Two Nottingham Lads: 3. Six Weeks in Mariupol

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine begins in February 2022, and Aiden Aslin finds himself fighting on the frontline. After a desperate retreat towards the port city of Mariupol, Aiden spends six harrowing weeks defending the massive steelworks, the final sanctuary for Ukrainian forces. As food and ammunition ran out, Aiden is forced to make an agonizing choice.

Graham Philips was in the UK when the full-scale invasion began, but quickly makes it back to the Donbas to continue his reporting. And it is not long before he makes his biggest scoop to date: the interview with Aiden Aslin. 

We return to this haunting video to understand what was going on behind the scenes, and discover why it was such a sliding doors moment for both men.

Presenter: Paul Kenyon

A Message Heard production for BBC Radio 4