Over half of Russian separatist forces dead, reports British intelligence

As Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine wages on, they continue to suffer heavy losses.

UK intelligence has reported that the Donetsk militia alone has lost 55% of its original force.

Other reports claim the invading force has lost over 30,000 soldiers since the war began.

Mayor of Kyiv pays tribute to fallen Ukrainians amid EU membership talks

Former boxer and mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, has paid tribute to his fallen comrades as the EU announce Ukraine as been awarded candidate status.

“We paid a very high price for this chance,” he wrote on Telegram. “Yes, we still have a lot to do on the way to the European family.

“But I am sure that Ukraine will do everything necessary, fulfil all the conditions and pass the necessary laws. Because otherwise our state has no future. Indeed, our best defenders are dying for it.”

UK bans Russian gold, amid escalating tensions

Britain will join Canada and Japan in banning gold imports from Russia.

The Russian gold industry was worth $15.2bn to Russia in 2021 alone, meaning this will deal a potent blow to their economy.

The ban will come into effect soon, as the west looks to hit Russia with more sanctions as they continue their brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Russian missile fails during launch and boomerangs back

Dramatic video captures the moment a Russian surface-to-air missile system fires on itself in a bizarre malfunction.

In the footage, the missile can be seen shooting into the sky – before turning mid-air and slamming back into where it came from in an enormous explosion.

The short clip was reportedly shot in the Ukrainian city of Alchevsk in the Luhansk region, which is under the occupation of pro-Russian separatist forces and is on the front line of the war in Ukraine.

It was filmed in the early hours of Friday morning when Russian troops reportedly launched a missile to intercept an oncoming Ukrainian plane.

However, seconds later, the missile was returned to sender after the tracking system went haywire.

The video shows a huge explosion as well as bright flashes shooting down from the crash site.

Russia promises Belarus Iskander-M nuclear-capable missiles

Russia will begin sending nukes to its ally in the coming months, as the war with Ukraine escalates.

The Iskander-M missile is a short-range nuclear capable weapon.

Putin stated that it “can fire ballistic and cruise missiles, both conventional and nuclear types”.

It will take over 10 years to de-mine Ukraine, sources claim

Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has featured a key tactic, laying mines across the country.

In newly released information it was revealed that it will take over a decade to remove these mines.

When asked if Britain would Ukraine in de-mining the nation, Johnson had this to say: “Yes, I don’t want to get into the technical or military details, but you can take it from what we have already done in supplying equipment to the Ukrainians to help themselves protect that we are certainly talking to them at a technical level to help de-mine Odesa.”

Young Putin was ‘sneaky’ boy who would ‘pull out kids’ hair in a fight’

VLADIMIR Putin would “fight to the end” during scraps at school as a child, his former classmates and teachers claim.

The Russian tyrant was branded “sneaky” and a “problem causer” by those who knew him in his younger years – decades before he waged war in Ukraine.

According to his former pals, Putin would terrorise his school in Leningrad’s Dzerzhinsky district and would “get into a frenzy” should anyone pick a fight with him.

His newly qualified form teacher, 26-year-old Tamara Chizova, said she was driven to despair by the “disorganised” youngster who would “definitely cause problems”, reports The Times.

With a rebellious streak in him, his childhood best friend Viktor Borisenko recalled Putin was the first to join a fight when one broke out.

He said: “He could get into a fight with anyone. He had no fear.

“It never occurred to him that the other boy was stronger and might beat him up.

“If some hulking guy offended him, he would jump straight at him — scratch him, bite him, pull out clumps of his hair.

“He wasn’t the strongest in our class, but in a fight he could beat anyone because he would get into a frenzy and fight to the end.”

Inside sanctioned Russian billionaire’s £61m superyacht

A superyacht owned by a Russian tycoon boasting an eye-watering £61million price tag is set to be auctioned off after being seized.

The stunning 240ft vessel – named The Axioma – has a catalogue of bougie features including six decks, a pool with a swim-up bar and even a cinema.

Owned by Russian billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky, the mighty yacht was seized back in March amid Western sanctions over Vladimir Putin‘s bloody war in Ukraine.

It is now to be auctioned off for a huge sum of cash under the orders of Gibraltar’s supreme court, reports YouTube channel ESysman SuperYachts.

And the winning bidder will be setting sail amid copious amounts of luxury, with six cabins able to accommodate up to 12 guests.

All rooms are set on the main deck – which has large windows for breath-taking panoramic views.

Desperate Putin ‘calls up obese 20st retired general, 67,’

VLADIMIR Putin has called a morbidly obese general out of retirement to lead his troops in Ukraine as he is running out of senior officers, reports claim.

The Russian despot is now “scraping the barrel” and relying on 20st vodka-swilling General Pavel, 67, to revive his faltering invasion.

He is said to be in charge of Putin’s special forces in eastern Ukraine after the unit’s former commander was seriously injured in an artillery strike, a source told the Daily Star.

The hulking veteran reportedly served in Russia‘s bungled invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s and has over four decades’ experience under his straining belt.

General Pavel first became a commander of elite troops 25 years ago, but had settled into high-calorie retirement.

He reportedly scoffs five meals a day and washes it down with at least a litre of vodka.

Ukrainian forces ‘likely to have withdrawn from the remaining positions in the Donbas’

Ukrainian forces are likely to have withdrawn from the remaining defensive positions in Sieverodonetsk according to the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

In their latest intelligence update the Ministry said: “Most Ukrainian forces have likely withdrawn from their remaining defensive positions in the Donbas city of Sieverodonetsk.

“In April 2022, Russia revised its immediate campaign plan from aiming to occupy the majority of Ukraine, to a more focused offensive in the Donbas.

“Russia’s capture of the city is a significant achievement within this reduced objective. The settlement was a major industrial centre and it occupies a strategic position on the Siverskyi Donets River.

“However, it is only one of several challenging objectives Russia will need to achieve to occupy the whole of the Donbas region.

“These include advancing on the major centre of Kramatorsk and securing the main supply routes to Donetsk city.”