Putin facing Armageddon in own country as raging wildfires spread across Siberia

Vladimir Putin is purging his inner circle is growing after a reported four "suicides" of gas industry executives linked closely to the brutal tyrant.The alleged suicides have been called "suspicious" by numerous Russian sources including a former FSB colonel.Gennady Gudkov claimed there were similarities in the deaths of top managers and their family members from Russian gas companies.He said: "Don't let the 'rats' escape, they might talk.“If we already understand that the regime is engaged in the elimination of its opponents and enemies, then why will they not deal with those who are considered traitors who have fled the system."Many cases of [suspicious deaths] are like settling scores." His accusations come after the alleged suicide of Sergey Protosenya, a former deputy chairman of Novotek – a company closely linked to Russia. Protosenya's wife Natalia, 53, and their teenage daughter, Maria, were previously stabbed to death allegedly by Protosenya.And just a few days earlier, millionaire Vladislav Avayev, 51, ex-vice-president of Gazprombank and former Kremlin official, was found dead in his Moscow penthouse.His wife Yelena, 47, and daughter, Maria, 13, were found dead with him.Both cases have been labelled as suspicious and some believe they have been staged as suicides, although detectives remain investigating.The two incidents “are united by the former places of work of the victims - both are connected with Putin's inner circle,” according to a Telegram channel.As well as these two cases, there have been two more prominent gas executive deaths this year.The body of Alexander Tyulakov, 61, a security official at deputy general director level was found just a day after the Ukraine invasion started on February 25.

Video: When satire is factchecked without needing to be factchecked (France 24)High stakes rematch: Can Le Pen turn the tide against Macron in TV debate?Fragile coalition under threat in Israel: Arab party suspends government membershipGeothermal power in Kenya: Providing the country with clean energyEU's Borrell says bloc 'will continue' providing military support to UkraineNetflix loses users for first time in a decadeFrench presidential candidates gear up for election debate rematch'There is no independent journalism left in Russia': Exiled journalist Denis KataevUkraine's prosecutor general: 'I expect to find evidence of genocide in Mariupol'France's presidential rivals gird for high-stakes TV debateFake subtitles attributed to Vladimir Putin in parody viral videoThe battle of Donbas: What's Putin's plan for Ukraine now?Made in Hollywood, censored by China: How the film industry is abiding by Beijing's lawsFrance's Macron reveals his war chestFrench presidential candidates spar over wind energy sectorFrench presidential election: Macron 'trying to speak to voters on the centre left'South African military deployed to flood-ravaged provinceJohnson is a calm, pleasant presence throughout, often laughing heartily at the end of the most banal anecdotes, in the manner of someone who has never failed for long enough to sharpen a sense of humour. The way serious issues pose virtually no threat to him does, however, border on comical.

Vladimir Putin looking "astonishingly weakened" has triggered fresh speculation about the Russian President's health.The Russia-Ukraine war appears to have taken a toll on Putin since he first ordered troops to invade the neighbouring nation on February 24. In the televised meeting on Thursday (April 21) a "bloated" Putin is sitting at a desk and discussing the ongoing invasion of Ukraine with his defence minister Sergei Shoigu.The pair are discussing the "liberation" of the heavily-bombed Ukrainian city of Mariupol and Putin looks very unwell.He grips the corner of the desk throughout the entire meeting and appears to be slightly slumped in his chair.Putin also seems to unintentionally grimace in between sentences as if he might be in physical discomfort or even pain.There have been longstanding theories about Putin's health woes, including one that he is suffering from thyroid cancer and has all the symptoms.

Vladimir Putin’s oldest daughter, Dr Maria Vorontsova, has reportedly been banned from leaving Russia because of fears that she might never return to the country. Dr Vorontsova, who was born when her father was still a KGB agent, had reportedly planned to celebrate her 37th birthday on a tropical beach but according to the the General SVR Telegram channel, when she applied for permission to leave the country: “Putin responded with a categorical refusal, strengthening the security protection of Maria.“According to our information,” the as-yet unconfirmed report continued, “the president’s eldest daughter did not plan to return to Russia.”Dr Vorontsova shares a son with her Dutch ex-husband Jorrit Faassen, who is the son of a senior NATO military officer.She is believed to have been planning the holiday with her new partner, Yevgeny Nagorny.The 33-year-old was once opposed to Putin’s government but since getting together with the leader’s daughter he has changed his views, landing a £90,000-a-year job and an extensive luxury home in exchange for his loyalty.Dr Vorontsova is a noted researcher at the National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology of the Ministry of Health of Russia, specialising in genetic conditions in children.

Piers Morgan has aimed another swipe at Meghan Markle as he compares her relation to veracity to "what Putin is to humanity".The former Life Stories host, 57, made the comments in a new column ahead of the debut of his new TalkTV show, Uncensored, next week.Last year the star left his presenting responsibilities on GMB after saying that he "didn't believe a word" the Duchess of Sussex had said.Piers made the comments following Meghan's landmark interview with Oprah Winfrey where she claimed she faced mental health struggles as part of the royal family.The next morning on GMB, Piers told how he didn't believe the Duchess' claims before disagreeing with ITV weatherman Alex Beresford and storming off set.In a savage new jibe, the host of TalkTV's new show Piers Morgan: Uncensored branded his removal from the ITV programme as "cowardly censorship" while taking another swipe at Meghan."But my enforced removal from Good Morning Britain last year for refusing to apologise for an honest opinion that Meghan Markle is to veracity what Vladimir Putin is to humanity was cowardly corporate censorship, and I’m confident that if Princess Pinocchio writes to my new boss Rupert Murdoch demanding my head on a plate – as she did to ITV’s CEO Dame Carolyn McCall – she won’t be quite so successful," he wrote in The Spectator.Elsewhere, the star spoke at the press event for his new show, revealing that his stance on the Duchess of Sussex hasn't changed.Piers said: "I still don't believe a word Meghan Markle says."I think almost everything that comes out of our mouth is complete b******t."However, the star went on to take issue with the fact that his co-host Susanna Reid was allowed to voice her opinion on Meghan's comment, while he

Vladimir Putin's forces have been left out in the open after key positions were reportedly 'exposed' on Google Maps.Writing on Twitter, the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that the search engine had given access to stunning photographs which display important strategic locations of the Russian army.Sites said to be visible online include a nuclear weapons storage base in the city of Murmansk in northwest Russia, and air bases in the east of the country. Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetso and Russia's advanced Su-57 fighter jet can also be seen.

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is a “catastrophic mistake,” say Kremlin insiders, and the Russian leader could authorise the use of nuclear weapons to secure some kind of victory. Putin sees the recovery of Russia’s empire as his “historic mission” but some elite Russians fear the massive sanctions imposed by the West are too high a price to pay.

Vladimir Putin has delivered a chilling warning claiming Russia has successfully launched an enormous intercontinental ballistic missile known as ‘Satan-2’.

Vladimir Putin has has launched a long-range missile known as 'Satan II' in a chilling warning to those who "threaten" Russia.Moscow's ministry of defence claims that the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile tested at the Plesetsk cosmodrome.The Russian president claimed the show of strength would be "food for thought for those who try to threaten Russia", according to reports. Specifications of the mighty missile have not been officially revealed however it is understood to be able to fire up to 12 nuclear warheads in one flight, all the while dodging anti-missile systems.It is referred to as a long-range weapon with good reason as the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile is believed to boast a maximum flight distance of 6,000 milesTerrifyingly the missile is said to be capable of targeting an area the size of France, the Mirror reports.State TV broadcasted Putin receiving confirmation from the military that the missile had been launched from Plesetsk in Russia's northwest and hit targets in the Kamchatka peninsula in the far east of the country.

Mauripol have made a last-ditch effort to defend the besieged city by holing up in a Soviet steel factory with valuable Russian hostages, it has been claimed.Mauripol has been under constant bombardment by Vladimir Putin's forces since the conflict began and has been all but destroyed by heavy shelling killing around 20,000 residents.Those that remain have now retreated to the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works, a four-square-mile steel plant with a network of underground tunnels. Speaking from the siege, one of Ukraine's top commanders, Maj.

Vladimir Putin has reportedly sent over 500,000 Ukrainians to a remote corner of Russia and barred them from leaving as he looks to strengthen his control over the war-torn country. According to Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya, more than 500,000 Ukrainians, including 121,000 children have been “forcibly transferred” to Russia.

Russia, with a fuming pal of Russian President Vladimir Putin saying the pair will "will have to answer in full for their actions".Shaun Pinner, 48, and Aiden Aslin, 28, were targeted by the deputy head of the Kremlin's powerful security council, Dmitry Medvedev.The former Russian president and prime minister said the pair would not be treated as combatants under the Geneva Conventions, meaning they would not receive the rights a prisoner of war would.Medvedev's show trials for the two men come after a failed swap deal for Putin's "prince of darkness" Viktor Medvedchuk, currently held by Ukrainian forces. The British captives have made an appeal to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson several times on multiple Russian state TV outlets.

Russia's "illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine" shows how much Vladimir Putin's forces have retreated over the past two weeks.The map, released by the British Ministry of Defence, is based of the latest defence intelligence, the ministry said.It shows that Russia appears to have lost much of its footing in the north of Ukraine, around Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, near the border with the aggressor. The British Ministry of Defence map instead shows Russia's efforts concentrated on the east, south east and south.

Vladimir Putin’s spies have “almost certainly” infiltrated American intelligence agencies, a host of former FBI agents and CIA officers have claimed. And as the war in Ukraine continues to plateau for the desperate despot, experts fear the information could be more valuable and critical than ever.

Russian troops could be turning back the clock by more than a century after they were reportedly found to be using 'dart' weapons usually associated with World War 1.Locals in the Ukrainian city of Bucha say their homes and gardens have been showered with lethal metal darts, which are thought to have been released from Russian artillery shells during last month's devastating occupation of the town.Military experts say that the tiny projectiles known as flechettes are not usually seen in modern warfare, having been widely used most recently in the Vietnam War.Despite their tiny size at around three centimetres in length, the weapons are highly deadly and can penetrate soft cover to inflict lethal damage when fired at high speed.Local woman Svitlana Chmut told the Washington Post that she had returned home in the last few days to find the darts embedded in her car and scattered across her garden."If you look closely on the ground around my house, you will find a lot more of them," said Ms Chmut, 54.The artillery is not prohibited by international conventions, but some human rights groups criticise their use as “indiscriminate weapons” which could seriously injure civilians even if they were aimed at military formations.Commenting on their use in Ukraine, Amnesty International said: "They should never be used in built-up civilian areas."For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.The darts are not thought to pose a danger to people inside buildings.Meanwhile Britain is set to send Stormer armoured missiles to Ukraine to help blast Vladimir Putin's aircraft out of the sky, according to reports.It is understood the 13-tonne vehicles can be

Ukraine to help blast Vladimir Putin's aircraft out of the sky, according to reports.Britain will soon send the Stormer High Velocity Missile (HVM) launchers, the Sun reports, with the Ministry of Defence demonstrating them for Ukrainians on Salisbury Plain, southern England, two weeks ago.It is understood the 13-tonne vehicles can be flown to the war on C-17 transport planes in days.The news comes as Putin's war machine begins a new phase of its bloody invasion with a full-scale offensive to take control of the mostly-Russian speaking Donbas in the east.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had pleaded with the West for greater firepower, and now he has had his wish granted. Dr Alan Mendoza, of security think tank the Henry Jackson Society, told the Sun: “These vehicles are the best kit yet sent to Ukraine and will leave Russian pilots quaking.

Oleksandr Usyk is hoping for a heavyweight unification bout with Tyson Fury after the Gypsy King faces Dillian Whyte this weekend. The Ukrainian Usyk has stated that he'll be watching and studying Fury's approach in the fight with the hope that he'll face the heavyweight champion next after he faces Anthony Joshua for the second time.

West Ham United star Andriy Yarmolenko has revealed that his relationship with Ukraine team-mate Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has completely broken down following Russia's invasion of their homeland.Tymoshchuk has been widely condemned for refusing to speak out against Vladimir Putin, particularly as he's Russian Premier League side Zenit St Petersburg's current assistant manager, and was subsequently stripped of his coaching license and titles by the Ukrainian FA for continuing to work for a "club of the aggressor".Earlier this week, Yarmolenko said he spoke to his former international team-mate and close friend on the phone and asked him "how do you sleep at night?""He replied 'I don’t sleep'," Yarmolenko revealed, according to Zorya Londonsk. "Then he called me.

Vladimir Putin has handed out military honours to soldiers reportedly involved in the mass killing of civilians in Bucha.The Russian President's shocking decision to award Russia's 64th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade with the esteemed title of 'Guards', comes despite evidence mounting of their involvement in the murder at least 403 innocent people in the Ukrainian town.The soldiers withdrew from the city of Bucha earlier in the month after allegedly filling several graves with tortured civilian corpses.They left a trail of destruction and suffering in neighbourhoods around Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities say.In a presidential decree from the Kremlin, Putin praised the troops for "mass heroism and courage, fortitude and courage shown by the personnel of the brigade in combat operations to protect the Fatherland and state interests in armed conflicts."Describing them as a model to be followed by other soldiers, he added: "Skilful and resolute actions of the unit's personnel during the special military operation in Ukraine are an example of the performance of military duty, courage, selflessness and high professionalism."I am convinced that you, soldiers and officers - guardsmen, will continue to be faithful to the Oath, serve the Motherland with honour, and reliably ensure the safety and peaceful life of our citizens."Last week it was claimed that a Ukrainian teenager was raped, murdered and then dumped in a mass grave in Bucha in a sickening act of violence.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.A family friend of Karina Yershova, 16, said she was shot in the back of the head before she was thrown in the "trash".Speaking on Facebook, a

Vladimir Putin's pal and propaganda chief raged on live TV trying to explain why Russian has not won its war on Ukraine.Margarita Simonyan who is the editor-in-chief of RT, Russia's state-controlled news organisation kicked off when pundits questioned the country's ongoing invasion. The propagandist fumed that Russia is not only up against Ukrainian soldiers but NATO too, which is delaying the bloodthirsty "operation" now 53 days in, the Express reports.Live on Vladimir Solovyov's popular Russia-1 show, Ms Simonyan — a friend of the president — struggled to explain "why we haven't won yet".Julia Davis, from Daily Beast, tweeted a clip of Ms Simonyan's response "when one pundit on Russian state TV tries to ask why it's taking so long for Russia to win in Ukraine".Ms Davis tweeted: "Head of RT Margarita Simonyan nearly pecks his head off, as she argues that Russia is fighting NATO in Ukraine.

Ukrainian sniper, who previously vowed to slaughter Vladimir Putin's troops one by one, has trolled Russian soldiers by saying they "are afraid of Ukrainians" and "run away" from fights.The sniper nicknamed Wali, who fought alongside the Kurds against ISIS in Syria, in March answered the call of Ukraine's President for foreign troops to join the war effort, saying: "I want to help people, it's as simple as that."Ever since, he has been picking off Russian soldiers and giving Vladimir Putin's forces a good trolling. In his latest blog post Wali wrote about the "greatest Russian defeat in decades," namely their recent withdrawal from Kyiv.