Russian soprano Anna Netrebko out at the Met Opera

Vladimir Putin may be preparing the ground for using chemical and biological warfare in Ukraine after his invasion faltered.

As soon as Russian forces, under the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin, began the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, stars and celebrities started their efforts to support the Ukrainian people under attack. A-listers like Ryan Reynolds, Mila Kunis, Dua Lipa, and more shared links to where fans could donate to the humanitarian efforts while pledging their own money to the cause.

Vladimir Putin, according to fresh reports.In 2009, the politician made an offer to buy a controlling interest in the NBA franchise, then known as the New Jersey Nets, with the sale approved the following year.His 80 per cent stake made him the majority owner of the team, and after overseeing the switch to Brooklyn, he also acquired a 45% interest in the team's new home venue, the Barclays Center.The purchase made Prokhorov, 56, the first ever non-North American team owner in the NBA, a fact that was met with contrasting opinions from opposing team owners at the time.During his tenure, the Nets reached the conference semi-finals in 2014, but some three years later he agreed to sell 49 per cent of his stake - valued at USD$1.2billion, to Joseph Tsai.In 2019, Prokhorov sold the remaining 51 per cent of the Nets to Tsa for a further USD$1.35bn, and also freed himself of the Barclays Center for USD$1bn, in the biggest transaction ever for a US sports team.And now a report in the New York Post has claimed that the sale was made not due to Prokhorov's desire to get out of the NBA, but because of pressure from Putin to relinquish his control."As tensions between the US and Russia over Crimea grew, Putin in 2016 also began pressuring Prokhorov to sell the Nets, according to sources," read the report."That’s because Putin, especially during times of political turmoil, will test the loyalty of oligarchs with assets in the West to show they won’t get too close to the US or Europe."Should Russian sports team owners now be subject to sanctions? Let us know in the comments section.A source was also quoted as saying: “Putin strongly suggested he sell the Nets."And if Prokhorov refused, he risked losing his considerable assets in

Kyiv is claiming to be flogging a 'captured Russian tank' on Facebook Marketplace, for just £2,700, as Vladimir Putin's forces continue their invasion in Ukraine. The tank, which the listing says is "perfect for killing people and destroying vehicles", is a T-64, a Soviet main battle tank introduced in the early 1960s.After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the new Russian Ground Forces decided to do away with T-64s, and they were gradually put in reserve or scrapped, so it is unlikely this one was actually captured.It's more likely a joke, as revealed by British-Lebanese freelance conflict journalist Oz Katerji, who tweeted the listing.

McDonald's lovers in Russia have rushed to form long queues for one final meal from the fast-food chain before they close due to the international outrage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Lines are stretching for nearly half a mile outside outlets as many are desperate for one last Big Mac.Video footage posted online by Ukraine Live News shows cars lining up in a Moscow drive-thru, whereas, photos across Twitter show some desperate customers lining the streets on foot in the snow.

Reflection, a film set during the war in Donbass in eastern Ukraine in 2014 [via Variety].Switzerland’s Visions du Réel docs festival has announced that its selections for its April event will comprise four works directed and/or produced in Ukraine. Simon Lereng Wilmont’s A House Made Of Splinters, which won a directing prize at Sundance in January, is one of the included films.In November, the Stockholm Film Festival will host film screenings, director visits and masterclasses in order to promote the country’s cinema.The Czech Republic’s Karlovy Vary Intl.

Olga Smirnova, a prima ballerina from Russia, is speaking out against the country’s invasion of Ukraine. A lead dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, Smirnova said she is "ashamed of Russia" and publicly denounced its president, Vladimir Putin, for giving the order to invade the neighboring country.

Joe Biden announced that the U.S. will ban imports of Russian oil, the latest move to sanction Vladimir Putin’s regime after its invasion of Ukraine.

The letter 'Z' has been seen daubed on the side of Russian tanks as Vladimir Putin's troops launched their invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

Russia and will stop using the country's oil and gas.The company's boss also apologised for buying Russian crude oil last week, seven days after Vladimir Putin launched an attack on Ukraine.In a statement Shell said that apart from no longer buying Russian crude oil, it will also change its crude oil supply chain to remove Russian supplies.It added however that this could take weeks to complete and would lead to reduced throughput at some of its refineries.The FTSE 100 company will also start a phased withdrawal from Russian petroleum products, pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas, the Daily Mirror reports.Shell's statement read: “This is a complex challenge.

British ballet dancer Xander Parish has made the decision to leave Russia and the country's prestigious Mariinsky Ballet amid the Russia-Ukraine war. Xander shared the news Sunday on Instagram.

UFO' swooped in to save Ukrainian troops from approaching Russian tanks in a 'miracle lightning attack', according to a correspondent. Even more bizarrely, the mystery strike from the sky was supposedly an act of God as the families of Ukrainian forces prayed for help.

Vladimir Putin after he kept them in the dark over his Ukraine invasion. A whistleblower described the war as a "total failure" that could only be compared to the collapse of Nazi Germany.

Russian troops demoralised at the sight of "so many corpses" have begged to go home in leaked calls from the frontline in Ukraine.

Volcano director Roman Bondarchuk, Valentyn Vasyanovych (Atlantis) and Nariman Aliev (Homeward) explaining their reasoning.“Ukrainians are defending their freedom and right to exist,” Bondarchuk recently said in a statement obtained by The Guardian, while also criticising opera singer Anna Netrebko who cancelled performances at the Met in New York.“We need help. It is necessary to limit the influence of Russian culture in the world.

Seven Ukrainian filmmakers, who are remaining in the country as Russia continues its invasion, have spoken out about their experiences on the front line of the war in their country. Directors Valentyn Vasyanovych, Roman Bondarchuk, Nariman Aliev, Maryna Er Gorbach , Antonio Lukich, Alina Gorlova and producer Darya Bassel have all called upon the international film and television community to issue cultural sanctions against Russia.

Vladmir Putin's forces have been destroyed by the Ukrainian resistance and Russia could lose the war, a top UK admiral has said.

TV channels and streaming services to broadcast harrowing footage from the war in Ukraine.The hackers previously declared a "cyber war" against Vladimir Putin's country when his forces first crossed the Ukrainian border. Taking to Twitter yesterday evening they posted footage of the alleged attack on Russian TV, alongside a caption which read: "The hacking collective #Anonymous today hacked into the Russian streaming services Wink and Ivi (like Netflix) and live TV channels Russia 24, Channel One, Moscow 24 to broadcast war footage from #Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces are 'decimating' their Russian counterparts as Vladimir Putin's invasion is 'failing under pressure', says one of the UK's top admirals.Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin insisted that the Ukraine war is "not going well" for Russia's president, faced with an "incredibly complex" situation. As Putin vows to press on with his internationally condemned "special military operation", Ukrainian officials claimed today to have killed over 11,000 Russian troops and taken out 290 tanks, 46 aircraft and 999 armoured personal carriers so far.

World War Three and nuclear war fears have been escalating since Russia invaded Ukraine. Vladimir Putin 's military is known for showing off the force of its weapons of mass destruction which has left the world fearing the outbreak of nuclear warfare.

Olympic gold medal-winning rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva is rumoured to be the woman behind Russian president Vladimir Putin - and he is said to be hiding her and their four children.Kabaeva, now 38, who won bronze in all-around at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and gold in the same category at the 2004 Athens games, has rarely been seen in public since their relationship began.Having been engaged to David Museliani, a police officer, until their 2005 split, reports in recent years suggest that she is rumoured to be the long-term partner of Putin - and that they share four kids.Amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Putin is said to have 'hidden' Kabaeva and their offspring in Switzerland in a bid to keep them safe from the conflict.Page Six report that Kabaeva is 'hiding in Switzerland with their four young children' which include their 7-year-old twin daughters who were born in the country.The report adds that Putin's four children with Kabaeva all have Swiss passports. He also has adult daughters Maria and Katerina with ex-wife Lyudmila Putina.