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This is the surprising backstory of the howitzer cannon – an artillery weapon that has dominated battlefields for hundreds of years, from Napoleon to Ukraine, and forever changed the economics of war. But this isn't just the story of a big gun.

And it's a taster of a new podcast we think you'll love.

As Ukraine battles ammunition shortages, Sky News' Ed Conway investigates what happens when a modern army runs out of shells, and why NATO struggled to replace them.

From forgotten chemical factories in the First World War to today's fragile global supply chains, Ed reveals how manufacturing, trade and industrial capacity have become just as important as military strategy.

Featuring frontline reporting from Ukraine and conversations with leading military experts, this episode asks a bigger question: if Britain ever had to defend itself, could it still make the things it needs to fight?

This is Stuff Matters with Ed Conway. What do the objects around us say about the world? In this new podcast, Ed takes an object, cracks it open and reveals the world shaping forces hidden inside. In this sneak preview, Ed begins his journey of uncovering the howitzers' story.

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In this final episode, discover what happens as the threat from Russia returns and the UK attempts to rearm. 

Join us for The Wargame: Decoded on January 29th in London. 

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Russia knows our weaknesses. But do you?  

The Wargame from Sky News and Tortoise imagines how a Russian attack on the UK could play out – and invites real-life former ministers, military chiefs and other experts to figure out how to defend the country.  

Written and presented by Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes. 

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Come to “The Wargame: Decoded” - our live event in January 2026.  

It will put you in the mind of the people who took part. Deborah Haynes and some of our participants, including Sir Ben Wallace, Amber Rudd and Jack Straw, will talk through the decisions they made, the pressures they felt - and there’s chance to experience some of the key moments of the Game for yourself. 

How would the UK respond in a crisis? And how prepared are we? 

Join us for The Wargame: Decoded on January 29th in London. 

So, how has the UK been left so poorly defended? Candid interviews with almost every real-life defence secretary since the end of the Cold War reveal all. 

Join us for The Wargame: Decoded on January 29th in London.  

 -

Russia knows our weaknesses. But do you?  

The Wargame from Sky News and Tortoise imagines how a Russian attack on the UK could play out – and invites real-life former ministers, military chiefs and other experts to figure out how to defend the country.  

Written and presented by Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes. 

-

Come to “The Wargame: Decoded” - our live event in January 2026.  

It will put you in the mind of the people who took part. Deborah Haynes and some of our participants, including Sir Ben Wallace, Amber Rudd and Jack Straw, will talk through the decisions they made, the pressures they felt - and there’s chance to experience some of the key moments of the Game for yourself. 

How would the UK respond in a crisis? And how prepared are we? 

Join us for The Wargame: Decoded on January 29th in London.  

Hostilities worsen despite attempts to broker a ceasefire. What happens next requires difficult decisions and hard choices.  

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Russia knows our weaknesses. But do you? 

A major five-part series from Sky News and Tortoise which imagines how a Russian attack on the UK could play out – and invites real-life former ministers, military chiefs and other experts to figure out how to defend the country. 

Written and presented by Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes.

A city is on fire. The UK fights back. Russia and Britain both have nuclear weapons. Will either country use them?  

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Russia knows our weaknesses. But do you? 

A major five-part series from Sky News and Tortoise which imagines how a Russian attack on the UK could play out – and invites real-life former ministers, military chiefs and other experts to figure out how to defend the country. 

Written and presented by Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes. 

The Prime Minister must address the nation. Meanwhile his ministers and officials do their best to deal with a crisis the UK hasn’t seriously prepared for in a generation. 

-

Russia knows our weaknesses. But do you? 

A major five-part series from Sky News and Tortoise which imagines how a Russian attack on the UK could play out – and invites real-life former ministers, military chiefs and other experts to figure out how to defend the country. 

Written and presented by Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes. 

Hostilities with Russia erupt into an unprecedented attack. The Prime Minister and his team scramble to respond. Will the UK’s allies choose to help them? 

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Russia knows our weaknesses. But do you? 

A major five-part series from Sky News and Tortoise which imagines how a Russian attack on the UK could play out – and invites real-life former ministers, military chiefs and other experts to figure out how to defend the country. 

Written and presented by Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes. 

Tensions with Russia escalate, and an imaginary week in the near future takes a turn for the unexpected. The Prime Minister calls an emergency Cobra meeting.

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Russia knows our weaknesses. But do you? 

A major five-part series from Sky News and Tortoise which imagines how a Russian attack on the UK could play out – and invites real-life former ministers, military chiefs and other experts to figure out how to defend the country. 

Written and presented by Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes.

In this final episode, we have the first ever interview with serving MI5 officers who work in counter intelligence.

Tom and Kate talk about the challenge of grey zone threats from Russia and reveal their shock at the Salisbury spy poisonings.

They also reveal that the Security Service has bolstered protection for people in the UK deemed at risk from Russia and is doing “everything we can” to prevent another Salisbury-style attack, but there are no “absolute guarantees” – in the grey zone.

Guests:

Tom, senior MI5 intelligence officer working on Russia

Kate, MI5 intelligence officer investigating the activities of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU

Lord Mark Sedwill, former UK national security adviser

Dominic Grieve, former senior Conservative MP, former chair of Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee, former attorney general

Credits:

Written and narrated by Deborah Haynes

Edited and produced by Chris Scott

Production support from Sophia McBide and Michael Greenfield

The Head of Sky News Radio is Dave Terris

What happens when the grey zone becomes a war zone and what might future wars look like, with hypersonic missiles, artificial intelligence and cyber changing calculations?

These are questions Sky News journalist Deborah Haynes explores in this episode, in part, by looking at Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

She also talks to General Sir Nick Carter, the head of Britain’s armed forces, about what he thinks is the gravest threat to the UK and about how the military is adapting to operate in the grey zone.

Guests:

General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of the Defence Staff

General Sir Richard Barrons, former head of Joint Command, now Strategic Command

Emine Dzhaparova , First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine

Sergei Markov, political scientist and former member of the Russian parliament

Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow at Chatham House

Orysia Lutsevych, head and research fellow, Ukraine Forum, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House

Credits:

Written and narrated by Deborah Haynes

Edited and produced by Chris Scott

Production support from Sophia McBide and Michael Greenfield

The Head of Sky News Radio is Dave Terris