Russian soprano Anna Netrebko to sing at Monte Carlo Opera after being dropped by Met Opera

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ support of the war, Wimbledon is reportedly planning to bar Russian and Belarusian players from the Grand Slam tennis tournament which begins in London on June 27. Sportico reported that the event, organized by the All England Club, will break from the rest of the tennis world by refusing to allow Russians to compete — this would include current world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev. The New York Times, citing a highly placed international tennis official, said the ban is expected to extend to Belarusian players as well.

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.

Ukrainian comrades were "shredded and mutilated" by Russian tanks on the frontline.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 helping to pick off enemy soldiers and giving Vladimir Putin's forces a good trolling in the process. However, in his latest update, the deadly marksman told of a close shave with a fleet of Russian tanks that saw two Ukrainian soldiers have limbs blown off in a gnarly death. He said that over the weekend he and a comrade called Shadow went to a position surrounded by Russian tanks, in a small forest having earlier left Kyiv when Vladimir Putin's forces retreated.

Vladimir Putin, Ukranian forces appear to have destroyed a £11million Russian Ka-52 helicopter with a rocket launcher worth less than £100.The incident is said to have occurred in the heavily contested Kharkiv region where the two sides are battling intensely.According to the Ukrainian military unit Operational Command 'East' the attack happened as Putin’s helicopters flew low over the terrain under cover of darkness.On the group’s Facebook page, an officer named Yaroslav described the attack.He said: “At night, enemy helicopters went very low. They circled over our positions, not even allowing us to raise our heads.“And an anti-aircraft gunner fired two missiles on them.

Russian tank appearing to drive over one of its own soldiers.Narrated by Ukrainian soldiers, the clip begins with the tank coming out of a container and turning left, where a soldier appears to be laying on the ground. The figure is visible moving around on the ground in the overhead clip, but despite this the armoured vehicle continues in its path, appearing to drive over the soldier."Russians are considered expendables by Russians," commented one person after the video was shared to a threat on Reddit dedicated to information on the conflict in Ukraine."Such is the respect for human life by Russian soldiers," added another person.A third added: "I don't f****** understand these Russians they're all just a bunch of untrained maniacs in camo...

Ukraine as the war enters a deadly new phase, according to the Ukrainian president.Missile blasts and troop movements were witnessed across the Donbas region on Monday, only days after Vladimir Putin withdrew Russian forces from the area around Kyiv to focus on capturing land near the Russian border.Volodymr Zelenskyy described the development as the beginning of the "Battle of Donbas" and said the Ukrainian army had been expecting the latest assault.Striking a defiant tone in the rousing speech, the actor-turned-President claimed he was confident his army could repel the invaders.He said in a video address: "We can now say that Russian forces have started the battle of the Donbas, for which they have long prepared."No matter how many Russian soldiers are driven there, we will fight. We will defend ourselves.

UFC fighter celebrated his latest victor by sending a message of support to a Chechen warlord who has close links with Vladimir Putin.Khamzat Chimaev continued his unbeaten streak in the MMA promotion as he outpointed Gilbert Burns in Jacksonville, Florida, last Saturday night. It was a close battle between two fighters who acquitted themselves well in the octagon, but Chimaev secure a narrow 29-28 victory in the eyes of the judges.But he was soon making headlines for more sinister reasons as he used his post-fight speech to send a message to Ramzan Kadyrov. The Chechen is a major player in Russian MMA and a close friend of Putin's.

Vladimir Putin met with a European leader for the first time since he launched an invasion of Ukraine and issued a chilling rebuke of Western criticism of his regime's war crimes. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met with President Putin in Moscow last week, however the Chancellor told NBC News that “it was not a friendly conversation”.Chancellor Nehammer had visited Bucha in Ukraine, the site of a disturbing massacre after a Russian retreat where more than 350 bodies were found, some of which showed evidence of torture under Russian occupation.Days later, he travelled to Russia where he wanted "to confront President Putin" about what he saw in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin's forces before being paraded on Russian TV. Ex-British Army soldier Shaun Pinner, 48, was serving as a 'contract soldier' with Ukrainian forces in Russian-occupied Mariupol as the area has been decimated by shelling.He claims to have been there for five to six weeks before appearing on the broadcast with no visible wounds, giving information about his service.He told the journalist Andrey Rudenko on the military TV channel: "I am Shaun Pinner.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet has gone up in flames as satellite images show other vessels trying to rescue crew members on board.

Ukraine could have been the key to helping defeat Vladimir Putin's prize Moskva. Admiral Lord Alan West, a Falklands War hero, made the claims after Russian authorities admitted the vessel had been sunk on the Black Sea.According to reports, Ukraine claims to have hit the vessel with a cruise missile after using drones to distract the 12,490-tonne warships defences.

Nicola Sturgeon has been banned from entering Russia after she was sanctioned this morning along with other British politicians as part of a Kremlin “stop list”.

Boris Johnson from entering Russia in response to the UK government's Ukraine war sanctions. Boris Johnson tops the Russian "stop" list of UK subjects no longer allowed to enter the Russian Federation, alongside Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and others.Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement: "In connection with the unprecedented hostile actions of the British government, expressed, in particular, in the imposition of sanctions against top officials of the Russian Federation, a decision was made to include key members of the British government and a number of political figures in the Russian 'stop list'."Also in Vlad's bad books is Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and former Prime Minister Theresa May, who authorised sanctions after the Salisbury poison incident in 2018.Dominic Raab, Priti Patel and Ben Wallace are also listed on the no-fly list as Putin seeks to exercise his authority.

Russia invaded Ukraine, SAS troops are training forces in Kyiv to aid them in their resistance against Vladimir Putin's troops. According to Ukrainian commanders, two battalions have undergone military training for serving British special forces in recent weeks.

Ukrainian minesweeping dog that took the internet by storm has now successfully sniffed out 'hundreds of Russian explosives'.Patron (Bullet in English) is an adorable two-and-a-half-year-old Jack Russell helping to remove mines left by retreating Russian forces in the Chernihiv region, north of Kyiv.The hero pooch first made headlines last month after he was pictured at work donning a miniature Ukrainian military vest. Since then the landscape of the conflict has changed dramatically with Vladimir Putin pulling troops out of northern Ukraine where their war effort was faltering badly.

Vladimir Putin’s regime admitted last night that the Moskva had been sunk in the Black Sea.The Russians insist it had been put out of action by a fire on board and had then sunk during bad weather while it was under tow.But the Ukrainians say they successfully struck it with Neptune missiles – a claim that Western observers believe is entirely credible. Now the Ukrainian government has taken to social media, saying on Twitter: “The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine reminds the Russian navy that the Black Sea straits are closed for entry only.

Ukrainian officials have claimed.First Rank Captain Anton Kuprin, 44, was reportedly killed after the ship was fatally holed by Ukrainian Neptune missiles, according to Kyiv sources.The Moskva was one of Vladimir Putin's largest ships and had already been used to devastating effect in the conflict, most notably at Snake Island.After asking the defenders of the island to surrender, the Moskva's captain was told to "go f*** himself" by the brave soldiers.Kuprin gave the order to bombard Snake Island on the first day of the war.He “died during an explosion and fire on board the former flagship of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation,” said Anton Gerashenko, advisor to the Kyiv interior ministry.The official added: “We do not mourn.”Other sources support the claim that Captain Kuprin was killed.Russia has claimed that the crew was evacuated but there are increasing fears for lost lives on the battleship.A “farewell ceremony” to the cruiser is due to be held in Sevastopol today at a monument in honour of the 300th anniversary of the Russian fleet.There was no immediate confirmation from Moscow on Kuprin, but Russia has failed to announce many prominent military deaths in the 51-day war.For more shocking stories from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.Exiled Russian politician Ilya Ponomarev, 46, who eight years ago was the only MP to vote against Vladimir Putin ’s annexation of Crimea, said today he believes only 58 out of a usual crew number of 510 survived the Moskva disaster.There are also reports that Vice Admiral Igor Osipov, commander of the Black Sea Fleet, has been detained over the loss of the flagship.It comes following fears that the Moskva ship may have had nuclear cruise

Russian soldiers in Bucha has been laid bare after a brave testimony from a woman who says troops bragged about brutally killing her neighbour and admitted to enjoying taking lives.Maurine Mercier, a journalist at Radio Télévision Suisse, met Ekatarina (not her real name) 38, and her 13-year-old daughter, who was the target of Russian soldiers before the brave mother pleaded with them not to rape her. Ekatarina was gang-raped before an 18-year-old soldier took her to the bloodied body of her slain neighbour to brag about killing her. Even more chillingly, Ekaterina said the young soldier admitted to enjoying killing.

probable sinking of one of Vladimir Putin’s biggest warships in the Black Sea is one of the most stunning military achievements in modern naval history.That’s the opinion of one historian following the widespread reports that the Moskva was sunk after being hit by Neptune missiles in the ongoing war that followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine.In a fascinating Twitter thread, author and historian Chris Owen (@ChrisO_wiki) described the attack on the Moskva, if confirmed, as “likely to go down in history as one of the most audaciously successful attacks in modern naval history”.He added: “If she's been sunk, the Moskva will be the biggest warship lost since WW2: at 12,490 tons she's bigger than Argentina's General Belgrano, sunk by the Royal Navy in 1982 [during the Falklands War].“Apart from the symbolism of her likely loss, she's of great military value as a platform for air defence and missile bombardment of land targets. Her loss is of great significance to both sides.”The Moskva infamously attacked Snake Island early during the war, when the brave Ukrainian defenders told the ship to "go f**k yourself".