FOOTAGE appears to show North Korean troops marching alongside Russian soldiers at a military base near Vladivostok as Putin’s men debate “what the f**k to do with them”.
Tyrant Putin and ruthless dictator Kim Jong-un have long had a close relationship
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Footage analysed by The Washington Post appeared to show North Korean troops training in RussiaCredit: Avalon.red
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Footage previously emerged showing Kim’s troops allegedly being trained up inside Russia
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Kim Jong Un commands one of the world’s largest armies – with some 1.2 million men
Video analysed by The Washington Post showed hordes of men who appeared to be of Korean descent at Sergeevka military training ground – near Russia’s eastern border with North Korea.
The clips also included audible Korean phrases spoken with a North Korean accent.
And audio intercepted by Ukrainian intelligence shows Russian soldiers talking offensively about the Korean troops – calling them “the f*****g Chinese”.
One even says: “And he’s like standing there with his eyes out, like… f**k… He came here and says what the f**k to do with them.”
Kyiv’s intercepted clips reveal possible plans to issue one interpreter and three senior officers for every 30 Pyongyang troops.
It showed the soldiers movements as concentrated in the Postoyalye Dvory field camp in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise invasion earlier this year.
Ukraine, South Korea and the US have voiced deep concern about possible military cooperation between the two.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday: “We assess that between early- to mid-October, North Korea moved at least 3,000 soldiers into eastern Russia.”
He added that it’s a “highly concerning probability” the Pyongyang soldiers are there to fight against Ukraine.
The security chief warned: “After completing training, these soldiers could travel to western Russia and then engage in combat against the Ukrainian military.”
Ukrainian intelligence has estimated that some 12,000 troops – including three generals – will be dispatched to Russia.
They told the Post that one such group has already arrived in Kursk – where US officials feared they might be sent.
Kim Jong Un lords over one of the world’s largest militaries – with some 1.2 million soldiers.
According to South Korea’s spy agency, special operations troops known as the “Storm Corps” have been sent to Russia.
They are among the best trained and equipped of all the North Korean units.
Just days ago a North Korean flag was apparently spotted next to a Russian one in Ukrainian territory.
A blurry photo, allegedly taken near the besieged key city of Pokrovsk showed the two flags flying between the trenches.
It implied that Korean troops had been deployed to the trenches, marking the first time a third country has put boots on the ground in the three-year conflict waged by Putin inside Ukraine.
Dramatic videos from the Far East of Russia allegedly show Kim’s soldiers being given battlefield equipment and taking part in strict military training.
Other footage appears to show North Korean troops posing for photos in Moscow’s Red Square.
Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the presence of North Korean troops.
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A handout from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) shows what it claims to be North Korean troops at Russia’s Ussuriysk military facility
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Other footage appears to show North Korean troops posing in Moscow’s Red Square
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A North Korea flag flying alongside the Russian flag in occupied Ukraine
A FEMALE journalist has died after spending more than a year in Russian detention, claim Ukrainian officials.
Victoria Roshchyna, 27, mysteriously disappeared last August while reporting from inside Russian occupied Ukraine with officials now saying she has tragically died as Vladimir Putin’s prisoner of war.
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Ukrainian Journalist Victoria Roshchyna has died after spending more than a year in Russian captivityCredit: Instagram/ victoria_roshchyna
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Roshchyna mysteriously disappeared last AugustCredit: Instagram/ victoria_roshchyna
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Roshchyna was detained last year after reporting about the Ukraine war inside Russian occupied landCredit: Instagram
Roshchyna’s family first reported her missing to Ukrainian officials on August 12 last year after not hearing from her for days.
The journalist last spoke to her sister a week earlier as she said she had made it through routine border checks to get across Russian land but didn’t disclose her location.
An official missing person case was then filed on September 21.
The esteemed Ukrainian reporter was missing for over 6 months with her whereabouts finally revealed in April 2024 when her worried father was sent a letter from Moscow.
Russia‘s defence ministry said Roshchyna was being held at a Russian detention centre, according to Ukraine’s main journalist union.
The reason why she was arrested and subjected to months of imprisonment has never been made public.
The exact location of the jail has also been kept underwraps by Russian officials.
Her death was first announced by Petro Yatsenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s prison of war coordination headquarters.
He said: “Unfortunately, information about Victoria’s death has been confirmed.
“It is too early to talk about the circumstances of the death, we are working to establish them.”
Watch moment £16m Russian stash of 400 kamikaze drones are blown to smithereens in crippling blow to Putin’s air power
Press rights group Reporters Without Borders say they are “shocked” over Roshchyna’s death.
Russian news outlet Mediazona have claimed she may have died when she was being transferred to Moscow from a prison in Taganrog, near to the Ukrainian border.
Victoria claimed at the time that Russians fired at her vehicle and forced a group of press to abandon the car and lie down hiding in a field.
After returning to the car some time after and continuing on with the trip across southern Ukraine Roshchyna was allegedly taken by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), her colleagues said.
She was released after 10 days in captivity.
Unfortunately, information about Victoria’s death has been confirmed
Petro YatsenkoUkraine’s prison of war coordination headquarters
Roshchyna worked as a freelancer for various independent news outlets in Eastern Europe.
These included Ukrainska Pravda and the Ukrainian service of US-funded media outlet Radio Free Europe.
In 2022, her frontline reporting was honoured when she received the Courage in Journalism award by the International Women’s Media Foundation.
Roshchyna is just one of thousands of Ukrainians known to be held in Russia after they opposed to Moscow’s iron fist ruling.
Many have been detained in Russian occupied territories since Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Rights groups say some have faced torture and abuse at the hands of their captors.
Back in May, Ukraine claimed more than two dozen media officials are being held in Russian captivity.
The country are in negotiations to free those still locked up.
Many other Russian prisoners jailed on bogus charges have been released this year.
A huge 24 person swap deal between the US and Russia in July saw journalists, military officials and foreign opposers to Putin’s regime freed in exchange for Russian prisoners.
RAF Typhoons taking off from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in FebruaryCredit: AFP
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RAF Typhoons helped shoot down Iranian missilesCredit: EPA
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RAF Voyagers are able to refuel other planesCredit: UK MOD Crown copyright
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Sirens blared as the rockets arrived to hit the countryCredit: AFP
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Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets in AshkelonCredit: Reuters
Last night, Defence Secretary John Healey said: “British forces have this evening played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.
“I want to thank all British personnel involved in the operation for their courage and professionalism.”
No further details were provided by the Ministry of Defence about how British forces were involved.
In April, the RAF shot down Iranian drones bound for Israel, with then PM Rishi Sunak saying the action had helped save Israeli lives.
In a statement from Downing Street on Tuesday evening, Sir Keir Starmer said Iran has “menaced the Middle East for far too long” and it must stop the attacks.
It comes as…
He said: “We stand with Israel and we recognise her right to self-defence in the face of this aggression.
“Together with its proxies like Hezbollah, Iran has menaced the Middle East for far too long, chaos and destruction brought not just to Israel, but to the people they live amongst in Lebanon and beyond.”
The Pentagon said the blitz was twice the size of Iran’s April attack, while a key adviser slammed the strike as “defeated and ineffective”.
Early warning systems detected the launches at around 7.30pm local time and skies above Israel began lighting up within minutes.
Red tracers from Iron Dome and David’s Sling interceptions were seen blasting the incoming munitions sending white flaming debris crashing earthwards.
Explosions could be heard in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as people right across the country were told to shelter themselves for protection.
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Bright orange streaks of fire could be seen above Israel’s citiesCredit: Reuters
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The vast majority of the incoming rockets were intercepted but videos showed a number hitting the country, including near a mall, Mossad HQ, and an airbase.
Following the barrage, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu slammed Iran for making a “big mistake” and threatened “it will pay for it”.
He said: “There is also a deliberate and murderous hand behind this attack – it comes from Tehran.
“We will stand by the rule we established: whoever attacks us – we will attack him.”
Iran said it launched the strikes in retaliation for the killing of the leaders of its proxy forces over the past few months.
The escalation came after Israel began a ground invasion in Lebanon on Monday night, carrying out what it described as “limited, localised” operations.
What is Israel’s Iron Dome & how does it work?
ISRAEL’S air defence system is one of the best in the world having successfully intercepted thousands of rockets.
The mobile all-weather Iron Dome is at the forefront of that and was central to fending off Iran’s recent missile and drone attack.
Here’s the lowdown on the high tech system.
What is Israel’s Iron Dome?
Iron Dome is a counter rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) short range air defence system.
It is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 2–43 miles away.
It intercepts rockets that are travelling in the direction of urban areas and brings them down – the first system of its kind in the world.
Israel hopes to increase the range of the dome’s interceptions to 250km and make it able to stop rockets coming from two directions.
Developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, it can be operated in all weather conditions including fog, dust storm, low clouds and rain.
From 2011 to 2021, the United States contributed a total of $1.6billion to the Iron Dome defence system, befor another US$1billion was approved by the US Congress in 2022.
How does it work?
The dome is made up of missile batteries which are shaped like giant match boxes and are tilted in the direction of Gaza.
The Iron Dome monitor detects a target using radar and monitors its trajectory.
A control centre then calculates an interception point and then commands a rocket to launch if the foreign missile is heading towards an urban area.
Once in contact with the missile, the rocket explodes and brings it down.
Each launcher contains 20 Tamir Missiles with proximity war heads and there are several batteries positioned around the country.
Since being implemented in 2011 the computer systems have been updated, improved and upgrades to improve the accuracy of the rockets.
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Israeli media shared an image of one rocket that struck a building but did not explodeCredit: X/@GLZRadio
RUSSIA has deployed war wolves on the Ukraine front line — because the beasts react early to kamikaze drone sounds.
Troops say the howling animals have a good sense of smell, are sociable and active, and can warn of danger in advance.
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Vladimit Putin has deployed war wolves on the Ukraine front line — because the beasts react early to kamikaze drone soundsCredit: EPA
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Troops say the howling animals have a good sense of smell, are sociable and active, and can warn of danger in advanceCredit: East2West
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Wolf-tamer Aleksandr Konchakov raised two females that were rescued from Siberian region KhakassiaCredit: East2West
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A Ukrainian soldier launches a kamikaze FPV drone on the front lineCredit: Reuters
Two tamed wolves have been sent to serve with Vladimir Putin’s soldiers and more will follow if the experiment is a success.
A Russian news agency reported: “The predators can hear the approach of drones and warn of danger in advance.
“They will help Russian soldiers carry out combat missions in the [war] zone.”
The two females were rescued from Siberian region Khakassia and raised by wolf-tamer Aleksandr Konchakov.
In a video, he can be seen feeding ice cream to one of the wolves, called Vysota.
He said: “The puppies were simply brought to me by hunters without a mother.
“They have excellent intuition and are smart.”
Inside ‘Wolves’ of Ukraine the battalion of volunteer troops defending the ‘Road of Life’ – the last way out of wasteland Bakhmut
Moscow State Circus chief Edgard Zapashny said: “I hope these two female wolves, who will now be with our fighters, will not be harmed, and that the men will surround them with care and ensure their safety.
“In turn, they will save the lives of our soldiers.”
PM Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the framework of a ceasefire deal to stop the Gaza war, pictured with US Secretary of State Antony BlinkenCredit: EPA
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Israeli soldiers patrol along the border with the Gaza StripCredit: EPA
But terror group Hamas — whose October 7 massacre and taking of Israeli hostages triggered the conflict — has yet to accept the deal after branding peace moves “an illusion.”
Mr Blinken, who will now lead further talks in Cairo, said he had a “very constructive meeting” with Mr Netanyahu.
The deal had been held up by Hamas demands that Israeli troops must leave the 25-mile coastal strip where it claims 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by the military bombardment in the past ten months.
Israel had advocated its forces stay in two corridors of territory to stop Hamas receiving arms from its backers Iran.
But it appeared to have moved first on the plan.
Mr Blinken said Mr Netanyahu had “confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal” first offered by the US last week in Doha.
He added: “It’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same.”
He said there was an urgency to get it agreed as it is “the best way to make sure the conflict doesn’t spread”.
Mr Netanyahu said he appreciated “the understanding the US showed toward our vital security interests, amid our joint efforts to bring about the releases of our hostages”.
Benjamin Netanyahu Congress speech LIVE – Israel’s PM to speak as ring of steel erected before ‘day of rage’ protests
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IDF troops conducting a military operation in Gaza StripCredit: Rex
INCREDIBLE footage illustrates how Ukraine has captured a huge slice of Russian territory in a week-long rapid blitz.
It’s taken Kyiv’s troops just several days to claim 400 square miles of enemy soil as Vlad grapples with being the first Russian leader to surrender home turf since the Second World War.
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Ukraine is blasting its way into Russia as the war enters a fiery new chapterCredit: Reuters
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A Russian man reacts to missile debris, with many of his fellow residents evacuatingCredit: Kommersant Photo/Anatoliy Zhdanov via REUTERS RUSSIA
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A Ukrainian soldier holds up the peace sign as he goes into battleCredit: Reuters
The advance then spills into the rival country in multiple directions, with troops speeding straight ahead in a sharp incision as others take wider territory to the northwest and southeast.
Ukraine’s territory takeover then broadens out in all directions, leading to the huge 400,000 square mile coup in only seven days, according to the country’s top commander.
Thousands of troops have piled in with beefed up convoys including tanks and aircraft.
Read more on Russia-Ukraine
Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed Ukraine now controlled the massive chunk of Russian territory as it continued to “conduct an offensive operation in the Kursk region”.
He said:“The troops are fulfilling their tasks. Fighting continues along the entire front line. The situation is under our control.”
President Volodomyr Zelensky on Monday night warned adversary Vladimir Putin that war was “coming home” to Russia.
He said: “Russia brought war to others, now it’s coming home.
“Ukraine has always wanted only peace, and we will certainly ensure peace.”
Tens of thousands of Kursk citizens were forced to evacuate last week with locals in the neighbouring Belgorod region now also given orders to leave.
‘Rattled’ Putin’s body language reveals deep fear over Ukraine invasion as he nervously twitches & rubs hands
As many as 130,000 Russians are now displaced.
Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov warned the entire region was under missile alert.
He told residents: “Go down to the basement and stay there until you receive the all-clear”.
The warring nations traded air attacks overnight, with 14 Ukraine drones launched into the Kursk, Belgorod and Voronezh regions taken out by air defence, according to Russian media.
Kremlin forces fired 38 attack drones and two ballistic missiles into Ukraine, sending the entire country on air-raid alert as fighting intensifies.
On the ground, Zelensky’s men tried to push further into Vlad’s territory.
The Kursk town of Sudzha is expected to be hotly fought over given the flow of Russian gas that runs through it.
As much as half of Russian natural gas sent into Europe travelled through Sudzha in 2023, making up five per cent of EU consumption.
Russian war bloggers and Ukrainian telegram channels claimed it was under Kyiv’s control, according to Reuters, although those assertions are yet to be verified.
Putin’s illegal invasion in 2022 has led to the Kremlin currently controlling nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory after two-and-a-half years of fighting.
Ukraine’s surprise push into Russia has been widely seen as an attempt to divert fighting away from its own turf.
Why has Ukraine invaded Russia?
By Ellie Doughty
UKRAINE’S daring invasion into Russia has been launched for two key reasons – with one aimed at Putin and one at the West.
A high-ranking Ukrainian official told AFP that the idea behind the attack is to stretch Putin’s armies as much as possible, spreading them thinly over different areas.
The security brass told AFP on condition of anonymity that “the aim is to stretch the positions of the enemy, to inflict maximum losses and to destabilise the situation in Russia as they are unable to protect their own border”.
As well as acting as a huge morale-boosting win for Ukraine – the invasion also has a second key purpose in Kyiv’s masterplan.
It is a message to allies in the West who have closely monitored Putin’s war.
Military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady told The Washington Post: “This is definitely one consideration that it is really a signal to the West and to Ukrainian allies and partners that Ukraine is still capable of launching offensive operations.
“That Ukraine is capable of conducting fairly complex operations into enemy territory.”
Vlad on the other hand claims Ukraine are simply trying to gain leverage for peace talk negotiations.
Vlad has speculated the surge was driven “with the help of Western masters” to gain leverage at the negotiating table for potential peace talks.
Although Kremlin chiefs and state media are insisting Ukraine is losing masses of troops in what will be a botched invasion, reports from the ground aren’t as glowing as Moscow might hope.
Speculation is swirling that Russian troops are even looting their own citizens’ evacuated homes.
Footage posted to X purports to show soldiers searching through a Kursk home before complaining that it had already been ransacked.
Retired general Andrei Gurulev, a member of Putin’s United Russia party, hit out at the military for failing to stave off Ukraine’s offensive, The Times reported.
He said: “Regrettably, the group of forces protecting the border didn’t have its own intelligence assets.
“No one likes to see the truth in reports, everybody just wants to hear that all is good.”
According to state news agency RIA, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service called Zelensky’s attacking move “insane”.
They claim the Ukrainian chief has sparked a threat of escalation that could expand beyond the two nations’ conflict.
US senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal meanwhile jetted into Kyiv to meet with Zelensky and praised the “bold and brilliant” move.
Graham said: “Taking this war to Putin and making him understand and pay a price is the right thing
“So two-and-a-half years later you’re still standing and you’re in Russia. Remind me not to invade Ukraine.
“I’m so proud of you, your people, your military, your leadership, your country.”
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Zelensky says he’s bringing the war home to RussiaCredit: Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images
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Tanks and troops rumble further into RussiaCredit: REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi
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Vlad insists Ukraine will lose masses of troops in their offensiveCredit: Reuters
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Ukraine claims tanks and troops have taken a huge slice of territoryCredit: AFP
One of the Russian dictator’s £260million jets disappeared and a £30million bomber jet was set on fire after Ukrainian forces shot them out of the sky above the Azov Sea.
They were blasted out of the air in one of Moscow’s worst days for its air force since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
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Plumes of smoke could be seen from a distanceCredit: East2West
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Putin’s prized SU-34 is estimated to cost £40millionCredit: East2West
UKRAINE set two major Russian oil depots ablaze with kamikaze drones.
Columns of smoke were seen rising into the sky on Friday night as the facilities were hit in Russia’s Krasnodar area.
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Ukraine set two major Russian oil depots ablaze with kamikaze dronesCredit: East2West
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Columns of smoke were seen rising into the sky in Russia’s Krasnodar areaCredit: East2West
Russian regional headquarters said fuel storage tanks had been set alight.
They also said separate drones were shot down in the Black Sea’s Yeysk.
Reports said the Ukrainians had also damaged a communications tower.
Putin boasts two palaces in Krasnodar region – an official residence in Sochi, and a private £1 billion clifftop residence at Gelendzhik likened to the lair of a James Bond villain.
It comes as Kyiv pursues repeated attacks on Russian oil depots, seeking to disrupt Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
Ukraine’s Sumy province came under fire the same night, with a Russian drone supplied by Iran damaging a power station and cutting off electricity and water.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported they shot down 24 of the 27 Shahed-type drones.
EUROPE is looking to build a giant 1,500 mile defensive line to protect itself from a chilling Vladimir Putin invasion.
Poland and the Baltics are planning to create the £2.2billion blockade to keep Russiafrom advancing through the continent as the threat of WW3 looms.
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Russia has continued its relentless assault on Ukraine in recent weeks including in busy residential areasCredit: Getty
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Russia is more than two years into its bloody war with UkraineCredit: EPA
The brave allied nations revealed the plans on Wednesday as they asked the European Union for help with the project.
Leaders from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia all claim a protective blockade is essential to protect Europe from a dangerous Moscow.
Putin has been ramping up his military threats among other worrying activities as he repeatedly tells the West to avoid getting involved in his war in Ukraine.
The leaders of the four countries who put together the plan described the need for extra protection as “dire and urgent”.
read more in Europe vs Putin
They added all 27 EU states will be protected by the bloc including over 450 million people.
It will stretch around 1,471 miles and could potentially be shored up with minefields, anti-tank ditches and bunkers.
Belarus, who are regarded as one of Russia’s proxies alongside Kaliningrad, have also been cordoned off in the proposal.
A letter to the chairman of the EU was seen by Reuters who claim it said: “Extraordinary measures need to be employed as the EU’s external border must be protected and defended with military and civilian means.
“Building a defence infrastructure system along the EU external border with Russia and Belarus will address the dire and urgent need to secure the EU from military and hybrid threats.”
Europe planning new ‘nuclear umbrella’ with 300 French nuke missiles spread across continent for showdown with Russia
The EU chair is expected to discuss the proposal at a summit in Brussels which started on Thursday.
Investment into defence systems and warfare is expected to be the main topic at the crunch meeting.
Europe’s biggest worry is over Russia’s military capabilities but the line will also deal with a number of threats away from the battleground.
Plans to filter through misinformation, swat away cyberattacks and cope with increasing economic pressure are also being addressed.
As are the fears of an increased number of migrants being pushed across the borders.
Poland accused Russia of flying thousands of suspected asylum seekers into Moscow last month before trying to ship them across EU eastern borders.
Poland shares a 130-mile border with Russian territory Kaliningrad and an 170-mile one with Belarus.
It’s government said the country is being targeted by Russian aggression via those frontiers.
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Putin has already threatened Europe with war as he continues to bombard UkraineCredit: AP
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Emergency services in Kharkiv battle against a fire following a Russian air strikeCredit: Getty
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Ukraine’s own line of defence with 42,000 concrete ‘dragon’s teeth’ along barbed wire-lined trenchesCredit: Reuters
The extraordinary price tag on the bloc is expected to be met as part of a unified effort through what has been labelled as “a dedicated EU action” plan.
EU diplomats say such a barrier could cost upwards of £2.2billion.
The letter also suggested that Nato could help out in funding and constructing the defensive line.
As well as deploying military personnel along the bloc.
Russia is reportedly planning to take over Gotland – east of Sweden – which General Richard Shirreff says would give Putin dangerous levels of control in the Baltics.
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Polish armed forces’ Chief of Staff Wieslaw Kukula, right, with Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk on Monday – explaining the features of the ‘Tusk Line’
THIS is the dramatic moment one of Putin’s tanks is blown to smithereens after being blasted by a precise Ukrainian kamikaze drone.
Pieces of the Russian tank can be seen flying through the air after a direct hit caused a giant, fiery mushroom cloud to erupt.
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The moment one of Putin’s tanks is blown to smithereens after being blasted by a precise Ukrainian kamikaze droneCredit: X
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Shrapnel from the tank was seen flying across the field in DonetskCredit: X
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Moments before the kamikaze FPV munition drone struck the tankCredit: X
Shocking footage from a field in the war-torn Donetsk region shows the moment a stationary Russian tank was targeted by one of Ukraine‘s specialist bomb-laden drones.
In the short clip, the kamikaze FPV munition drone drops onto the formidable military motor before a blast erupts.
Within an instant the tank is engulfed by bright orange flames as pieces of shrapnel are sent soaring through the air in hundreds of tiny pieces.
Smoke billows through the air as the thunderous sound of the explosion was heard for miles.
The tank’s turret was hit by the drone which led to the “immediate catastrophic ammunition detonation”, claimed the original social media post showing the video.
It comes as spectacular footage showed Kyiv‘s fierce determination as more kamikaze drones were seen blowing up Russian tanks in another blow to Putin’s failing forces.
The drones reduced the hodgepodge “Franken-tanks” into a fiery wreckage and reducing them to debris and melted metal.
Footage from an unnamed location appeared to show a 25mm 2M-3 twin-barreled naval anti-aircraft turret mounted on a Soviet-era MT-LB amphibious battle vehicle.
Putin humiliated as Ukranian kamikaze drones strike Russia
The odd device is thought to have been constructed from equipment pieces from 1945.
Its cannons were most likely taken from a naval patrol boat, and its tracks could date back to the 1950s.
The “Frankenstein tanks” are believed to be an improvised response to the Kremlin’s shortage of essential war materials.
Putin has lost almost 8,000 tanks since his horror invasion of Ukraine, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The total number of Putin’s troops killed since the tyrant invaded Ukraine is now well above 500,000, according to the ministry.
DRONES have been deployed in the war in Ukraine on an unprecedented scale as thousands are used daily to hunt down enemy forces, guide artillery and bomb targets – transforming modern land warfare.
Ukraine has become increasingly reliant on first-person-view (FPV) drones — nimble, target-seeking, kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The attack UAVs have come to define the conflict, helped by constant streams of footage filmed onboard as they tail troops, blast Russian positions or smash into tanks worth millions with ruthless precision.
Some are fitted with grenades or homebuilt bombs, others are used for reconnaissance missions to identify enemy positions and guide artillery fire.
Now, almost every fighting brigade in Ukraine has an assault drone company.
With the 600-mile front frozen in hellish trench warfare, the success of FPVs on the battlefield is “undeniable”, according to the commander of Ukraine’s attack drone operations.
The senior special forces officer “Arsenal” told The Sun the quadcopters-turned-munitions now successfully blitz Putin’s targets in three out of five operations.
And as the war moves into what Arsenal calls a more “technological phase”, he argued FPVs are increasingly vital to Ukraine’s success.
He said: “If Mavic (surveillance) drones are our eyes – for the adjustment of artillery fire, withdrawal of groups to positions, reconnaissance – then FPV drones are our sword, our strike force.”
Over two thirds of Russian tanks destroyed by Ukraine so far in 2024 have been taken out using FPV drones, a Nato official told Foreign Policy.
Their long-range capabilities also save countless lives as the drone operator can be stationed away from the frontline.
And drones are not just used on the battlefield, both Ukraine and Russia are hitting targets hundreds of miles deep into enemy territory using long-range UAVs.
They are highly cost effective means to blitz factories making weapons, military bases or energy facilities.
And yet, in a constant game of cat and mouse, both sides are developing increasingly sophisticated means of stopping drones using electronic warfare.
In response, Russia and Ukraine are racing to develop UAVs guided by AI instead of GPS that can easily be jammed.
Ukraine is counting on key allies to help in this mission and to send them more expensive, high-tech drones, but deliveries are not anywhere near the sufficient scale needed.
In 2023, Ukraine’s goal was to procure 200,000 drones. For 2024, Zelensky vowed they would build a million themselves.
Between January and February this year, officials revealed FPV production already totalled 200,000.
Ukrainian forces are now said to have killed 512,420 Russian troops and destroyed 15,020 armoured combat vehicles, and 13,345 artillery pieces since the start of the war.
Ukraine has also been short of troops, ammunition and air defences in recent months.
The Kremlin’s forces are continuing to try and cripple the national power supply and punch through the front line in eastern parts of the country.
The war has cost tens of thousands of lives on both sides, including more than 11,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations.
While Ukraine has looked to Western countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin has turned to nations such as Iran and North Korea for help.
Fighting along the roughly 620-mile front line has in recent months focused on the partly occupied Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are trying to reach the key hilltop city of Chasiv Yar and other strategic hubs.
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Russia has continued to try and blast their way through Ukraine’s frontlines in recent weeksCredit: AP
Defence Sec Grant Shapps says a new Ukraine aid package worth £150million will help to protect the country’s battered infrastructureCredit: PA
Air defence radars, decoys and electronic warfare systems worth £70million will be sent by the UK and allies.
Meanwhile, £80million for small boats, reconnaissance drones and uncrewed surface vessels is being provided.
Mr Shapps said: “The International Fund for Ukraine is providing vital support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine to meet their urgent capability requirements.
“It includes more air defence systems to protect Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, as well as maritime capabilities to bolster naval forces.”
The fund for Ukraine has received £900million so far.
Ukrainian kids have been going to school like normal despite the latest Russian onslaught in Kharkiv as they learn in underground bunkersCredit: EPA
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Children were seen walking to their classes holding hands as they escaped Vlad’s furyCredit: Reuters
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The heavily fortified underground schools let the children continue to learn with their teachers in wake of the fighting around themCredit: Reuters
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Russia’s latest attack on the Kharkiv region has left buildings and people decimatedCredit: EPA
It comes as Russian snipers take aim above ground at anyone trying to flee to safety.
Thousands of school children aged between six and 16 are being taught in five converted metro stations away from Putin’s horror bombardments.
Some of the old stations, where locals fled to at the start of the brutal Ukraine war, even have miniature playgrounds inside.
The Sun visited one of the renovated schools earlier this year and spoke to teacher Olenna Volodomyr, who said: “It is strange having classes underground, but it is the only way to teach face to face.
“It is much better for the children.
“The children feel safe here, we feel safe here, and the parents feel better because they know their children are safe.”
As the children remain safe underground, thousands of adults have been trying to escape the fighting altogether since the second bloody assault on Kharkiv was launched on Friday.
Military policeman Vlad Yefarov was trying to rescue a pensioner trapped in the north-east border town of Vovchansk when Russian snipers shot at him.
Vlad told The Telegraph: “We were driving past the old shoemaker’s factory when a Russian sniper’s bullet hit the windscreen right in front of me.
“We tried to turn around, but as we did so, a Russian machine-gunner opened fire on us, and the sniper put another round in my driver’s side window.”
This is just one horrific example of Russian fighters bullying Ukrainian civilians and not allowing them to leave areas, such as Kharkiv, where fighting has brutally intensified.
Putin launches surprise fresh invasion across Ukraine border into Kharkiv
Putin’s troops claimed they captured five villages this morning.
They later said four more had been taken in the last few hours taking the total to nine.
Ukraine’s armed forces admitted Moscow had achieved some “tactical successes” around the north-eastern city near the Russian border over the weekend.
Russian troops marched between two and five miles in a multipronged attack across more than 20 miles of front line.
Close to 40,000 soldiers and 500 tanks had been amassed along the border ahead of the large-scale ground attack Kyiv had feared was coming for weeks.
Kharkiv’s regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said: “The enemy is trying to deliberately stretch the front line, attacking in small groups, but in new directions.”
Last night, fighting raged on the outskirts of bomb-blitzed Vovchansk and nearby Lyptsi, which sit a few miles south of the Russia-Ukraine frontier.
Almost 6,000 civilians fled Vovchansk although 300 remain, local officials said yesterday.
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A woman and child venture down into one of Kharkiv’s underground schoolsCredit: Rex
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Civilians have been evacuating Vovchansk and the surrounding regions to escape Russian soldiers advancing through UkraineCredit: Rex
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Kids have been seen smiling and laughing as they socialise and develop normallyCredit: EPA
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Russian missile strikes have bombarded Kharkiv since the offensive began on FridayCredit: Getty
Russian troops are being continuously thrown into meatgrinder assaults in northeastern Ukraine as part of the brutal new ground offensive.
Ukrainian soldiers said the Kremlin is using the tried-and-tested Russian tactic of launching human wave attacks – sending forward a disproportionate amount of infantry units to exhaust Ukrainian troops and firepower.
Dramatic footage also showed Ukraine decimating a column of five tanks from above as they attempted to plough further into the Kharkiv region.
Analysts say the Russian onslaught is designed to exploit ammunition shortages before promised Western weapons shipments can reach the frontline.
Its mayor had warned the West that it risked being turned into a “second Aleppo” – the Syrian city which heavy Russian bombing helped to decimate a decade ago.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Ukrainian troops had been carrying out counterattacks in the border villages.
“Disrupting Russian offensive plans is now our number one task,” he said.
Troops must “return the initiative to Ukraine”, the president insisted, again urging allies to speed up arms deliveries.
The Institute for the Study War said the high-level reshuffle signals that Putin is taking significant steps to prepare for a protracted war in Ukraine and a possible future confrontation with Nato.
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Police in Ukraine have been helping to evacuate thousands of people including the elderly so they can be safe away from Vlad’s terror regimeCredit: AP
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The schools have been designed inside underground metro stationsCredit: EPA
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The aftermath of a savage Russian strikeCredit: Getty
Sun reporter Thomas Godfrey pictured in Narva, Estonia
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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the 79th anniversary of the victory over Nazi GermanyCredit: Reuters
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Soldiers on the Victory Day military parade in central MoscowCredit: AFP
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Russian military vehicles on military parade on Russia’s Victory DayCredit: Reuters
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In a rambling address the tyrant, 71, hailed the supposed success of his “special military operation” in Ukraine.
But in a veiled threat he added: “Russia will do everything to avoid a global confrontation.
“But at the same time, we will not allow anyone to threaten us.
“Our strategic forces are always on combat alert.”
Putin was flanked in Moscow by officials carrying his so-called “nuclear briefcase”.
He gave the speech following a toned-down parade featuring only 9,000 troops — less than in previous years — and just one T34 Army tank.
The Red Square parade also showed off three Yars atomic missile launchers.
It comes after Moscow defence chiefs said Putin had ordered the Russian Army to prepare for “non-strategic” nuclear strikes.
They also warned British bases could become targets after Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron gave the green light for UK weapons to be used to hit targets inside Russia.
On the Russia-Estonia border, hundreds packed waterside bars to witness the celebration event marking the defeat of Nazi Germany by the Soviet Union and the Allies.
Putin’s dreaded ‘nuclear briefcase’ spotted at Victory Day parade…but TV coverage HACKED to show destroyed Russian tanks
A stage facility just 100 meters from Russia’s border with Estonia had hundreds of seats set up for VIP guests with a giant May 9 “Victory” logo.
Another two screens were set up metres from the riverbank, while cinema-style speakers boomed Russian procession music and transmitted speeches by military veterans and officials.
One guest even wrapped a Russian flag around himself and held it up in view of watching Estonians, while border cops continuously kept watch.
But activists on the Estonian side of the river attempted to hinder celebrations by unfurling a giant Ukrainian flag within view of the special guests.
The protest sparked a dramatic confrontation with a Russian family visiting Narva for the day and watching the Victory Day event from across the water.
The group of Russians, including a mum pushing a gold-coloured pram, took issue with the Estonian group who posed for photos beneath Narva Castle – where a giant banner proclaims Putin, 71, to be a “war criminal”.
Milan Skubi, 18, who held up the Ukrainian flag, said one of the Russians threatened him for speaking to The Sun.
He said: “The youngest, he told me, ‘If there were no police here, I would throw you in the river’.”
During their demonstration, the trio were also approached by Estonia’s military police, who told the group they could not intervene if tensions boiled over into a physical confrontation.
Milan, joined by pals Aleksei Mehailainen and Sergei Nikitin, told The Sun: “They weren’t happy that we had the Ukrainian flag.
“They told me, ‘If you like Ukraine so much, why don’t you go there.’
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Estonian and Ukrainian flags stand side by side next to an anti-Putin posterCredit: Peter Jordan
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Aleksei Mehailainen who was holding the Ukrainian flag was urged to be carefulCredit: Peter Jordan
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Meanwhile, across the river, Russians were holding up a Russian flagCredit: Peter Jordan
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A Russian family watching the parade on the banks of the Narva RiverCredit: Peter Jordan
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Huge screens were showing scenes from World War 2Credit: Peter Jordan
“When the police came over, they told me to be careful. They said there isn’t anything they can do if things escalate.
“In the months after Ukraine was invaded a lot of people here were worried. We thought that if Russia could invade Ukraine they could invade here too.
“But now I feel more safe because Nato would protect us.”
“It isn’t just an age divide. There are old people that support Ukraine and there are young people that support Russia.
Asked about a poster branding mad tyrant Vladimir Putin a “war criminal”, he added: “I support this poster because it is correct.”
Narva and Ivangorod, a town of just 10,000, are separated by a 100-metre bridge connecting Estonia and Russia.
The road crossing was more heavily monitored by gun-toting border guards after Putin invaded Ukraine and has been fully locked down with barbed wire and concrete boulders since February.
Some 96 per cent of Narva’s 60,000-strong population speak Russian as a first language while around one in four have Russian passports.
Residents of Narva with both Estonian and Russian citizenships can still cross the bridge on foot for day trips.
Russians settled in the coastal town after it was heavily bombed during World War Two, forcing Estonian natives to flee west.
Once it was rebuilt by the Soviet Union, Russians moved in until the super-state dissolved in 1991.
It means Russian is still the main language spoken in Narva while some locals celebrate Russian holidays and sympathise with Kremlin dictator Putin.
One Russian-born Narva resident, Alexander, said he was not worried about the prospect of Russia invading and claimed supporting Ukraine was a form of “propaganda”.
UK, US & Russia’s alliance in WW2
IN World War 2, the three great Allied powers – the UK, US and Soviet Union formed an alliance that was key to securing victory of Nazi Germany.
On New Year’s Day in 1942, all three nations signed the United Nations Declaration to join together to fight the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan).
The ‘Big Three’ gathered together in Yalta in February 1945 as they were closing in on Germany from both the east and west with very different goals.
Soviet forces pushed Nazi forces back to Berlin, where Hitler committed suicide and the red Soviet Victory Banner was raised over the German Reichstag in 1945.
The alliance ended after the Nazi’s unconditional surrender came into force at 11:01 p.m. on May 8, 1945.
The Soviet Union lost about 27 million people in the war, an estimate that many historians consider conservative, scarring virtually every family.
In his ranting speech today, Putin said: “In the West, they would like to forget the lessons of the Second World War,” adding that Russia honoured all the allies involved in the defeat of Nazi Germany.
However he failed to mention these allies by name, instead praising the Chinese people’s fight against Japanese imperialism.
Putin added: “But we remember that the fate of mankind was decided in the grand battles near Moscow and Leningrad, Rzhev, Stalingrad, Kursk and Kharkiv, near Minsk, Smolensk and Kyiv, in heavy, bloody battles from Murmansk to the Caucasus and Crimea.”
The 37-year-old said: “I support Russia. I don’t agree with the position of the Estonian state. I condemn it.
“Supporting Ukraine only harms the country and our security. I don’t believe our authorities and propaganda.
“I believe that public opinion is being manipulated (to support Ukraine) in order to distract people from the reality.”
He added: “I want to wish you a happy Victory Day, because without this neither of our countries would exist.”
But British ex-pat Jeff Green said: “Everyone here is petrified of Russia invading but I don’t think it will ever happen.
“If Mr Putin wanted to take control of this city, he could drop 5,000 paras in and take it overnight. He could have done it any time he wanted.
Jeff, 77, who moved to Narva from Aldershot in 2018, continued: “The reason it will never happen now is because Finland and Sweden are in Nato.
“They have a pretty good air force and if Russia came across the border there would be a response in minutes.”
The Kremlin last threatened Narva in 2022 when Putin said he considered the city to be a historical Russian territory.
But Narva’s defiant mayor, Jaan Toots, told The Sun: “It will not happen because there would be big consequences as we are part of Nato.”
He added: “There is a danger and there always will be.
“In our past there have been several countries (here)… Denmark, Sweden, Russia, so there were a lot of owners of our land.
“In 1944 this land was taken from us by the Russian city on the other side.
“Russia annexed the land from us, not vice-versa.”
The mayor continued: “We can develop our security and our protection. Last year we spent not two per cent of our GDP, but already three per cent.”
In February, the Estonian secret police arrested ten alleged Russian actors on suspicion of plotting to attack the cars of a government minister and a prominent journalist.
Asked whether he was worried he could become a target for Kremlin agents, Mr Toots said: “I am not afraid. There is no problem”.
It comes less as Nato launches the Swift Response exercise at Tapa Army Base today (FRI).
The huge cross-country military drill – including air assaults, live-fire exercises and multinational training – is designed to simulate a response to an enemy state.
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Russians gathered to watch Victory Day celebrationsCredit: Peter Jordan
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Vladimir Putin at the parade in Moscow’s Red SquareCredit: Reuters
CHILLING drone pictures show how a once lively Ukrainian village has been razed to an apocalyptic wasteland by Vladimir Putin’s troops.
Ocheretyne has been battered by relentless fighting and is now just a shadow of its former self.
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Drone pictures show the damage caused to the Ukrainian village of Ocheretyne by the warCredit: AP
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Smoke still plumes from houses that are now just rubbleCredit: AP
The village has been a prime target for Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Russian soldiers have been advancing in the area, pounding Kyiv’s depleted, ammunition-deprived forces with artillery, drones and bombs.
Ukraine’s military acknowledged the Russians have gained a foothold in Ocheretyne
Before the war the village had a population of about 3,000 but now not a soul can be seen in the images as the conflict rages on.
Last week residents scrambled to flee the village.
Among them was a 98-year-old woman wearing slippers who walked almost six miles alone, supported by a cane, until she reached Ukrainian front lines.
No building in Ocheretyne has managed to escape the unrelenting bombardment and most appear to be damaged beyond repair.
Many houses have been pummelled so badly they are reduced to just piles of wood and bricks and a factory on the outskirts has also been severely damaged.
The pictures also show smoke billowing from several houses, and fires burning in at least two buildings.
Elsewhere, Russia has in recent weeks stepped up attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, in an attempt to dismantle the regions energy infrastructure and terrorize its 1.3 million residents.
Ukraine given ‘green light’ to blitz targets in Russia with long-range Brit weapons amid WW3 fears
Four people were wounded and a two-story civilian building was damaged and set ablaze overnight after Russian forces struck Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, with exploding drones, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said Saturday.
The four, including a 13-year-old, were hurt by falling debris, he said on the Telegram messaging app.
Russian state agency RIA reported Saturday that Moscows forces struck a drone warehouse in Kharkiv that had been used by Ukrainian troops overnight.
It cited Sergei Lebedev, described as a coordinator of local pro-Moscow guerrillas but his comments could not be independently verified.
On Saturday another Russian strike hit a civilian business in an industrial district of Kharkhiv, Syniehubov said.
Initial reports indicated that four people were wounded.
In the Black Sea port of Odesa, which has been repeatedly targeted in recent days, three people were hurt in a rocket attack on civil infrastructure, regional governor Oleh Kiper said.
Ukraines military said Russia launched a total of 13 Shahed drones at the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions of eastern Ukraine overnight, all of which were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.
Ukraines energy ministry on Saturday said the overnight strikes damaged an electrical substation in the Dnipropetrovsk region, briefly depriving households and businesses of power.
According to Serhii Lysak, the province’s governor, falling drone debris damaged unspecified critical infrastructure and three private houses, one of which caught on fire.
Two residents, a man and a woman, were rushed to hospital.
Russias Defense Ministry claimed early on Saturday that its forces overnight shot down four U.S.-provided long-range ATACMS missiles over the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
The ministry did not provide further details.
Ukraine has recently begun using the missiles, provided secretly by the United States, to hit Russian-held areas, including a military airfield in Crimea and in another area east of the occupied city of Berdyansk, U.S. officials said last week.
Long sought by Ukrainian leaders, the new missiles give Ukraine nearly double the striking distance of up to 190 miles further than it had with the mid-range version of the weapons it received from the U.S. last October.
A Ukrainian drone also damaged telecommunications infrastructure on the outskirts of Belgorod, a Russian city some 31 miles from the Ukrainian border, according to the local governor.
Vyacheslav Gladkov did not say what the site was used for.
Hours later, Gladkov reported that five people in Belgorod were hospitalized, with shrapnel wounds and other injuries, following a strong blast on Saturday that also damaged around 30 private homes and sparked two fires.
He did not immediately clarify what caused the explosions.
PUTIN has boasted captured British armoured cars and American tanks in a sick new exhibition.
Weapons and tanks seized from Ukrainian forces have been put on display in Moscow as a way to glorify the invasion.
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The exhibition will include 30 tanks which were seized during Ukraine warCredit: AP
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Rows of tanks donated to Ukraine by Nato are showcased in Moscow’s Victory ParkCredit: EPA
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Among them is a British Saxon armoured personnel carrier which was donated in 2015Credit: AP
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Some of the tanks can be seen riddled with still fresh bullet holesCredit: AFP
Pictures from Moscow’s Victory Park, which commemorates Russia’s victory against Nazi Germany, show rows of Western military vehicles “captured by Russian servicemen”.
Putin flaunts his military might at the West by showcasing 30 tanks and other pieces of war equipment captured during the war.
A British Saxon armoured personnel carrier, donated to Ukraine in 2015, can be seen pictured under the red banners that proudly claim “Our victory is inevitable”.
An American Bradley tank, a Swedish CV90 and a French-made AMX-10RC armoured fighting vehicle can all be seen riddled with bullet holes.
The military vehicles also spot the flags of their respective countries, including Turkey, Sweden, Czech Republic, South Africa, Finland, Australia and Austria.
Alongside weapons, the month-long exhibition features Ukrainian combat documents and “ideological literature”.
Russia blows its own trumpet with the showcase aimed to celebrate its success “against Ukrainian militants and their Western supporters”.
Ahead of its May 1st opening, trucks bearing military hardware – donated from Nato to the Armed Forces of Ukraine – were spotted pulling up to the open-air museum.
Putin shows off his trophies in light of the Victory Day parade which is held annually to celebrate the country’s victory in World War 2.
The May 9th celebrations are usually used by the warmonger to showcase the might of the Russian military machine and boost national pride.
But this year, many regional parades have been scrapped over fears of Ukrainian kamikaze drone attacks.
Ukraine is ramping up its military arsenal as the US has now approved £49billion military aid to strengthen the 600-mile frontline.
Among the donations is a “game changing” long-range ballistic missiles which can hit targets anywhere and could leave Russian troops “terrified”.
But experts fear that the fresh ammunition could send Putin into an unpredictable spiral.
A former US ambassador issued a chilling warning that reckless Putin is deadly serious about “confronting the West” and could even resort to the use of nukes.
Frank G. Wisner, who served under President Bill Clinton, lashed out at Putin and described the Russian tyrant as “extraordinarily reckless”.
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The proud banner claims ‘Our victory is inevitable’ with German Leopard tank in the backgroundCredit: EPA
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The showcase is aimed to celebrate Russia’s success against Ukraine and its western alliesCredit: Getty
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine desperately needs more air defences to intercept Moscow’s bombardments.
General Sir Jim Hockenhull, head of the UK’s Strategic Command, also backed Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russia — because it was “fighting a war of national survival”.
He said: “The fact that they see military value in attacking the Russians in depth is unsurprising and entirely understandable.”
How Ukraine’s new $50BILLION war chest will grind Russia’s war machine to halt & buy them precious time to defeat Vlad
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Ukrainian servicemen with British NLAW anti-tank weaponsCredit: EPA
UKRAINIAN kamikaze drones blitzed more of Vladimir Putin’s valuable oil depots in an impressive attack on three regions overnight.
Dramatic clips show an enormous wall of fire raging at a valuable fuel plant in Smolensk, not far from the Ukrainian border.
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Dramatic footage showed the oil refinery in Smolensk caught in a raging blaze
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More clips captured the huge outpouring of black smoke at the fuel hubs
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The powerful blow hit oil refineries overnight
More fuel and energy hubs were hit in the bold ambush as locals reported hearing five huge explosions.
Enormous plumes of black smoke filled the sky as flames completely engulfed the targeted buildings.
Lipetsk Tractor Plant was also hit – a factory that produces key parts for military vehicles used in Putin’s illegal war.
The local governor in Smolensk was forced to admit to a Ukrainian drone attack on the Rosneft oil depot.
But the Russian immediately went on the defensive – claiming most of Ukraine’s drones were downed.
Putin’s crony in Lipetsk – another region targeted in last night’s attack – said one of Kyiv’s drones struck an industrial zone.
While he claimed no one suffered any injuries, he did confirm that people were evacuated from the area.
The border region of Voronezh was also hit as Ukrainian drones hit an air field and oil centre.
Russia claimed air defences had protected a key military air base there.
Ukrainian official Anton Gerashchenko shared footage of the string of attacks and said Kyiv managed to hit a fuel hub and several energy facilities.
The Russian defence ministry said it was attacked by eight Ukrainian kamikaze drones, but other accounts suggest there was more incoming fire.
The hubs are a target for Kyiv’s forces as they supply Russia’s army with vital fuel and run factories where military equipment is built.
Aiming at energy, military and transport centres near the border also helps keep Putin’s forces at bay as they push forward in the grim meat grinder war.
Vasily Anokhin, Vlad’s puppet in Smolensk, wrote on Telegram: “Our region is again under attack by Ukrainian UAVs.
“As a result of the enemy attack on civilian fuel and energy facilities, fires broke out in the Smolensk and Yartsevo districts.”
And Igor Artamonov, his counterpart in Lipetsk, said “It was decided not to turn on warning systems in the city and to evacuate only the area where the UAV fell.”
Incredible footage showed the impressive 50-drone hit on a massive eight different regions in an embarrassing blow for Putin.
Both Russian oil companies that were hit are also central to Putin’s economy and his military fuel supplies.
Witnesses heard at least eight explosions as two infernos erupted.
The Russian defence ministry predictably launched a defence afterwards, claiming all of Ukraine’s drones were downed or missed their targets.
It said in a statement: “Kyiv regime’s attempts to carry out a number of terrorist attacks using aircraft-type UAVs against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation were stopped.”
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Footage from Ukraine’s impressive drone attack just days ago
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The Russian governor in Smolensk was forced to admit to a Ukrainian attackCredit: Twitter
UKRAINE is braced for a mega-blitz as Russia tries to force victory in its war before US weapons arrive.
A Kyiv spy chief warned Moscow was planning a huge assault starting next month.
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is grateful for US weapons – but Russia is now planning a huge assault before the shipments can arriveCredit: Alamy
It came as a Russian missile tore down a TV tower today in Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv.
Experts fear the area — just 15 miles from Russia — could face a second ground offensive after beating off a tank assault on the first day of the war in February 2022.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s feared GUR military intelligence, warned life would be even more “difficult” from mid-May through early June.
But he insisted Ukraine would endure and prevail.
Budanov, who has survived repeated assassination attempts, said: “It is not catastrophic. But there will be problems from mid-May.”
