TWO top-ranking Russian soldiers have been secretly recorded insulting Vladimir Putin over his failure to capture Kyiv, reports claim.
The Russian despot was left humiliated after his henchmen abandoned their attempts to seize capital city Kyiv at the start of the war.
An alleged recording of an intercepted phone call appears to show Colonel Maksin Vlasov and Colonel Vitaly Kovtun blasting Putin's decision to withdraw from the Ukrainian capital.
“A f***ing rocket should fly into (Ukraine’s Parliament) in Kyiv. That’s it f*** it. Why didn’t (a rocket) f***ing fly? I don’t f***ing get it, you’re f***ed, Putin motherf*****,” Kovtun said, reported the Daily Beast.
“Why didn’t a rocket fly into Kyiv…. Something hasn’t been done the right way.”
The alleged call was broadcast by Radio Free Europe’s Ukrainian service and is believed to have taken place on April 14.
The two military men also attacked the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, labelling him “incompetent” after the Russian army had made “horrible losses”.
The Russian leader has long been rumoured to be battling illnesses such as cancer and Parkinson's – and even is reported to have recently undergone surgery.
Read our Ukraine war blog below for the latest rolling news and updates…
- Louis Allwood
Kremlin TV propagandist claims World War 3 has started with Russia
A Kremlin TV propagandist has claimed World War Three has begun – and Russia’s task is now to “demilitarise” NATO.
Rossiya-1 anchor Olga Skabeyeva is seen on video claiming that the much-vaunted Russian special military operation in Ukraine “is now over”.
She argued that the West’s provision of arms to Ukraine meant it was now a global conflict, as Ukraine showcased new British Wolfhound heavy tactical support vehicles.
“It’s time to admit, perhaps, that Russia’s special operation in Ukraine is now over,” said Skabeyeva.
“In the sense that a real war has started, World War III.
“We are being forced to demilitarise, not just Ukraine but NATO as a whole.
“Why am I talking about this?
“It was not only Smerch MLRS with cluster munitions that struck Donetsk.
“The strikes were carried out with…American M777 howitzers.”
- Louis Allwood
Putin commander boasts how he ‘enjoys’ killing Ukrainians
A commander loyal to Vladimir Putin close ally warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has boasted that he “enjoys” killing Ukrainians.
Police colonel Zamid Chalaev, 40, has been awarded the Hero of Russia award by Putin, despite allegations of human rights abuses.
In a video reposted by Kadyrov – lead of Chechnya – the commander standing amidst a group of fighters said: “We want to say to all [Ukrainian] shaitans, Nazis, Banderovtsy – when we are killing you, we enjoy it
“Hopefully… you won’t run away from Lisichansk just as you fled from Severodonetsk.”
Chalaev is said to be leading pro-Russian forces in part of an advance against Ukraine in Luhansk region.
Kadyrov praised the determination to Chaelaev’s forces “to destroy the bandits to the end and liberate the Donbas from the terrorists who have been oppressing its population for eight years.
“I am sure that these men will cope with the most difficult tasks at any cost, even if necessary – with their lives.
“They will achieve the victory of good over evil.”
- Louis Allwood
Russia threatens to wipe out the entire US with just four Satan II missiles
A chilling moment on Russian state TV on Monday saw hosts issue the latest in a long line of threats, this time warning Putin could "destroy the entire east cost of the US" with just two missiles.
In footage from Russia's flagship propaganda show, a member of Russia's parliament boasts about the nation's military might, before also labelling 2 million Ukrainians as "incurable."
The politician, Alexie Zhuravlev, was joined on the talk show by fellow MP and Russian-state mouthpiece Yevgeny Popov, the host of the Rossiya 1 channel show.
The lawmaker claimed that two of Russia's Sarmat 'Satan 2' missiles would destroy the entirety of America's east coast – before adding it would take just "two missiles for the west coast" as well.
"Four missiles and there'll be nothing left.
"They think the mushroom cloud will be taller than a high rise. That mushroom cloud will be visible from Mexico" said Zhuravlev.
- Louis Allwood
Belarus awards medals to KGB agents
The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has presented state awards to local KGB agents.
The awards were distributed for their part in what he said was an operation to rescue Belarusian lorry drivers stranded in Ukraine.
Lukashenko said on state television that after Russia's so-called "special operation" began, a few dozen drivers became "hostages to the situation".
He added that they had to be brought back home by the Belarusian security services in which two of the drivers were killed.
Lukashenko said: “I am grateful to you for the operation carried out by you to free our people, practically from captivity.”
- Louis Allwood
Kremlin critic faces fresh charges
Alexei Navalny, a jailed Kremlin critic, says he has been charged in a new criminal case and faces up to 15 more years in prison if found guilty.
His comments were posted on social media, where Navalny says he's been charged with creating an extremist organisation.
The latest charge comes after a nine-year sentence he received in March this year for fraud and contempt of court.
Navalny has consistently argued Russia's charges against him are politically motivated.
- Louis Allwood
Putin could sacrifice his OWN army in bid for hollow victory in Ukraine, report says (2/2)
The report's author, a top UK analyst on Russia, suggests Putin has convinced himself that a victory in Donbas is now in sight – and it will give him leverage in the fight for Kyiv.
And if he fails in his bid for a small victory, he would be ousted.
The disastrous war already means a coup to overthrow Putin is now a realistic possibility.
The new report says: "Russia’s attempt to achieve a speedy and decisive victory in the Donbas has not yet succeeded. They are still grinding forward, gaining 1-2km a day.
"The Russians are now achieving what successes they have mostly by means of a slogging match with repeated, very costly, infantry attacks reminiscent of 1945 not 2022.
"The gross failures of the campaign Putin has so far been able to hide quite well from the Russian public, or to blame on various officials, who have been arrested and replaced.
"The Russian population until recently bought Putin’s disinformation.
"We have seen an attempt within the Kremlin to get a message across to Putin and his closest team that things are going wrong, perhaps even catastrophically wrong."
- Louis Allwood
Putin could sacrifice his OWN army in bid for hollow victory in Ukraine, report says (1/2)
VLADIMIR Putin could sacrifice his own army in a bid for a hollow victory in Ukraine to save his skin despite losing more than 30,000 troops, a bombshell report has revealed.
A top secret analysis of the shambolic invasion says the Russian dictator believes 30,350 of his troops are a "price worth paying" for a small victory in eastern Ukraine.
But the new report – seen by senior UK government officials and obtained by The Mirror – warns Putin’s blood sacrifice may be a step too far for his troops.
The Russian leader has now lost 30,000 troops, 207 planes and 174 helicopters in the war, according to Ukrainian officials.
And the army is now said to be on the brink of collapse after losing thousands of soldiers to the fierce Ukrainian resistance.
The confidential report suggests Kremlin chiefs have desperately tried to persuade Putin that his invasion is a catastrophe – but the dictator believes he can still win a "partial victory".
- Louis Allwood
'Whole of Donetsk now a battlefield'
In Donetsk, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko has released footage accusing Russia of "insidiously" bombing a residential area.
The attack marks Russia's "next war crime on our land", Kyrylenko said in a Facebook post.
He said: "The whole territory of Donetsk region is now a battlefield."
He added "Every civilian who remains in the region is a target for the Russians.
"Each such strike is a cruel reminder that there are no safe places in the Donetsk region now. Evacuate! Evacuation saves lives!"
- Louis Allwood
EU bans Russian oil imports
THE EU has banned Russian oil imports by sea ‘to stop Putin war machine’, its president has announced.
EU leaders have agreed on to ban the export of Russian oil to the 27-nation bloc
“This immediately covers more than two thirds of oil imports from Russia, cutting a huge source of financing for its war machine,” EU Council president Charles Michel wrote on Twitter.
It comes as Russian fighters captured one third of Luhansk’s key city Sievierodonetsk.
A third of the key city is “already under our control”, Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Moscow-backed Luhansk People’s Republic told TASS news agency.
- Louis Allwood
‘The West has to ensure Ukraine defeats Russia’
This is a comment piece by Tobias Ellwood MP
IF invading Ukraine was an effort to rekindle Russian superpower status, it has been a complete flop.
There was no clear strategy, no effective command and control, no logistical support and absolutely no appreciation of Ukraine’s fearless desire to stay and fight.
With international sanctions starting to bite and countries such as Britain replenishing brave Ukrainian forces with anti-tank weapons, surely Putin knows he can’t win? Sadly, this war is far from over.
And if we don’t help put this fire out in Ukraine it will spread to other parts of Europe.
To date we are only doing enough to ensure they don’t lose — but not enough to guarantee they can win.
Putin may have misjudged Ukraine’s resolve to hold ground, but he was spot on in believing Nato would have no appetite to get directly involved.
Make no mistake, Putin is in it to win it. His invasion did not come out of the blue.
And now he is siding ever closer to a powerful China that shares Russia’s disdain for Western standards and values. This is indeed a dangerous turning point in our history.
How we choose to stand up to growing authoritarianism over the next few months could have major implications as to how the next decade plays out.
Let’s no longer be in denial. The past 30 years have been a walk in the park compared with what lies ahead. European security is once more in peril.
Read more here
- Louis Allwood
Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund
Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos — and now you can, by donating to The Sun’s Ukraine Fund.
Give as little as £3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded.
Donate here to help The Sun’s fund
Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles
£3 — text SUN£3
£5 — text SUN£5
£10 — text SUN£10Texts cost your chosen donation amount (e.g. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit redcross.org.uk/mobile
- Louis Allwood
Kremlin TV propagandist claims World War 3 has started with Russia
A Kremlin TV propagandist has claimed World War Three has begun – and Russia’s task is now to “demilitarise” NATO.
Rossiya-1 anchor Olga Skabeyeva is seen on video claiming that the much-vaunted Russian special military operation in Ukraine “is now over”.
She argued that the West’s provision of arms to Ukraine meant it was now a global conflict, as Ukraine showcased new British Wolfhound heavy tactical support vehicles.
“It’s time to admit, perhaps, that Russia’s special operation in Ukraine is now over,” said Skabeyeva.
“In the sense that a real war has started, World War III.
“We are being forced to demilitarise, not just Ukraine but NATO as a whole.
“Why am I talking about this?
“It was not only Smerch MLRS with cluster munitions that struck Donetsk.
“The strikes were carried out with…American M777 howitzers.”
- Louis Allwood
Putin commander boasts how he ‘enjoys’ killing Ukrainians
A commander loyal to Vladimir Putin close ally warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has boasted that he “enjoys” killing Ukrainians.
Police colonel Zamid Chalaev, 40, has been awarded the Hero of Russia award by Putin, despite allegations of human rights abuses.
In a video reposted by Kadyrov – lead of Chechnya – the commander standing amidst a group of fighters said: “We want to say to all [Ukrainian] shaitans, Nazis, Banderovtsy – when we are killing you, we enjoy it
“Hopefully… you won’t run away from Lisichansk just as you fled from Severodonetsk.”
Chalaev is said to be leading pro-Russian forces in part of an advance against Ukraine in Luhansk region.
Kadyrov praised the determination to Chaelaev’s forces “to destroy the bandits to the end and liberate the Donbas from the terrorists who have been oppressing its population for eight years.
“I am sure that these men will cope with the most difficult tasks at any cost, even if necessary – with their lives.
“They will achieve the victory of good over evil.”
- Louis Allwood
Russia threatens to wipe out the entire US with just four Satan II missiles
A chilling moment on Russian state TV on Monday saw hosts issue the latest in a long line of threats, this time warning Putin could "destroy the entire east cost of the US" with just two missiles.
In footage from Russia's flagship propaganda show, a member of Russia's parliament boasts about the nation's military might, before also labelling 2 million Ukrainians as "incurable."
The politician, Alexie Zhuravlev, was joined on the talk show by fellow MP and Russian-state mouthpiece Yevgeny Popov, the host of the Rossiya 1 channel show.
The lawmaker claimed that two of Russia's Sarmat 'Satan 2' missiles would destroy the entirety of America's east coast – before adding it would take just "two missiles for the west coast" as well.
"Four missiles and there'll be nothing left.
"They think the mushroom cloud will be taller than a high rise. That mushroom cloud will be visible from Mexico" said Zhuravlev.
- Louis Allwood
Belarus awards medals to KGB agents
The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has presented state awards to local KGB agents.
The awards were distributed for their part in what he said was an operation to rescue Belarusian lorry drivers stranded in Ukraine.
Lukashenko said on state television that after Russia's so-called "special operation" began, a few dozen drivers became "hostages to the situation".
He added that they had to be brought back home by the Belarusian security services in which two of the drivers were killed.
Lukashenko said: “I am grateful to you for the operation carried out by you to free our people, practically from captivity.”
- Louis Allwood
Kremlin critic faces fresh charges
Alexei Navalny, a jailed Kremlin critic, says he has been charged in a new criminal case and faces up to 15 more years in prison if found guilty.
His comments were posted on social media, where Navalny says he's been charged with creating an extremist organisation.
The latest charge comes after a nine-year sentence he received in March this year for fraud and contempt of court.
Navalny has consistently argued Russia's charges against him are politically motivated.
- Louis Allwood
Putin could sacrifice his OWN army in bid for hollow victory in Ukraine, report says (2/2)
The report's author, a top UK analyst on Russia, suggests Putin has convinced himself that a victory in Donbas is now in sight – and it will give him leverage in the fight for Kyiv.
And if he fails in his bid for a small victory, he would be ousted.
The disastrous war already means a coup to overthrow Putin is now a realistic possibility.
The new report says: "Russia’s attempt to achieve a speedy and decisive victory in the Donbas has not yet succeeded. They are still grinding forward, gaining 1-2km a day.
"The Russians are now achieving what successes they have mostly by means of a slogging match with repeated, very costly, infantry attacks reminiscent of 1945 not 2022.
"The gross failures of the campaign Putin has so far been able to hide quite well from the Russian public, or to blame on various officials, who have been arrested and replaced.
"The Russian population until recently bought Putin’s disinformation.
"We have seen an attempt within the Kremlin to get a message across to Putin and his closest team that things are going wrong, perhaps even catastrophically wrong."
- Louis Allwood
Putin could sacrifice his OWN army in bid for hollow victory in Ukraine, report says (1/2)
VLADIMIR Putin could sacrifice his own army in a bid for a hollow victory in Ukraine to save his skin despite losing more than 30,000 troops, a bombshell report has revealed.
A top secret analysis of the shambolic invasion says the Russian dictator believes 30,350 of his troops are a "price worth paying" for a small victory in eastern Ukraine.
But the new report – seen by senior UK government officials and obtained by The Mirror – warns Putin’s blood sacrifice may be a step too far for his troops.
The Russian leader has now lost 30,000 troops, 207 planes and 174 helicopters in the war, according to Ukrainian officials.
And the army is now said to be on the brink of collapse after losing thousands of soldiers to the fierce Ukrainian resistance.
The confidential report suggests Kremlin chiefs have desperately tried to persuade Putin that his invasion is a catastrophe – but the dictator believes he can still win a "partial victory".
- Louis Allwood
'Whole of Donetsk now a battlefield'
In Donetsk, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko has released footage accusing Russia of "insidiously" bombing a residential area.
The attack marks Russia's "next war crime on our land", Kyrylenko said in a Facebook post.
He said: "The whole territory of Donetsk region is now a battlefield."
He added "Every civilian who remains in the region is a target for the Russians.
"Each such strike is a cruel reminder that there are no safe places in the Donetsk region now. Evacuate! Evacuation saves lives!"
- Louis Allwood
EU bans Russian oil imports
THE EU has banned Russian oil imports by sea ‘to stop Putin war machine’, its president has announced.
EU leaders have agreed on to ban the export of Russian oil to the 27-nation bloc
“This immediately covers more than two thirds of oil imports from Russia, cutting a huge source of financing for its war machine,” EU Council president Charles Michel wrote on Twitter.
It comes as Russian fighters captured one third of Luhansk’s key city Sievierodonetsk.
A third of the key city is “already under our control”, Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Moscow-backed Luhansk People’s Republic told TASS news agency.
- Milica Cosic
Western sanctions on Kremlin 'aimed against ordinary citizens'
The former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has claimed that sanctions imposed on Russia are aimed "against ordinary citizens" and seek to make them "uncomfortable".
In a statement on Telegram, Mr Medvedev, who is also the deputy head of Russia's Security Council, said that Western sanctions on the country did not affect the Russian political elite and would not be "fatal" for big business.
He wrote: "The conclusion suggests itself disgusting – these sanctions are directed precisely against the people of Russia.
"And no matter what American and European grandparents mutter that we are punishing your bosses, but we love you, ordinary citizens, is pure nonsense.
"What is the purpose of the arrest of assets of the Central Bank of Russia and other state assets? Simple. To make the economy worse, to hit the rouble, increase inflation and unwind prices in stores, which means dropping the standard of living of an ordinary Russian.
"An embargo on the purchase of oil and gas from Russia? The same thing: to reduce budget revenues and force the state to abandon social obligations, including indexation of incomes. Hit the taxpayer in town and country.
"A ban on flights of our planes, on trips to many countries, a ban on the use of payment instruments – against whom? Again, against ordinary citizens, in order to make them uncomfortable."
- Milica Cosic
Putin could sacrifice his OWN army for victory
VLADIMIR Putin could collapse his own army in a bid for a hollow victory in Ukraine to save his skin despite losing more than 30,000 troops, a bombshell report has revealed.
A top secret analysis of the shambolic invasion says the Russian dictator believes 30,350 of his troops are a "price worth paying" for a small victory in eastern Ukraine.
But the new report – seen by senior UK government officials and obtained by The Mirror – warns Putin’s blood sacrifice may be a step too far for his troops.
The confidential report suggests Kremlin chiefs have desperately tried to persuade Putin that his invasion is a catastrophe – but the dictator believes he can still win a "partial victory".
The new report says: "Russia’s attempt to achieve a speedy and decisive victory in the Donbas has not yet succeeded. They are still grinding forward, gaining 1-2km a day.
"The Russians are now achieving what successes they have mostly by means of a slogging match with repeated, very costly, infantry attacks reminiscent of 1945 not 2022.
"The gross failures of the campaign Putin has so far been able to hide quite well from the Russian public, or to blame on various officials, who have been arrested and replaced.
"The Russian population until recently bought Putin’s disinformation.
"We have seen an attempt within the Kremlin to get a message across to Putin and his closest team that things are going wrong, perhaps even catastrophically wrong."
The chaotic invasion has caused devastating losses for Russia – and Putin has been warned to bring his troops back home or "risk more orphans".
Read more here.
Russian President Vladimir PutinCredit: Reuters A man looks at a destroyed Russian tank in Dmytrivka village near KyivCredit: The Mega Agency - Milica Cosic
'West must act to resolve food crisis'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today said it was up to the West and Kyiv to resolve a growing global food crisis provoked by the conflict in Ukraine.
Russia's offensive in Ukraine and Western sanctions have disrupted deliveries of wheat and other commodities from the two countries, fuelling concerns about the risk of hunger around the world.
Western countries "created a lot of artificial problems by closing their ports to Russian ships, disrupting logistics and financial chains," Lavrov told reporters during a visit to Bahrain.
"They need to seriously consider what is more important for them: to do PR on the issue of food security or to take concrete steps to solve this problem," he added.
- Milica Cosic
Ukraine: Russians control 'half' of Severodonetsk in east
Russian forces control half of the east Ukraine city of Severodonetsk, a Ukrainian military official said Tuesday, as Moscow's army continues an unrelenting push deeper into the Donbas region.
"Unfortunately, the front line divides the city in half. But the city is still defending itself, the city is still Ukrainian, our soldiers are defending it," said Oleksandr Stryuk, head of the city's military and civil administration, said in a live broadcast.
After failing to capture the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in the early stages of the war, Russia has shifted its focus to the eastern Donbas region and is attempting to consolidate areas under its control.
Lugansk regional governor Sergiy Gaiday earlier described the situation in Severodonetsk as "extremely complicated" conceding that parts of the city were controlled by Russian forces.
- Milica Cosic
Senior Ukraine official says EU sanctions on Russia still 'not enough'
The latest European Union sanctions on Russia, which ban most imports of its oil, are "not enough", a senior official in the Ukrainian president's office said in a speech in Madrid today.
"If you ask me, I would say far too slow, far too late and definitely not enough," Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office, said.
Ukraine is also not happy with the pace of weapons deliveries from the West, he said.
"We are definitely not satisfied," Zhovkva said in response to a question after his speech.
"Had we been satisfied, we would have begun the liberation of Mariupol immediately and thrown away Russian forces from Donbas," he said. "We believe in promises."
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