Thinking Allowed Russian Propaganda
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The Independent
37 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies uncover drone procurement graft scheme
Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies said they had uncovered a major graft scheme involving inflated military procurement contracts, just two days after Ukraine's parliament voted to restore the agencies' independence. In a joint statement published Saturday on social media, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said the suspects had taken bribes in a scheme that used state funds to buy drones and other military equipment at inflated prices. 'The essence of the scheme was to conclude state contracts with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices,' the statement said, adding that offenders had received kickbacks of up to 30% of the contracts' value. The anti-corruption bodies did not identify the detainees, but said a Ukrainian lawmaker, local district and city officials, and National Guard servicemen were involved. Four people have been arrested so far, they said. The Interior Ministry said the National Guard personnel implicated in the case were removed from their positions. Drones have become a crucial asset in modern warfare for both Ukraine and Russia, enhancing military reconnaissance, precision strikes, and strategic flexibility on the battlefield. The majority of Russian military assets destroyed by Ukrainian forces, including manpower and heavy weaponry, have been targeted by drones. Drone production is also a key aspect of Kyiv 's hopes to expand domestic military production and export markets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the development in his nightly address on Saturday, calling the graft scheme 'absolutely immoral' and thanking the anti-corruption agencies for their work. 'Unfortunately, these corruption schemes involved the procurement of electronic warfare systems and FPV drones ... There must be full and fair accountability for this,' he said in his address, posted to X. In an earlier post, which also included photos of him meeting with the agency heads, Zelenskyy said it is 'important that anti-corruption institutions operate independently,' adding that 'the law passed on Thursday guarantees them all the tools necessary for a real fight against corruption.' The exposure of the graft scheme by NABU and SAPO came just two days after Ukraine's parliament voted to restore their independence. Ukraine's Parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the bill presented by Zelenskyy, reversing his earlier contentious move that curbed their power and sparked a backlash, including street protests, a rarity in wartime. Last week's measure to place the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general prompted rebukes from Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. It raised fears that the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the all-out war, now in its fourth year. It's also an effort that enjoys broad public support. ___
Telegraph
38 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Hamas orders starving hostage to dig his own grave
Hamas has released a video of an emaciated Israeli hostage digging his own grave inside a small tunnel in Gaza. In the video, Evayatar David says: 'This is the grave I think I'm going to be buried in. Time is running out. You are the only ones who can end this.' The video was approved for publication by his family despite concerns that Mr David was speaking under duress and being used as a propaganda tool by the terror group. It is the third time Hamas and affiliated groups have released videos of what appear to be starving hostages in recent days. On Sunday morning the EU called the videos appalling and barbaric and Benjamin Netanayahu, the Israeli prime minister, said he had met families of hostages to express his 'profound shock'. It comes as Gazans face a major food crisis, with widespread reports of malnutrition and hunger. Israel has been accused of intentionally starving the Strip to force Hamas into a surrender as part of a hostage release deal. In the most recent video, Mr David is heard appealing to Mr Netanyahu to get him and the remaining 49 hostages out, accusing him of 'abandoning' them. Mr David, 24, shows a calendar of the month of July that he himself made, explaining which days he ate, mostly lentils and beans. At the end of the video Mr David, bare chested, pale and weak, is shown digging his own grave. His brother, Ilay, accused Hamas of using him in 'one of the most horrific and calculated campaigns of cruelty imaginable - a live hunger experiment'. 'It's an act so vile, it scars the very soul of humanity,' he said at a rally for the hostages in Tel Aviv on Saturday. The David family also released a joint statement, predicting that he only has a few days left to live in his current condition. 'The humanitarian aid that the world, together with Israel, provides to the residents of Gaza must also reach Evyatar,' the family said, calling on the Israeli government, the US and the rest of the world to do 'everything possible to save Evyatar from death and ensure, by any means necessary, that he urgently receives food and medical care'. Omer Wenkert, an Israeli former hostage, also spoke at the rally on Saturday, saying that he believed the Hamas captors will have a plentiful supply of food. 'I know they have food there beyond the door. I used to smell it every day while I was getting two handfuls of rice a day. They have light, they have everything there to give, so why, why, why don't they give it?' he said. Other former hostages have also testified that Hamas brought humanitarian aid from international NGOs down the tunnels, 'eating like kings' without offering anything to the captives. Gideon Sa'ar, Israel's foreign minister, called on his counterparts around the world to express a 'moral and ethical stance and to exert every possible influence to end the terrible suffering of the Israeli hostages'. Mr Sa'ar also initiated a special UN Security Council meeting on the issue of the Israeli hostages and their situation. 'The world cannot remain silent in the face of the difficult images that are the result of deliberate sadistic abuse of the hostages, which also includes starvation by Hamas and Islamic Jihad,' Mr. Sa'ar said. Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign affairs chief, called the videos 'appalling', saying that they 'expose the barbarity of Hamas'. 'All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. Hamas must disarm and end its rule in Gaza. At the same time, large-scale humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need,' Ms. Kallas said. Thousands rally in Tel Aviv On Saturday tens of thousands of people had rallied in Tel Aviv to urge Mr Netanyahu's government to secure the release of the remaining hostages. The Israeli premier, who has faced mounting international pressure to halt the war, called on 'the entire world' to take a stand against what he called 'the criminal Nazi abuse perpetrated by the Hamas terror organisation'. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,430 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN. Israel has heavily restricted the entry of aid into Gaza, already under blockade for 15 years before the ongoing war. Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, air raid sirens sounded in Israeli communities near the Gaza border, with the military saying that 'a projectile that was launched from the southern Gaza Strip was most likely intercepted'.
The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
Terrified and sickly Putin's disastrous war has sealed his fate – I know how its all going to end, warns ex-CIA chief
VLADIMIR Putin is terrfied, sickly and facing a fate just like his toppled dictator pal Bashar al-Assad, a former CIA chief has warned. Ralph Goff, ex-CIA chief of operations for Europe and Eurasia, said the aging Russian tyrant is preoccupied with his health. 8 8 8 8 And while he fumbles with trying to keep well, there is likely to be fermenting dissent in his elites. He said Putin, 72, could fall very quickly if his oligarch pals turn on him - potentially losing power in a sudden uprising like Assad. Goff said the Russian president's health and well-being is his "top concern". The ex-spook - a 35-year CIA veteran - told The Sun: "Putin is a guy who's afraid of Covid, afraid of being sick. "His personal health and well-being are his top concern. "Putin may have the same fate as Bashar al-Assad who fell suddenly without warning. "I think this is one of the more likely outcomes for Putin - a threat that he doesn't even see coming, comes out of nowhere, and he's gone." Like other intelligence chiefs, Goff - who served in Europe, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia - believes Putin "sees a threat in the elite". He said: "It's similar to the Italian mafia organised crime in the United States - where if the head was judged bad for business, then the they would get together and take him out. "So Putin's got to watch out. He's got to watch the economy. How country with population the size of Birmingham on Putin's doorstep is bracing for invasion… as war plans revealed "He's got to watch the loyalty of the oligarchs." Despite leading a war effort that has been devastating to Russia, Vlad is "still popular", Goff said. But he added: "It's a huge scale of devastation and loss. And that can undermine just about anybody." 8 What we know about Putin's health By Henry Holloway, Deputy Foreign Editor VLADIMIR Putin has long been rumoured to be suffering from poor health. Russia has always insisted that the judo-loving, horse-riding and often shirtless tyrant is in perfect health. Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky even stated as fact earlier this year that Putin will "die soon". From trembling "jelly" legs and bloated features to whispered diagnoses of cancer and Parkinson's, speculation has exploded that the ageing despot is battling multiple serious illnesses behind the Kremlin walls. Bombshell spy leaks have suggested Putin is fighting pancreatic, thyroid, and even prostate cancer. An investigation by Proekt media revealed that a top thyroid cancer surgeon visited Putin no fewer than 35 times at his Black Sea resort, Sochi. The tyrant is also reportedly followed constantly by a neurosurgeon, raising fears of neurological or oncological issues. Footage of Putin greeting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in April 2022 showed him trembling uncontrollably, his knees appearing to buckle as he attempted a handshake. He has since been caught in multiple clips tapping his foot, gripping tables for support and slouching awkwardly in meetings – including during a 12-minute briefing with defence chief Sergei Shoigu where his hand clutched a desk throughout. Alongside cancer and Parkinson's rumours, some reports have also linked Putin to multiple sclerosis (MS) – a chronic condition affecting the brain and spinal cord. Though less widely reported, speculation about MS has emerged due to Putin's unsteady gait, rigid posture, and occasional difficulty with movement – all potential symptoms of the disease. Videos have shown him walking with stiffness, appearing to drag his legs, and struggling with coordination. As the war rumbles on, Goff revealed the recipe for Ukraine success - more weapons from Europe and targeting Russian assets. He said: "When the Ukrainians are successfully armed and prepared, they can hold out - and there's an increased chance of forcing some sort of settlement. "If not, Putin can continue this war for as long as he likes - to the point where the Ukrainians are forced to kind of seek a very disadvantageous peace, or ceasefire." Goff warns it would be "very unstable" with "no guarantee that some sort of war won't break out in the future". And outside Russia, Goff believes a regime change in Iran would have a direct impact on Putin's war. He said: "A change in regime would undermine that support and help isolate Russia just a little bit more." 8 8
