deal
As we're seeing once more with Ukraine
markurban.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Why trying to rush through a deal won’t work and may even prolong the Ukraine war markurban.substack.com/p/why-you-ca...
Reposted by Mark Urban
Do you have a burning question you’d like Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social to answer in the next bonus episode? 🤔
Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻
#QnA #questions #podcast
Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻
#QnA #questions #podcast
November 25, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Do you have a burning question you’d like Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social to answer in the next bonus episode? 🤔
Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻
#QnA #questions #podcast
Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻
#QnA #questions #podcast
What made an officer who’d been running a UK special forces task force, and had their next promotion lined up chuck it in to go into the political bearpit and run our notoriously dysfunctional Ministry of Defence? Listen to our Crisis Room special with Al Carns podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
From Marine to Minister: Al Carns exclusive
Podcast Episode · The Crisis Room · S1 Bonus · 42m
podcasts.apple.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:11 AM
What made an officer who’d been running a UK special forces task force, and had their next promotion lined up chuck it in to go into the political bearpit and run our notoriously dysfunctional Ministry of Defence? Listen to our Crisis Room special with Al Carns podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Reposted by Mark Urban
Trump's new "peace plan" for Ukraine - a basis for negotiation or capitulation?
Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social also unpack the Saudi Crown Prince’s controversial White House visit and the sighting of a Russian spy ship near Britain
The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social also unpack the Saudi Crown Prince’s controversial White House visit and the sighting of a Russian spy ship near Britain
The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
November 21, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Trump's new "peace plan" for Ukraine - a basis for negotiation or capitulation?
Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social also unpack the Saudi Crown Prince’s controversial White House visit and the sighting of a Russian spy ship near Britain
The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social also unpack the Saudi Crown Prince’s controversial White House visit and the sighting of a Russian spy ship near Britain
The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧
Latest Crisis Room is up - Amber and Marc give some first hand insights on working with the Saudis, we talk about the latest Ukraine peace pitch and whether a corruption scandal could topple Zelenskyy t.co/AYMP1zaxVG
November 20, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Latest Crisis Room is up - Amber and Marc give some first hand insights on working with the Saudis, we talk about the latest Ukraine peace pitch and whether a corruption scandal could topple Zelenskyy t.co/AYMP1zaxVG
Reposted by Mark Urban
I see from a recent answer to a PQ that the UK has supplied 85,000 drones to Ukraine in the past six months. That is rather impressive - not least for it happening with little publicity. It's the right approach: do more, shout about it less.
November 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
I see from a recent answer to a PQ that the UK has supplied 85,000 drones to Ukraine in the past six months. That is rather impressive - not least for it happening with little publicity. It's the right approach: do more, shout about it less.
Reposted by Mark Urban
UK 🇬🇧 Ministry of Defence (MOD) image of Russian spy ship Yantar, presumably in or near UK waters.
Note that the ROV (remote operated vehicle, a deep-sea robot) A-frame is deployed (red). It’s doing something on the seabed.
Also two new radomes (yellow)
Note that the ROV (remote operated vehicle, a deep-sea robot) A-frame is deployed (red). It’s doing something on the seabed.
Also two new radomes (yellow)
November 19, 2025 at 12:47 PM
UK 🇬🇧 Ministry of Defence (MOD) image of Russian spy ship Yantar, presumably in or near UK waters.
Note that the ROV (remote operated vehicle, a deep-sea robot) A-frame is deployed (red). It’s doing something on the seabed.
Also two new radomes (yellow)
Note that the ROV (remote operated vehicle, a deep-sea robot) A-frame is deployed (red). It’s doing something on the seabed.
Also two new radomes (yellow)