Simon Ostrovsky
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Articles by Simon Ostrovsky
Is Trump's attempt to protect Russia actually backfiring? | Weekend Update
For my paid subscribers, I’m offering an extended cut where I get into the devastating implications Ukraine’s strikes on Russian data centers may have for the country’s entire financial sector. I’m putting all subscription fees into funding my on-the-ground reporting so please consider becoming a paid subscriber and you’ll get exclusive subscriber conte…
Diesel Deal: A Devil’s Bargain for Trump but what is Putin’s Plan?
Everyone is asking how Trump could agreed to a diesel deal with Putin. But, hang on, why has Putin agreed to it, given Russia’s own fuel shortages? Russia actually banned diesel exports in the weeks leading up to the deal as a result of Ukraine’s intensified campaign against its refineries. So why agree to supply its adversary the United States now?
Why Is Jared Kushner so desperate to make a deal with Russia? | Weekend Update
Why Is Jared Kushner so desperate to make a deal with Russia? | Weekend Update I look at how Kushner’s brand of “dollar diplomacy” actually works — and who actually stands to profit For my paid subscribers this week, I’m offering an extended cut of my video that includes a breakdown of Jared Kushner’s failed business deals in the Balkans from some of the experts I’ve spoken to.
Moscow’s Spiritual Invasion | Weekend Update
Moscow’s Spiritual Invasion | Weekend Update Why is Russia targeting Ukrainian Christians? In July 2014, I visited a mass grave site in the Ukrainian city of Sloviansk. Ukrainian forces had just taken back control of the city and I was there covering how investigators were digging out 12 bodies of Ukrainians executed by Russian militants. Four of them turned out to be from a local Pentecostal Church.
Putin’s man in the NHL | Weekend Update
Alexander Ovechkin just appeared in a campaign video with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov — and the NHL has said nothing. So why is one of America’s biggest hockey stars helping promote Vladimir Putin’s ruling party in the run up to parliamentary elections, and why isn’t the league facing questions about it?
First ever screening of See You in Heaven
Participants of the Ukraine Action Summit in Washington D.C. got a preview of my new documentary about Christians in Ukraine who are being targeted by Russian forces for their faith. Last night, we screened the first cut of See You in Heaven — my documentary about Christians being targeted for their faith in Ukraine — as the closing event of the Ukraine Action Summit.
Simon Ostrovsky | Substack
Simon Ostrovsky's Substack
Russia may force more men to fight in Ukraine as military faces heavy losses
Sep 3, 2026 6:35 PM EDT Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio With Russian military losses estimated at some 40,000 a month, there are signs the Kremlin is preparing for the possibility of a much broader call-up, perhaps after parliamentary elections later this month. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky reports.
Simon Ostrovsky's Substack
Simon Ostrovsky's Substack Simon Ostrovsky is a PBS NewsHour Special Correspondent and former Senior International Correspondent at VICE News
How volunteers with 3D printers make weapons for Ukraine
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio Last week, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy dismissed his tech-savvy defense minister. That sparked protests among supporters who credit him with helping transform Ukraine’s defense capabilities. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and producer Katia Patin report on the technologies and policies that helped drive that transformation. A warning: this story includes graphic descriptions of war.
Lured by Russia, African soldiers end up on deadly front lines of Ukraine war
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio By some estimates, Russia has taken 1.5 million casualties in its war against Ukraine, including a half million killed since the war began. Now, as Russia runs out of recruits, it is bringing in mercenaries from far away. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky reports. A warning: Some images in this story are disturbing.
A look at the Albanian island where a Kushner-Trump resort plan has sparked protests
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio Albania's Sazan Island is a jewel in the Adriatic Sea. The former Cold War-era base is now in a luscious nature preserve and an inviting prospect for real estate developers. Chief among them is Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Their plans are running headlong into Albanians who want to keep what's theirs. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and producer Katia Patin report.
Ukraine's foreign minister says drone attacks in Russia could pressure Putin to end war
PBS News Full Episodes Podcasts Newsletters Live May 28, 2026 6:35 PM EDT Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio With the Ukraine war deep into its fourth year, Russia has intensified attacks across the country. But even amid the barrage, Ukraine says it is adapting and carrying out increasingly sophisticated drone strikes deep inside Russia.
Dentro la comunità che vive all'ombra di Chernobyl a 40 anni dal disastro nucleare
Il fotografo Pierpaolo Mittica ha documentato lo scorrere del tempo sul luogo del disastro, mentre le squadre di bonifica, i turisti e le tracce della guerra vanno e vengono in un paesaggio ancora saturo di radiazioni e segnato da trasformazioni continue. «Siamo solo all’inizio della storia di Chernobyl».
Inside Chornobyl, 40 years after the world's worst nuclear disaster
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio Forty years ago, the world’s worst nuclear power disaster exploded into history at the Soviet Union’s Chornobyl nuclear plant in what is now Ukraine. The ensuing cover-up and clean-up operation made Chornobyl a byword for dereliction and mismanagement. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and cinematographer Amanda Bailly report from the Chornobyl exclusion zone.
“We are just at the beginning of the story of Chernobyl”
Those who have travelled to the Chernobyl exclusion zone at least a few times since the disaster took place 40 years ago know its biggest secret. To many outsiders, it’s a time capsule of the Soviet period, frozen in that day in 1986 when reactor No. 4 blew its lid and sent clouds of radiation across Europe. But the truth is, Chernobyl is always changing. No two visits are ever the same.
Russian corruption fuels massive casualties in Ukraine
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio Estimates show Russian forces have suffered more than one million casualties in the war against Ukraine. At the same time, its territorial gains have been some of the slowest in modern history. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky has a rare look at the Kremlin’s war machine and reveals the brutality and corruption eating away at the Russian military from the inside.
Ukraine's drone defense tech reshapes combat as warfare evolves
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio Earlier this month, President Trump told journalists he didn’t want Ukraine’s assistance with drone defense, saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the last person he’d ever ask for help. But during the Iran war, Gulf countries have been lining up to request Ukraine's guidance on how to counter drones. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky reports from Ukraine.
Unmasking GRU Unit 29155: Christo Grozev explains how he helped expose the Russian spies creating chaos in the West Original
Simon Ostrovsky: Christo Grozev, head of investigations at The Insider, Thank you for sitting down with us today. We're going to be talking about the unit that you've never heard of, but you should know more about — Unit 29155 of the Russian Military Intelligence Service [the GRU]. What’s the difference between the FSB and the GRU, the agency that this unit belongs to? Christo Grozev: The main difference, nominally at least, is that the GRU should only work abroad.
Inside The Investigation with Simon Ostrovsky
Inside The Investigation with Simon Ostrovsky Simon Ostrovsky sits down with investigative journalist Christo Grozev to talk about Russia's infamous Unit 21955 - GRU's most prolific assassination and sabotage squad that has been terrorizing Europe and the world for decades. What are their biggest hits? And what don't their wives know about their lives - but Christo and his team know? Set aside half an hour to find out...
Israeli airstrike hits Greek Orthodox church in Gaza, killing more than a dozen
World Oct 20, 2023 06:50 PM EDT Transcript Air strikes continued to pound Gaza Friday as the Israeli invasion force sat ready near the Gaza border. On the Egyptian side of that border, aid shipments still await entry to Gaza as the U.N. secretary-general visited the site and pushed for a resolution. Leila Molana-Allen reports. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.
Machinery from New York-based company used to build Russian weapons used in war on Ukraine
PBS NewsHour After Russia invaded Ukraine last year, the U.S. and Europe imposed strict sanctions against the Russian government. But as Russian manufacturers work to replace tanks destroyed on the battlefield, they are doing it with the help of a machine part made by a company based in New York. Simon Ostrovsky traveled to Kyiv and Albany to get to the bottom of the NSH USA's role. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
American company appears to still indirectly supply Russian arms industry with technology
PBS NewsHour American machine tools giant Haas Automation faced allegations in March it sold technology to the Russian arms industry via a former distributor. Haas denied the story and said it halted sales when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. But research shows Haas may still be supplying the Russian arms industry indirectly. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky reports with support from the Pulitzer Center. Falls die Wiedergabe nicht in Kürze beginnt, empfehlen wir dir, das Gerät neu zu starten.
Blinken face-to-face with Russian counterpart for first time since invasion of Ukraine
Amna Nawaz: The world's 20 wealthiest nations met in New Delhi today for the G20 summit hosted by India and bringing together the U.S., Russia and China. But the gathering on global cooperation was largely overshadowed by bitter disagreements on the war in Ukraine and concluded with no consensus.
Jiems pavyko pabėgti - į Rusiją ištremtų ukrainiečių liudijimai
Nuo vasario pabaigoje prasidėjusios Rusijos invazijos į Ukrainą šimtai tūkstančių ukrainiečių buvo priverstinai išvežti į Rusiją. Interviu, duotuose „The New York Times“ žurnalistams, tuzinas žmonių, kuriems pavyko pabėgti, papasakojo apie procesą, vadinamą „filtravimu“ – Rusijos kampanijos, skirtos „denacifikuoti“ ir „nuginkluoti“ Ukrainą, dalį.
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Dozens of Ukrainian troops died in a July 17 Russian missile strike on Mykolaiv, unconfirmed by Ukraine’s military. I travelled to the city last week to produce this report for @NewsHour and saw first-hand the devastating toll Russia’s missiles are taking.
Hear the stories of Ukrainians who were forcibly resettled to Russia and escaped.
Europe|Hear the stories of Ukrainians who were forcibly resettled to Russia and escaped. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/20/world/europe/hear-the-stories-of-ukrainians-who-were-forcibly-resettled-to-russia-and-escaped.html By Simon Ostrovsky, Ainara Tiefenthäler and Alessandro Pavone June 20, 2022 Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, thousands of refugees from Ukraine have been sent to so-called filtration camps, where they have been interrogated and then forced to resettle to Russia.
Video: Surviving Russia’s ‘Filtration Camps’
new video loaded: Surviving Russia’s ‘Filtration Camps’ Recent episodes in Ukraine Crisis Show more videos from Ukraine Crisis
How Russian disinformation spreads beyond its borders.
April 15, 2022, 9:00 a.m. ET April 15, 2022, 9:00 a.m. ET We traveled inside Transnistria, a Moscow-backed breakaway state in Moldova, to find out how Russia’s disinformation campaign stretches beyond its borders.CreditCredit...Emily Rhyne/The New York Times Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, Moscow has ramped up its propaganda and disinformation efforts, crafting a through-the-looking-glass image of the war in which Ukraine and the West — not Russia — are to blame for Russia’s...
Video: Journey to Transnistria: Inside Russia’s Disinformation Bubble
new video loaded: Journey to Transnistria: Inside Russia’s Disinformation Bubble Recent episodes in Ukraine Crisis Show more videos from Ukraine Crisis
Russian withdrawal from Bucha exposes atrocities against Ukrainian civilians
Global outrage grew Monday as more horrific revelations surfaced from Bucha, Ukraine outside Kyiv. Hundreds of Ukrainians died there, many clearly executed by Russian troops as they retreated last week. Meantime, the U.S. says Russians are shifting their military focus to eastern Ukraine. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and videographer Yegor Troyanovsky report from Bucha.
Ukraine accuses Russia of genocide as retreat outside Kyiv leaves ‘trail of death’ Original
PBS NewsHour Ukrainian prosecutors investigating possible Russian war crimes say they have found 410 bodies in the towns surrounding Kyiv. Meanwhile, Moscow continues to deny the military is killing civilians. But as Russian troops pull back from those areas they are scorching the earth behind them. Correspondent Ali Rogin reports and Simon Ostrovsky joins Geoff Bennett with more from on the ground in Ukraine. By — Ali Rogin Ali Rogin Ali Rogin is a foreign affairs producer at the PBS NewsHour.
Video: ‘Is There Shooting Here?’ Ukrainians Find Refuge in Moldova
new video loaded: ‘Is There Shooting Here?’ Ukrainians Find Refuge in Moldova Recent episodes in Ukraine Crisis Show more videos from Ukraine Crisis
Video: ‘I Must Save My Mom’: The Women Returning to Ukraine
new video loaded: ‘I Must Save My Mom’: The Women Returning to Ukraine
Video: ‘The Worst is Behind You’: Ukrainian Family Reunites in Poland
new video loaded: ‘The Worst is Behind You’: Ukrainian Family Reunites in Poland Recent episodes in Ukraine Crisis Show more videos from Ukraine Crisis
Heirlooms, clothes, pets: Ukrainians flee to Poland amid Russian bombardment
Simon Ostrovsky: This usually quiet corner of rural southeastern Poland has been turned into a bustling hub for refugees from Ukraine looking for shelter and safety in neighboring countries. Thousands of people continue to stream into this train station on the Polish side of the border as the Ukrainian capital Kyiv continues to be bombarded by Russian forces.
How Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater balances history and innovation
This month would have been Alvin Ailey’s 91st birthday; the celebrated modern dance visionary died in 1989. Decades later, his choreography is as vibrant as ever and his company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater remains as innovative. Christopher Booker spoke with the company’s artistic director Robert Battle about Ailey’s legacy.
Inside Estonia’s approach in combating Russian disinformation
Russian disinformation is rife in countries formerly ruled from Moscow. Some ex-Soviet states have tried to suppress it altogether by banning Russian television stations and even limiting the use of the Russian language on their own domestic channels. Special Correspondent Simon Ostrovsky visited Estonia, which is trying a different approach. The story was produced in partnership with the Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellowship.
Bolsonaro may face criminal charges for botching COVID response over ‘false dilemma’
Nick Schifrin: For more, we turn to Dr. Luiz Henrique Mandetta. He served as Brazil's minister of health in 2019 and 2020, until President Bolsonaro fired him over their differences in how to respond to the pandemic. He is now laying the ground work to run for president of Brazil, and joins us from Brasilia. Dr. Mandetta, thank you. Welcome to the "NewsHour." You were the committee's first witness. Do you agree with the charges recommended?
‘Anti-LGBT ideology zones’ are being enacted in Polish towns
Simon Ostrovsky: Poland's slide towards authoritarianism hasn't been without pushback. Other countries in the European Union have noticed the changing attitudes about women's rights, the independence of the courts and the protection of the LGBT community's rights. Here in Pulawy, for example, where an anti-LGBT resolution was passed, two cities in Europe, which were twinned with Pulawy, ended their partnership with the municipality in protest.
Gen. Brown on extremism in the Air Force and threats from China, Afghanistan
Jul 28, 2021 6:30 PM EDT The Air Force’s top officer is Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the first and so far only Black service chief in U.S. military history. Nick Schifrin sits down with General Brown to look at his history and his priorities for the force, including how he plans to address diversity, racism and extremism issues. Judy Woodruff: The Air Force's top officer is general C.Q. Brown Jr., the first and so far only Black service chief in U.S. military history.
Belarusian opposition leader on Lukashenko’s dictatorship, underground protests, U.S. aid
It's been nearly a year since the man known as Europe's last dictator, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, was declared victor in an election widely-denounced as a fraud. The woman leading his opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, is in Washington this week meeting with top U.S. officials. Amna Nawaz reports on her visit and speaks with her about her political plans and hopes for the future.
Dissidents are fleeing Belarus after Lukashenko’s crackdown on protesters
President Lukashenko's landslide victory in Belarus last year marked more than 25 years of control and the start of the authoritarian leader's sixth term. Mass demonstrations followed, with thousands of protesters imprisoned. Thousands more are fleeing to neighboring countries, crossing into the E.U. illegally. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky traveled to the Belarusian border to tell their stories, with support from the Pulitzer Center.
Northern Ireland Troubles truth commission is opening old wounds
The British government promised a new law to deal with the so-called legacy cases from the sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland or the Troubles, in which 3,500 people were killed between 1968 and 1998. Part of the proposal is to set up a Nelson Mandela-style truth and reconciliation process, but as NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports, many groups are opposing the new legislation. Hari Sreenivasan: Northern Ireland has been at peace for 23 years.
Latest Israel-Gaza conflict sent waves of antisemitism across the U.S.
Rabbi Jill Jacobs: So Israel is supposed to be a refuge for Jews. It's supposed to be a place that keeps Jews safe. It is a place where almost half of the world's Jewish population lives. And in that regard, Israel does have a responsibility both to Jews and others who live either who are either citizens of Israel, who are or who are under its jurisdiction, as well as to Jews around the world.
Inequities in care, misinformation fuel COVID deaths among poor, indigenous Brazilians
All across Brazil, slums — known as Favelas — have long been places of crime and poverty, marked by overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. They are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, in a country where the death toll just passed 450,000. In the second of two reports, NewsHour special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and producer Charles Lyons report on Brazil's COVID crisis.
Bolsonaro faces criminal investigation, possible impeachment over COVID response in Brazil
Brazil formalized a criminal investigation last week into President Jair Bolsonaro’s response to the pandemic. It could lead to his impeachment. The country just passed 400,000 total fatalities so far, with no significant slowdown in sight. With support from the Sloan Foundation, special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and producer Charles Lyons bring us the first of two reports.
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Our @nytvideo team went to Estonia to interview a dozen Ukrainian refugees who survived the siege of Mariupol & were then forced to resettle in Russia. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been forcibly removed & pressured to take Russian citizenship. nytimes.com/video/world/eu… Everyone we spoke to had been subjected to intrusive interrogations known as “filtration” before being put on evacuation trains to remote locations around Russia.
Crackdown on online hate speech pushes extremists to other platforms
In a Congressional hearing last week the heads of Facebook and Twitter said they're taking measures to slow the spread of hate speech and conspiracies on their sites in the wake of the Jan 6 insurrection. But a crackdown on mainstream platforms is pushing extremists onto less monitored forums.
Extremism in the ranks: some at the January 6 Capitol riot were police, active military
Right-wing extremists have infiltrated the ranks of the military and law enforcement, as watchdogs and counterterrorism experts have been warning for years — and some were present at, and later arrested for participating in, the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
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