Vile

A massive Russian aerial bombardment that lasted more than 12 hours has killed at least four people and injured 40 others in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deaths occurred in the capital, Kyiv, and the victims included a 12-year-old girl.

Russia launched nearly 600 drones and several dozen missiles toward seven regions of Ukraine, its air force said. Zelensky said the “vile” attack also saw at least 16 people injured in the Zaporizhzhia region, including three children.

He warned that Ukraine would retaliate and said the attack showed Moscow “wants to continue fighting and killing”. Russia has not yet commented on the latest attack.

Saturday night’s extended barrage is one of the heaviest overnight aerial bombardments in recent months as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues in its third year.

Zelensky said many of the projectiles were aimed at Kyiv, where the Institute of Cardiology had been damaged.

A bread factory, an automobile rubber factory, as well as apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure were also targeted, he said.

Zelensky said that Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa regions were also hit. Sumy’s regional governor said a 59-year-old man had died in strikes in the past day.

Zaporizhzhia’s Governor Ivan Fedorov said the three children who were injured included two boys, aged 11 and 12, and a nine-year-old girl.

One boy was caught in an explosion while the other had suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, he said. Both are in a serious condition.

Zelensky vowed that Ukraine “will strike back” in a bid to “force diplomacy” from Russia, and said he was counting on a “strong reaction” from Europe and the United States.

“This dastardly attack took place in fact as the end of the week of the UN General Assembly, and this is how Russia declares its real position,” he said.

Zelensky reiterated his support of US President Donald Trump’s threat of harsher sanctions on Russia, as well as his call for European allies to curb their Russian oil and gas imports.

Trump has recently shifted his position on the war, saying for the first time last week that he thought Ukraine could retake the land it had lost from Moscow as the Russian economy flagged under the strain of a prolonged war.

The US president has so far desisted from imposing further sanctions on Russia, but has appeared increasingly frustrated with the lack of eagerness from the Kremlin to begin peace talks.

Zelensky warned on Saturday that Russia would not stop with his country – which is why it was testing European air defences with the recent incursions in several countries belonging to the Nato military alliance.

Meanwhile, jets were scrambled in neighbouring Poland early on Sunday as Russia hit western Ukraine, the nation’s armed forces said.

The Polish military further described the actions – which have become routine since Polish and Nato aircraft shot down three Russian drones in Poland’s airspace on 10 September – as preventative.

Earlier this week, Moscow denied responsibility after Denmark said drones were flown over its airports. Denmark itself has said the incidents appeared to be the work of a “professional actor”, without specifying who this may be.

Estonia and Romania have also accused Russia of violating their airspace.

After the incursions, Nato launched a mission to bolster its eastern flank.

Trump has gone as far as to say that Nato nations should shoot down Russian planes in their airspace.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country had no intention of attacking EU or Nato member states – but warned of a “decisive response” to any “aggression” directed towards Moscow.

THIS is the vile moment an ex-boyfriend slashes a prison officer’s throat with a Stanley knife after lying in wait outside her home.

Prison officer Rosie Niessen, 28, was ambushed by her ex in broad daylight as he attempted to kill her.

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Simon Scrimshaw, then 50, hid in the bushes outside Niessen’s home in March 2023 as she left for work in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire at 6.40am.

Rosie, who has a daughter with Scrimshaw, has now bravely released appalling doorbell camera footage showing the horror of what happened that morning.

Wearing a balaclava, Scrimshaw is shown appearing from his hiding spot before running up behind Rosie.

As she reached the end of her driveway, he grabbed her and pulled back her head before hacking at her neck with a Stanley blade while wrestling her to the ground.

She can be heard screaming “what are you doing?” and “stop, help me” as the attack unfolded.

Rosie bravely fought back against Scrimshaw who inflicted devastating injuries to her throat, face and hands as she tried to defend herself.

Her courageous dad, Roberto, heard Rosie’s screams and raced out, jumping on Scrimshaw in a desperate attempt to protect his daughter.

He was stabbed in the right thigh before Scrimshaw fled which later required 50 stitches in his leg.

A passer-by alerted the emergency services, and Rosie and her dad were rushed to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham. 

There, Rosie had a CT scan and surgeons glued and stitched her wounds with doctors saying she was “lucky to be alive”.

A neighbour called the police after witnessing the attack and Scrimshaw was later arrested.

Rosie met Scrimshaw in 2017 and they entered an on-off romantic relationship which ended in 2022 – the pair had a daughter during that time.

She told The Sun last year that Scrimshaw had harassed and even strangled her on a previous occasion.

According to the Mail, they were due to appear at a family court two days after the attack as Rosie had applied for a court order to keep him away from her.

Rosie told the newspaper she was in “shock” and said she “could hear rustling” before Scrimshaw came at her with the blade.

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She said that she protected her neck on “instinct” as she defended herself.

“Imagine if I did die or didn’t defend myself as I did,” she added.

“They said I was in a pool of blood. They didn’t know I was going to make it.”

Rosie had to leave her job since the attack and has struggled with both the physical and mental scars inflicted upon her by Scrimshaw.

She said he had “taken everything from me” and branded Scrimshaw a “monster”.

Scrimshaw was jailed for 28 years in January 2024 after being convicted of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm, with a further four on license.

He was also ordered not to contact Rosie and was given a lifetime restraining order.

Now, Rosie is speaking out to raise awareness of domestic violence.

A self-professed ‘germaphobe’ says she’s been left alarmed by her husband’s ‘vile’ behaviour during a long-haul flight, and now fears she may never get past the serious ‘ick’ she’s been left with

A woman says she was left so “horrified” by her husband’s behaviour during their first long-haul flight together that she is struggling to get over it.

According to this disturbed wife, she and her husband travelled domestically together across the US on a number of occasions, apparently without issue.

However, their long-haul journey turned out to be a different matter entirely. Although everything ran smoothly for the first few hours of the nine-hour flight, things took an alarming turn when her hubby started making himself comfortable ahead of a nap. It comes after an Airbnb host rejects duo’s booking after learning where in the UK they’re from.

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In an anguished agony aunt letter, penned to MailOnline’s Jane Green, the traveller recalled how, after positioning his eye masks and neck pillow, her husband then proceeded to make himself really at home by removing his shoes and socks.

Admitting that the incident has given her a “huge ick” that she’s struggling to move on from, the wife, who went only by the pseudonym ‘Turbulent Romantic’ wrote: “I was horrified as I then watched him also take a trip to the restroom without bothering to put anything on his feet. Yuck!

“I am a total germaphobe and would never remove my shoes – let alone my socks – to walk around on an aeroplane. It must have been because the trip was so long, but it made me wonder how I have never realised his vile uncleanliness.

“Worse, when we got off the plane and arrived at the hotel, he refused to shower before going to sleep. Is there a way to move past this?”

In response to Turbulent Romantic’s desperate plea, Jane sympathised with her shudders, confessing that she herself lives with “footphobia”. However, the wise agony aunt appeared optimistic that the couple could move past this episode, which they may well look back on in time as a “funny story”.

Offering her suggestions, Jane advised actually opening up to her husband about her “ick” rather than letting it fester, adding that some compromise on both sides may be needed on this occasion.

She urged: “Talk to him and explain that you are a germaphobe – that you have a real problem both with his walking around a plane barefooted and with his refusal to shower before getting into clean sheets.

“He may laugh. He may find you ridiculous. But all marriages are about compromise. If you have a serious issue with this – and the fact you are writing suggests this is indeed serious – then he ought to listen.

“Of course, we can never guarantee what anyone will do, but if he is engaging in behaviour that upsets you, the loving thing to do is find a compromise. Perhaps he uses socks that are reserved only for when he’s on aeroplanes?”

Do you have a story to share? Email me at [email protected]

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THIS is the shocking moment a Virgin Atlantic passenger hurled abuse at a hostess he threatened to “gang rape and set alight”

Disturbing footage shows Salman Iftikhar, 37, tell stewardess Angie Walsh she would be attacked in her hotel after landing.

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He spouted his vile rant after downing champagne on an eight-hour flight from London Heathrow to Lahore on February 7 2023.

Iftikhar said Ms Walsh would be taken from her hotel room, gang raped and set on fire.

Another passenger, who filmed the shocking scenes, can be heard saying “holy s–t”.

Iftikhar repeatedly accuses Ms Walsh of being a racist and says: “You called me a p-ki in front of everybody.”

The 37-year-old had been flying with his wife and three children, Isleworth Crown Court heard.

Prosecuting, Abdul Kapadia, said: “During the defendant’s first meal service, the defendant was seen helping himself to ice, leaning over the bar he was drinking at, and taking ice with his hands.

“When told to stop, the defendant became irate, and started to film cabin crew with his phone, telling them: ‘Do not tell me what to do you b***h.

“When asked by the cabin crew to return to his seat, he then said: ‘Don’t tell me what to do you racist f***ing b***h. I know where you are from in Cardiff.”

Staff alerted the pilot and the seat belt signs were turned on, which only aggravated Iftikhar more.

He continued to call Ms Walsh a “f***ing b***h” before his escalating behaviour sparked a possible flight diversion to Turkey.

“The defendant was informed of this possible diversion, to which he replied: ‘I don’t care. F–it, go to Turkey. I have contacts,” the prosecutor told the court.

“The defendant then sat down, but his aggressive behaviour continued.

“His wife was ashamed. His three children were also on-board,
and other crew members were called to assist, but the defendant continued shouting and swearing.

“He was slurring his words, with his voice raised.

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“He shouted at the cabin crew: ‘Do you know who I am?’

“The defendant’s wife went to the food bar and tried to talk to cabin crew, but the defendant pushed his wife away, and shouted at her not to talk to crew.”

He grabbed one flight attendant, called Tommy Merchant, and threatened him with a fight.

‘YOU WILL BE DEAD’

The out-of-control passenger then told cabin crew he would blow up the floor of their hotel.

“The defendant knew the specific hotel, but also the hotel room numbers, and threatened the cabin crew with this,” Mr Kapadia told the court.

“He told Ms Walsh: ‘You will be dead on the floor of your hotel’.

“Iftikhar shouted at Ms Walsh and said: ‘The white sheep sh**ging b***h will be dead. The floor of your hotel will be blown up and it will disappear.

“He told Ms Walsh: ‘You will be dragged by your hair from your room and gang raped and set on fire’.”

His violent rant unfolded in front of his wife and three young children – who were brought to tears.

Iftikhar was arrested at his £900,000 detached home in Iver, Bucks, on March 16, 2024.

‘IT HAS BROKEN ME’

In an impact statement, Ms Walsh said she was forced to take off 14 months and the altercation “changed my life enormously”.

“I can’t quite believe that one passenger has had this much of an impact on my, my job, my career and my life,” she said.

“I am a strong brave, happy stewardess, and loved my job. I am well known within the company.

“But I had to take 14 months off work. 

“I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I’ve even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me.

“But I don’t feel strong enough anymore. I was abused for eight hours and 15 mins. It has broken me. It was a very personal attack.

“I was doing everything in my power to protect passengers and the crew from him. I felt exposed and vulnerable, especially as we were 39,000 feet in the air. There was nowhere for me to go.

“There was one moment where I felt I could not cope. I went into the cockpit and had a meltdown. I said to the captain I don’t know what to do. 

“Even the threat of diverting the plane to Turkey or Baku, Azerbaijan, had no effect.

“I was traumatised by the threat of being gang raped.

“Never in my entire career flying for 37 years have I not been sure what to do.

“I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me.”

He told Ms Walsh: ‘You will be dead on the floor of your hotel’

Prosecutor Abdul Kapadia

Iftikhar, of Iver, Bucks, admitted making threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment, in relation to Ms Walsh.

He was cleared of assault by beating and threats to kill in relation to Mr Merchant.

Ben Walker-Nolan, defending, said Iftikhar was suffering from “amnesia blood loss” at the time.

Mr Walker-Nolan added: “Although there were over 100 incidents over the course of eight hours, the most serious, including threats to kill, were limited.

“The defendant has buried his head in the sand for a long period, and expressed regret.

“He has a long standing drug and alcohol problem which he has not addressed for many years.

“He is a successful businessman who employs a lot of people.”

THUG JAILED

Iftikhar has six previous convictions arising from 15 offences, including common assault in 2004 and drink driving in 2008 and failing to stop and possession of cannabis in 2021.

Judge Ms Recorder Annabel Darlow KC said: “Your threats to kill were made in the presence of children, specifically your three young children. 

“These were threats made with significant violence. 

“Your children had to be comforted by cabin crew staff while you made those threats.

“Ms Walsh has given up a job which she has loved for 14 months, but thankfully has now returned to work.

“This was a sustained incident which involved repeated racist abuse to Ms Walsh.

“You have a lengthy and appalling record of misconduct. You have not addressed the underlying cause of this for many years, that is your drug and alcohol problem.

“Given your lifestyle and your ability to earn money, your harm and risk has not moved.

“This was an appalling incident which has caused long lasting and devastating consequences.”

Iftikhar cried in the dock as he was jailed for 15 months.

His LinkedIn profile stated that he was the director and founder of recruitment firm Staffing Match.

Virgin Atlantic was contacted for comment.

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