Russia appoints former Chechen war, Syria commander to lead flagging Ukraine campaign

Vladimir Putin could be pushed out by ‘nationalists’ who could replace him with someone equally or more ‘ruthless’, a Russian politics expert has explained.Dr Paul Flenley, senior lecturer in international politics at the University of Portsmouth, explained that the Russian president could be facing challenges from a number of different factions – including war-hungry nationalist groups and frustrated regional leaders.To make things worse, Dr Flenley explained that Putin has become increasingly “isolated”, partly due to Covid. Meanwhile, more Russian leaders are getting frustrated by how poorly the war in Ukraine has been going.

Vladimir Putin is likely carrying out "deliberate ethnic cleansing" after stealing "several thousand" Ukrainian children from their homes, experts say.Russian authorities have already admitted to offering Ukrainian children in occupied regions up for adoption to Russian families. On Thursday (October 14) Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said "several thousand" children from the Kherson Oblast are "already in other regions of Russia, resting in rest homes and children’s camps".READ MORE: Putin promotes brutal war criminal wanted for shooting down Flight MH17 to commander The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in its daily update on the Russia-Ukraine conflict yesterday (Saturday, October 15) that Putin appears to be violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

CIA want to "airdrop woolly mammoth spies into Russia" because “nobody would expect them.” The wild claims come as the Central Intelligence Service donated funding to tech firm Colossal Biosciences, which aims to "see the woolly mammoth thunder upon the tundra once again".The money was moved via In-Q-Tel, which the CIA funds, which in turn put the money into Colossal as it works to genetically engineer extinct species. READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE 'Frightened' Putin 'getting closer to launching nuclear strike' warns ex-RAF chief It is also interested in seeing a return of the Tasmanian Tiger which vanished from the Earth in the 1930s.They also state they want to bring back the dodo.In-Q-Tel’s chiefs have said: "Strategically, it's less about the mammoths and more about the capability," but that hasn’t stopped the internet from speculating.Taking to Reddit’s r/Everythingscience page, people have claimed that the CIA is actually trying to bring woolly mammoths back from extinction to help in the struggle against Russia and Vladimir Putin.One user said: “The director of the CIA wants woolly mammoth spies.

cat who dodged Vladimir Putin's bombs in Ukraine is now a much-loved regular of a UK pub.The military moggie - aptly named Rocket - can be seen after last orders cosying up to inebriated customers in the Twelfth Man boozer in Birmingham.His original owners, a family in the city of Irpin, had set him free as they were desperate to flee the Russian onslaught.But days later Rocket suffered devastating injuries when he was mown down by the car of another family fleeing the warzone, reports Birmingham Live.READ MORE Leah Croucher: Human remains found in house as police launch murder probeWendy Lloyd rescued the tabby after he was picked up at an animal centre in Kyiv and brought him to his new forever home - 1,600 miles away in Birmingham.Wendy said: "He was in a state when I first met him. "The place he was staying was very cramped - through no fault of her own, this poor lady was inundated with 40 to 50 lost, abandoned and injured animals." Wendy, from Harborne, Birmingham, didn’t travel to Ukraine with the intention of helping animals - she first went to help the other brave Brits helping refugees cross the border into Poland from Ukraine.

Ukraine. The Kremlin's defence ministry said two volunteer soldiers turned on their fellow troops before eventually being gunned down themselves.READ MORE: NATO begins nuclear weapon drills above Britain after 'global catastrophe' warningThe recruits responsible, from an unnamed ex-Soviet nation, reportedly turned during a target practice exercise.Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack, with forces from the invaded country recapturing the city of Kupiansk in the country's north-east.“During a firearms training session with individuals who voluntarily expressed a desire to participate in the special military operation (against Ukraine), the terrorists opened fire with small arms on the personnel of the unit,” the ministry said in a statement.“As a result of the shooting, 11 people were fatally wounded.

READ MORE Leeds city centre fire: Huge blaze sees 'explosions' reported and 'pubs evacuated' It has been revealed that the aircrafts involved will include high-tech fighter jets and U.S. B-52 long-range bombers.Despite recent tensions, the routine exercise is not "linked to current world events", according to NATO.It comes after Vladimir Putin threatened that direct clashes with his country would result in a "global catastrophe."The alliance have issued a statement online which confirmed the drills will not involve live weapons, reports Daily Mail. Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said the practice aims to ensure that NATO's nuclear deterrent "remains safe, secure and effective."It has been reported that the drills will take place in Belgium and will involve 14 countries.

READ MORE: Elon Musk threatens to axe Ukraine's Starlink after ambassador tells him to 'f*** off'The world's richest man appeared to confirm that Starlink would eventually have to be withdrawn from the wartorn country, saying: “In addition to terminals, we have to create, launch, maintain & replenish satellites & ground stations & pay telcos for access to Internet via gateways. We’ve also had to defend against cyber-attacks & jamming, which are getting harder.

Russian military forces are expected to continue with pre-planned nuclear testing at the same time as similar NATO drills are expected. NATO announced on Friday the launch of its annual "Steadfast Noon" exercise on Monday.The drill involving 14 countries is expected to mobilize approximately 60 aircraft in regions near the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the North Sea.

“Muppets in Moscow: The Unexpected Crazy True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia” (Rowman & Littlefield) recounts the 5-year journey of bringing “Sesame Street” to post-Soviet Russia, and adapting it to a Russian audience. “There were so many challenges. The worst of it was in the beginning when our first investor’s car was blown up and I had been in that car 3 weeks before,” says Rogoff.

Vladimir Putin’s forces are upping their use of terrifying Iranian suicide drones.Reports claim that some of Iran’s elite troops have been training Russian military members in how to operate single-use unmanned flying vehicles. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Dr Matthew Powell, an expert in power and strategic studies at the Royal Air Force College and the University of Portsmouth, explained how the weapons were similar to the V1 rockets Nazi Germany used to obliterate Brits during the Blitz.

Russia's feared Wagner Group mercenaries are seeking to distance themselves from the forces that Vladimir Putin has hastily rushed into the Ukraine conflict, experts say. The Wagner Group is a private paramilitary organisation which operates at the behest of the Russian tyrant.

Vladimir Putin insisted he's "not bluffing" when it comes to threatening the Western world with using nuclear weapons.Russia is expected to soon carry out large-scale drills of its nuclear forces in a warning to the United States and its allies.Putin typically holds major annual nuclear exercises around this time of year, and US officials expect them perhaps in just days.READ MORE: Will Daily Star's 60p Tesco lettuce or PM Liz Truss last longer? Watch live feedMoscow's nuclear rhetoric has intensified following a successful counter-offensive by Ukraine's military over the past month.In recent weeks Putin has proclaimed the annexation of Ukrainian territories and threatened to defend Russian land with nuclear weapons.Nukes have only been used twice in warfare during in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 but the death toll was terrifying with up to 226,000 people - mostly civilians - suffering a gruesome death.Although nukes are largely considered a deterrent, about 13,400 remain in our world today and there have been over 2,000 nuclear tests conducted to date.Nine countries are said to possess nuclear weapons; Russia, the US, China, France, UK, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea.During an explosion, those unfortunate enough to be within 7km of the blast site would be instantly vaporised and any life within 60km will risk suffering the deadly effects of radiation poisoning.There are two types of nuclear weapons; Fission (A-bombs) are the most basic type of nuclear weapon as used by the Americans on Japan.

Russian despot Vladimir Putin's chilling nuclear warheads could wipe out five billion people and block out the sun should they be launched, an expert has warned.From 200 to 300 million dead from the initial blasts, subsequent crop troubles and radioactive soot would drop temperatures globally and starve billions.The chilling warning from disaster expert Paul Ingram comes as Putin threatens Western powers should they intervene in the Ukraine war. READ MORE: Putin's potential nuclear bomb blast will 'melt your brain and smell like rotten eggs'Warmonger Putin had previously promised to use "all means necessary" in a chilling attack that, according to expert Ingram, would mean the death of billions of people around the world.Speaking of the potential for devastation, Ingram told the Sun: "During the Cold War, it was often said that we had enough nuclear missiles to blow the world up several times over."That isn't the case anymore.

Elite troops from Iran have 'secretly entered the frontline in Ukraine to help Russia's horror blitz', according to reports.

Vladimir Putin has suffered a fresh humiliation as his Russian-appointed mayor in Ukraine has begged to be evacuated from his takeover city. Vladimir Saldo, installed leader of the Kherson region, has pleaded with the Russian government to help facilitate the departure of locals as Ukrainian forces battle to recapture their territory.

raping three women in separate incidents in 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood Hills home. The Hollywood Reporter reported that the DA's office declined to file sexual assault charges against the former "The Ranch" star in two other investigations due to insufficient evidence in one case and because the statute of limitations had passed for the other.

Russia may look to further escalate the conflict by recruiting Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated personnel.Vladimir Putin may have brought these armed forces to occupied areas in the Ukraine in order to train Russian troops to be able to use Shahed-136 drones.

Russia has eerily warned the world that global carnage would ensue if Western allies of Ukraine continue to meddle in their conflict.They said World War 3 would be sparked if the West continue to intervene and if a nuclear war was to occur, it would "be catastrophic for all mankind".Should NATO approve Ukraine’s bid to join its organisation, a top Kremlin official threatened global destruction.READ MORE:Ukraine's bees 'fighting against Putin' by diffusing grenades left by Russian invadersAlexander Venediktov, the deputy secretary of Russia's Security Council said: “Kyiv is well aware that such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to a World War 3".Venediktov has insisted that the West are solely making threats of nuclear war, despite his own president, Vladimir Putin, consistently teasing the use of nuclear weapons.He claimed: “Russian officials have never voiced a threat to use any weapons of mass destruction.“Meanwhile in Europe, some politicians openly call for such actions, even a number of politicians in the EU do not conceal and do not rule out the possibility of using weapons of mass destruction against Russia."Venediktov took aim at Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming his "actions and words" are "dictated" by other people.He added: “It would be good for the West to realize that their protégé can take on so much that Washington and Brussels will have to think about how to deal with the consequences.To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.“We must remember: a nuclear conflict will affect absolutely the whole world, and not only Russia and the collective West, but in general any country on this planet.“Its consequences will be catastrophic

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk denied a report he engaged in correspondence or contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in regard to the Ukraine invasion, but the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee warned the world's richest man not to get "over his skis" in foreign affairs. Sen.