Ukraine claims life of Russia's top sniper as Putin launches purge of generals

Vladimir Putin is gripped by paranoia and spends his days in an underground bunker where he tests his food for poison and frets about the chemical levels of water on his morning swim.The insecure former-KGB agent is so worried about being assassinated he has even retreated away from his formerly trusted inner circle. It’s a sign that Putin is taking threats about him being ousted by the Kremlin very seriously following reports top Russian officers were turning against their leader after his disastrous invasion of Ukraine.

Christopher Vourlias Russia may have been cut off from much of the international film community, but here at Cannes, members of the country’s media business are quietly trying to line up deals.Nearly three months into the war in Ukraine, the leadership of the film festival has spent its opening week fielding questions about its stance on Russia. Festival chief Thierry Frémaux, for instance, was grilled over the inclusion of competition title “Tchaikovsky’s Wife,” a movie with financial ties to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

Vladimir Putin faced further humiliation after Russian missile strikes on Odesa succeeded in only destroying a public toilet on a beach.The Black Sea port plays a vital role in Ukraine's overall economy and is currently under a Russian naval blockade. The city is a key strategic target for the Russians and has been subjected to heavy bombardment.However, Russian commanders appeared to get their targets confused after wiping out a beach toilet in the city instead.The destruction of the public bathroom was confirmed in a statement issued by Ukraine's southern operational command.They said: "Another missile strike with the use of aircraft was inflicted on the Odesa region."With air-based missiles, the enemy significantly 'damaged the air' in the southern Odesa region."The beach toilet was destroyed.

Ukraine invasion, an independent investigation has found that he has been ill for five years. Independent Russian media outlet Proekt looked into Vladimir Putin's lengthy public absences and medical visits from 2017, surmising that he has been ill since then.

dog ­callously abandoned by Russian soldiers has swapped sides and is now saving Ukrainian lives.Three-year-old Max was found starving and close to death in an area which has seen some of the worst fighting since Vladimir Putin launched his invasion.The Belgian Malinois was nursed back to health and handed over to Ukrainian troops.He has been trained to understand Ukrainian and now has a new life ­sniffing out booby traps and unexploded mines. A member of the National Guard of Ukraine, named Dmitry, said: “From now on, Max will serve on the right side, defending Ukraine and nibbling Russian asses.” His comrade added: “Max has become a real favourite with the guards.“We can’t understand why the Russians would leave behind such as lovely animal.“Ukrainians love dogs, they regard them as part of the family.”Max belonged to Kremlin troops who had captured a village in the Mykolaiv region close to the Black Sea.He was dumped when Mad Vlad’s ­forces retreated, and survived by eating ­rotting food.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. When he was found he was still wearing a camouflage collar ­issued to Russian military dogs.

Vladimir Putin claims the Russian President has suffered from cancer.American filmmaker and Oscar-winner Oliver Stone was previously granted unprecedented access to Putin over a two-year period.As a result, he can give a better insight into the Kremlin leader than most. During a podcast, Stone claimed that Putin has previously been diagnosed with and overcame cancer.

Putin looks “puffy” with physical signs of “weariness” as his brutal war in Ukraine continues to stall amid Russian military failures, claims a body language expert. The bonkers Russian dictator was seen leaning with his hands on a table as he spoke to a Security Council meeting earlier today (May 20).Reports coming from Ukraine following his country’s bloody invasion haven’t been good for the former-KGB agent, with his top generals reportedly starting to plan for a loss in eastern Europe after heavy casualities.Putin’s health has also been called into question with top officials in the Kremlin considering ousting their leader.Body language expert Judi James told The Mirror that he looked drained in his latest appearance.She explained: “His body pose suggests lowered energy levels.

invasion of Ukraine has been described as a mere "rehearsal" for a far bigger World War by an analyst on Russian state TV. Professor Alexei Fenenko, a leading research fellow at the Institute of International Security Studies, teased that this future conflict may be against NATO.

Mariupol has been “completely liberated" from Ukrainians, according to Russia’s top military official.Nearly 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers left the Azovstal steelworks early this week, Russia had earlier claimed, ending a siege that kept an estimated 20,000 Russian troops tied up for over 80 days.Now, the Russian Defense Ministry claims that the strategically important site "has been completely liberated.""The territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol, where since April 21 the group of Ukrainian militants of the Azov Nazi formation has been blocked, has been completely liberated," Major General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said.The head of the department, Sergei Shoigu, reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the complete liberation of Mariupol from Ukrainian militants, Russian news reports stated.

Vladimir Putin after Russia claimed it was using a new laser weapon which can destroy drones and blind satellites. The Ukrainian President laughed away the suggestions regarding the new Peresvet weapon system, comparing Russia's claims to similar ones made by the Nazis during World War Two.

Good evening and welcome to today's Daily Record headline briefing.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has plummeted to 28th in the Sunday Times Rich List. The Russian oligarch's was the United Kingdom's 8th richest person in 2021. But his wealth fell by more than half from £12.2billion last year to £6billion in 2022 as the consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine hit home.

Vladimir Putin as his ailing health has plunged the Kremlin into chaos, a former British intelligence officer has said.The Russian president is constantly surrounded by a team of doctors and requires around-the-clock care, according to Christopher Steele who used to run the Russia desk at MI6.Speaking to Eddie Mair on LBC, he said the "exact details" of Putin's ill health remain shrouded in mystery, with even the Russian leader's high-ranking colleagues being kept in the dark.But Mr Steele said it is clear the former KGB officer is seriously unwell and that his poor health is starting to have an effect on Moscow as it wages war on Ukraine.He said: "He's constantly accompanied around the place by a team of doctors. "Meetings of the security council that are shown to supposedly last for a whole hour are actually broken up into several sections, he goes out and receives some kind of medical treatment between those sections."So, clearly, he is seriously ill - how terminal or incurable it is is not clear, we can't be entirely sure."But it's certainly having a very serious impact on the governance of Russia at the moment."Speculation has been mounting over the true nature of Putin's medical issues, with some reports claiming he has been struck down with cancer and is receiving chemotherapy and steroid treatment.Other claims suggest Putin is suffering with Parkinson's disease or the early stages of dementia.

When Marina Ovsyannikova stormed the live broadcast of Russia’s flagship news program on March 14 to protest Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it was a valiant moment that quickly reverberated across the world. The journalist and editor spent six seconds holding a sign saying, “No war, they are lying to you,” on the Kremlin-controlled TV Channel One where she worked.

Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin has revealed he will take part in the 2022 Silk Way Rally after being unceremoniously dropped by Haas. The 23-year-old said he found out he had been dismissed by the American-owned team in a press release.

Households are facing the highest inflation rates for 40 years and the cost of living squeeze on already tightened budgets is expected to get even worse over the coming months.

Vladimir Putin after it was revealed some chiefs reckon the war in Ukraine is lost. A possible coup against the Russian despot is a possibility, a Russian analyst has claimed, while the chances of a nuclear strike are receding after Putin loses trust of top security officials.Leading security officials believe Putin will not be in power in three months time, Moscow expert and investigative journalist Christo Grozev has claimed.Speaking to Radio Liberty, Grozev said: "I think that it is the informed elite within the security forces who understand that the war is lost." Russian security officials understand Putin would need mass mobilisation to win the war, but that it would cause a "social explosion" in Russia, with others saying that "enough is enough" and it is "better not to waste" the lives of soldiers and officers.

Vladimir Putin has developed a "messianic obsession" with Russian greatness caused by periods of isolation during the pandemic, a former NATO chief has said. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen was secretary general of the military alliance from 1999 to 2003, during which he met the Russian president on numerous occasions.

Vladimir Putin's two daughters are kept well away from the public spotlight, with his grandchildren even more of a closely guarded secret.

Vladimir Putin is possibly the most volatile man on the planet, but luckily even he seems averse to using nuclear weaponry - at least for the moment. Due to the British government arming Ukraine with high-tech weaponry, talk of Putin bombing the UK with nuclear weapons has been ramped up on Russian state TV.

Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to cough and splutter, while again gripping the table, during a meeting with the boss of a state-owned defence company today (Wednesday, May 18). During the televised chat in Moscow with Sergey Chemezov of Rostec, the despot clung to the table as he did last month during a meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow, adding to rumours he is severly ill.