Introducing Into the Grey Zone

Introducing Into the Grey Zone

Author: Sky News January 1, 2021 Duration: 2:36
What do assassinations, cyber hacks and disinformation have in common? They’re all weapons used by states against each other in a grey zone of harm that sits - deliberately - under the threshold of war, but could be just as dangerous if ignored.

Sky News journalist Deborah Haynes explores this often invisible battlefield, where anything can be - and is - used as a weapon and anyone, anywhere can be a target.

The series examines grey zone assaults; from the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the UK and the killing of a nuclear scientist in Iran; to attempts to influence elections in the United States; and a suspected North Korean cyber-attack on the NHS.

The podcast also includes interviews with spies and military chiefs who warn about the threat to daily life if attacks in the grey zone go unpunished.

In the words of one former head of the UK’s special forces: “We’re being boiled like a frog!”

Credits:
Written and narrated by Deborah Haynes
Edited and produced by Chris Scott
Production support from Sophia McBride and Victoria Seabrook
Additional voices provided by Cayetano Delgado
The head of Sky News Radio is Dave Terris

What would actually happen if the UK faced a direct, hostile act from Russia? The Wargame, a compelling five-part documentary series from Sky News in collaboration with Tortoise, moves beyond hypothetical headlines to stage a detailed, realistic scenario. Guided by Sky News security and defence editor Deborah Haynes, this podcast convenes a remarkable room of former government ministers, senior military commanders, and national security experts to pressure-test the nation's defences in real time. Listeners are brought into the tense, methodical discussions as these figures grapple with cascading crises, logistical nightmares, and stark political choices, revealing the complex machinery-and potential vulnerabilities-of the British state under threat. Haynes, who previously presented the series Into The Grey Zone, structures each episode like a gripping, high-stakes inquiry, blending narrative urgency with forensic analysis. The result is an immersive audio experience that illuminates the fragile intersections of policy, intelligence, and military capability. This isn't speculative fiction; it's a sobering, meticulously researched exploration of contemporary geopolitics, asking difficult questions about preparedness and resilience in an increasingly volatile world. Tune in for a rare, insider perspective on the decisions that would define a conflict, and the sobering realities behind the headlines.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 18

The Wargame
Podcast Episodes
China - A Battle of Values | Grey Zone Ep 7 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:25
This episode explores a global battle of values between China and leading democracies over issues like Hong Kong, Taiwan and Xinjiang.It’s being fought with an array of covert weapons, from cyber attacks and information…
Iran - The Hidden Hand  | Grey Zone Ep 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:10
On 3 January 2020, the United States killed Iran’s top spy master, Major General Qasem Soleimani, in a drone strike in Iraq.There was nothing grey or ambiguous about the assassination, but this episode explores the escal…
Cyber Power (Part II) - Hacking ISIS | Grey Zone Ep 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:13
In their first joint interview, the director of the UK spy agency GCHQ and the top general in charge of cyber operations for the military talk about how the UK is using the power of cyber to push back against adversaries…
Cyber Power (Part I) - Cyber Pearl Harbour  | Grey Zone Ep 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:29
States, criminals and terrorists all use cyber to attack each other in the grey zone. It puts anyone with a computer in the firing line, but also means that anyone who understands computers has the ability to fight back.…
Hack & Leak | Grey Zone Ep 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:22
This episode looks at the grey zone weapon of hacking information – like private emails or documents – and then leaking it online to try to influence people or damage reputations.It is a tactic Russia’s military intellig…
Truth vs Lies | Grey Zone Ep 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:29
This episode explores a battle between truth and lies that’s threatening democracies around the world. It looks at how information is used as a weapon, not just by hostile foreign states, seeking to divide and weaken riv…
The Gathering Storm  | Grey Zone Ep 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:14
This episode seeks to explain what the grey zone is. It includes a warning from General Sir Nick Carter, the head of the UK’s armed forces, and Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, about the danger of ignoring attacks in…