Vladimir Putin recruiting 'Dad's Army' of oldies to prop up creaking Ukraine invasion

violating Ukraine’s sovereignty, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced ambitious plans to reach new territory.Speaking on Tuesday (April 12), Putin stressed that the Russian Space Agency would need to “successfully stand up to the challenges of space exploration.”To do this, he claimed they would develop a “next-generation spaceship” as well as new nuclear space technology.He also said they would be sending an unmanned spacecraft to the moon later this year in what would be a long-awaited return to the rock. The Luna 25 launch date had initially been planned for 2016, but was pushed back to 2018 and then 2021.Putin's ambitious plans come just weeks after Russia announced it would pull out of the International Space Station, ending 23 years of international co-operation in space.Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin announced that a timetable for completion of the ISS project will soon be submitted to the Russia’s leadership.It was thought the move was prompted by international sanctions over the war in Ukraine, and is a major blow for the future of space exploration.

The historic home — located on the ritzy Riviera — was previously leased by King Edward VIII after he abdicated the British throne to marry divorcée Wallis Simpson.The property is one of 12 French residences owned by Abramovich across the country — all of which have been seized in the past few weeks, the Daily Mail reported. French officials are currently cracking down on the activities of wealthy Russians in their country in order to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw from the war in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin only named one Russian player when picking out his three favourite football players of all time back in 2018.The Russian president revealed his three favourite footballers of all time whilst speaking to the media ahead of a trip to China before the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, there was only space for one Russian in his top three, which also included World Cup winners and football icons Diego Maradona and Pele.According to Russian outlet Tass, Putin chose legendary former Soviet Union and Dynamo Moscow goalkeeper Lev Yashin as the third and final player in his top three favourites.Yashin, who was nicknamed the 'Black Spider', is regarded by many as the greatest goalkeeper in the history of football and is the only keeper to have ever won the Ballon d'Or.He spent his entire 20-year playing career with Dynamo Moscow, winning five Soviet league titles and three Soviet Cups during this period.For his country, he was part of a side which won the maiden Euros in France in 1960 as well as an Olympic gold medal at the 1956 games in Melbourne, Australia.Is Lev Yashin the greatest goalkeeper of all time? Let us know in the comments section below.In addition to his 1963 Ballon d'Or win, he was also named the European goalkeeper of the year on nine separate occasions during his 20 seasons as a professional.As well as naming Pele, Maradona and Yashin as his three favourite footballers of all-time, Putin also explained his dedication to sport, claiming: "I dedicate about two to two and a half hours to sports every day.”He is said to enjoy the gym, swimming and judo when it comes to his daily exercise, but also has a fondness for ice hockey, adding: "I also play hockey though not so often as I would like to.

Vladimir Putin's face on a phallic-shaped plaster cast has sent the internet into a frenzy. In a photo posted on social media site Reddit, the Russian's President's appears to be depicted on a penis-shaped plaster cast hanging from a pole at a checkpoint on the way to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.User "beholdchris" captioned the post – which has got nearly 2,000 upvotes and over 60 comments – by writing: "At the checkpoint on the way to Kyiv…"Fellow Redditors were in hysterics with the discovery, with one commenting: "Someone did a great job of a plaster cast.

Vladimir Putin replacement as Russian President will likely be even more of a threat to the West, a professor has claimed. Following Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine well over a month ago, there has been constant speculation surrounding the health of the country’s leader.

reports the New York Post. It is one of many places in the region where suspected war crimes have been carried out by Russia following its invasion nearly 50 days ago.

Ukraine said in a video address to South Korean lawmakers yesterday (Monday, April 11): "Mariupol has been destroyed, there are tens of thousands of dead, but even despite this, the Russians are not stopping their offensive." His message reportedly confirmed the largest number of dead Ukrainian citizens in one place since war broke out on February 24.However, the number hasn't yet been confirmed by further sources.But the head of the Russia-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, told Russia's RIA news agency that more than 5,000 people may have been killed in Mariupol but insists Ukrainian forces were responsible.The news comes after reports emerged that Vladimir Putin had allegedly unleashed chemical weapons on the city of Mariupol. The "poisonous substance" which is from an "unknown origin" was used to target civilians and is reported to have left people suffering from respiratory failure and neurological problems.The Azov Regiment in Mariupol reports what could be the Russian use of chemical weapons against the entrenched Ukrainian garrison in the city.The Regiment's report reads: "The victims have respiratory failure, vestibulo-atactic syndrome.

The Foreign Secretary has vowed to hold Vladimir Putin "and his regime to account" if it is proven Russian forces used chemical agents in an attack on Mariupol.

Formula One brat Nikita Mazepin has had £88million of his property seized in Italy.Authorities have seized properties owned by Russian former racer Mazepin and his oligarch father, according to Reuters. The operation, known as Rocky Ram, is part of a larger effort to penalise wealthy Russians with supposed ties to war aggressor Vladimir Putin.Mazepin was sacked last month by the American-owned F1 team Haas and was even included in an EU sanctions list with his father.

the warzone.Nikolai Nizalov moved to the UK nearly 10 years ago but felt compelled to return to his native country to help fight back against Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion. The 19-year-old, who is studying natural sciences at Cambridge, headed to Ukraine just days after playing a varsity water polo match against Oxford University.

In a repeat of 2017, France’s 2022 presidential election is now down to the same two candidates: the incumbent Emmanuel Macron and far right leader Marine Le Pen. In first round voting which took place on Sunday, centrist Macron emerged with 27.6% of the votes while Le Pen managed 23.4%. This is a bigger showing for Le Pen and her National Rally party (formerly National Front) than five years ago. The determining second round vote will be held on April 24.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on a date is on sale on eBay for around an eye-watering £3,843.The rare sticker card, from 2017's Topps Trading Cards, was produced in a limited run by the company, who created the set to parody for United States President Donald Trump during his time in office.They were produced on-demand, never as a full set.The one on eBay, which says there are more than 10 of available, shows Russian president Putin and Trump enjoying a meal together with love hearts around the pair. They're looking longingly into each others eyes, while a note saying “From Russia With Love!” is seen on the table in front of them.

Vladimir Putin is not officially on the list. Iryna Venediktova, a prosecutor, told Sky News that Putin was the “main war criminal of the 21st century” as she provided details of the number of bodies recovered from the region following Russia's humiliating retreat from the area.

Vladimir Putin backers have cruised down a motorway flying Russian flags in a "disgusting" demonstration. The invasion of Ukraine where towns have been obliterated and thousands of people killed has clearly not weakened everyone's support for the Kremlin.

brutal invasion of Ukraine continues. The latest example of incompetence by Vladimir Putin’s forces resulted in local forces mocking the Russians, claiming they don’t even know how to understand the weather.The Luhansk Regional Military Administration said: "The Russians do not know how to fight – they did not even calculate which direction the wind blows."Images of the brown cloud of noxious gas appeared from under-fire Luhansk Oblast as parts of the region – Rubizhne, Lysychansk, Kreminna, Severodonetsk and Zolote – endured heavy bombardments over the weekend.On Saturday, Governor of Luhansk Oblast Serhiy Haidai said: "Chemical attack again! Near Rubezhnoye, the orcs hit a tank with nitric acid again!"He advised residents to "not come out of hiding" and to "close all doors and windows" in homes.Haidai pointed out: "Effects on humans: nitric acid is dangerous if inhaled, swallowed or in contact with skin and mucous membranes."The governor added that the "acidic fumes are irritating to the respiratory tract" and can lead to "bronchitis, dizziness, drowsiness and – in severe poisoning – pulmonary oedema".It’s just the latest example of own goals suffered by the occupying Russian forces.

Russia's despotic president Vladimir Putin's ally has been revealed. Viktor Medvedchuk, who fled house arrest in Ukraine when the invasion of the country kicked off in February, was thought to be one of the the closest allies to Putin.Putin is the godfather of Medvedchuk's daughter Darya.Medvedchuck was the leader of Ukraine's most prominent Kremlin-loving political party – called Platform-For-Life - and was estimated to be worth around £600million by Forbes last year.He had previously tried to mediate between the two warring countries, but when current Ukraine President Volodymr Zelenskyy came to power in 2019, that role was stopped, and in February last year, a decree was signed accusing Medvedchuck of “financing terrorism”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is known for flashing about his huge weapons of mass destruction and experts have been predicting he will unleash them since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. It was only last month when experts claimed Putin "wants to use" his nuclear weapons and may detonate one of them near the UK.This deadly threat is made all the more sinister when the 69-year-old made it clear that he believes no one would win if nuclear war broke out.Speaking in the US documentary The Putin Interviews released in 2017, the Russian president told US film director Oliver Stone: "I don’t think anyone would survive such a conflict."There is always hope.

Ukraine faces a 15-year sentence after one of the students reported her. Irina Gen, a 45-year-old English teacher from the city of Penza in Russia, is facing criminal prosecution for discussing Russia's war in Ukraine with her eighth-grade class.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film CriticIn a career that stretches back 40 years, Sean Penn has had many great roles, from Jeff Spicoli to Harvey Milk, from the surly teen sociopath of “Bad Boys” to the soulful death-row sociopath of “Dead Man Walking.” Yet there’s a role Penn is now playing that he has embraced with fierce commitment and skill, but it still doesn’t look very good on him. That’s the role of The American Civilian Who Cares About the War in Ukraine More Than You Do.You’ve seen him play the role at press conferences and in interviews with cable-TV news hosts.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is attempting to buy Valencia, according to a rival bidder.Abramovich, 55, put the Premier League club up for sale after Government allegations he had a relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he denies. But Miguel Zorio, who is a bidder for Valencia, has claimed that the Russian is competing with him to buy the La Liga club once the oligarch completes the sale of the Blues.Plaza Deportiva report a letter from Zorio as saying: “Peter Lim has tried to sell the club in London for €250million and has not succeeded.

A nine-year-old Ukrainian girl wrote a heartbreaking letter to her mum who was killed when a car they were in together was shelled by Russian forces - calling her 'the best mom in the world'. The contents of the note, which appears to have been written in a diary, was revealed on Twitter by Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.