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Metro
a day ago
- Business
- Metro
Putin to spend £830,000,000,000 to rearm Russia for ‘upcoming large-scale war'
Vladimir Putin is apparently not done preparing Russians for wars he does not want. The president is allegedly planning to spend £830 billion to rearm the country over the next decade – a not-so-subtle signal that the Kremlin is gearing up for something much bigger than border skirmishes. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), warned that Russia has launched its most ambitious weapons programme since the collapse of the Soviet Union. During an annual meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors 'Intelligence, Security, Diplomacy: A Joint Strategy for Victory' last week, he said: 'There is a total mobilisation of politics, economy and society in Russia in order to be ready for a future large-scale war.' As part of this reform, two new military districts – Moscow and Leningrad – have been created, with the aim to set up additional divisions and military units. Budanov stressed that the Kremlin's goal is not just regional domination, but the reshaping of the global order. He said: 'Russia seeks to disrupt the current security and economic order. 'To do this, Moscow is increasing its presence in Africa, primarily using its proxy forces – the Wagner PMC and the African Corps, and supporting the authoritarian regimes and terrorist organisations around the world.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Putin's vision – as described by Budanov – is to impose his own vision of the 'future world order', where the 'big' states, primarily Russia have full power, a monopoly on all critical resources, and 'decide the fate of the world in a closed circle'. His comments follow warnings from Western intelligence services about Russia's long-term military buildup. For a country already devoting 6.3% of its GDP to defence – and struggling under mounting international sanctions – £830 billion is a big promise. The 2025 budget already marks a significant increase, reaching the highest level since the Cold War. Earlier this year, Russia's military spending outdid the combined defence budgets of all European nations, according to the data by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). More Trending The think tank said that its military expenditure last year was forecast at £110 billion, or 6.7% of the country's gross domestic product – more than 40% higher than the previous year. Dr Pavel Luzin, former advisor of the late Russia opposition figure Alexei Navalny during his presidential campaign, said that it will be hard for the Kremlin to maintain military spending at such a high level without either increasing imbalances in the economy. He added: 'The armed forces and the military-industrial complex as institutional actors and consolidated societal groups have become main beneficiaries of the war. 'They would also be the losers from any significant decrease of the military budget, which would inevitably cause personnel outflows and barely manageable financial problems for the state-owned corporations deprived of government investments, subsidies and loan guarantees.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: I've studied tsunamis for 25 years – here are the deadly warning signs one is on its way MORE: Tsunami warnings still in place after 8.8 magnitude Russian earthquake MORE: Whales eerily become beached hours before earthquake – do they predict them?
News18
21-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Russian Soldier Ate Comrade's Body For Two Weeks To Survive, Then Died Amid War: Report
Last Updated: An intercepted phone call by Ukraine between two Russian soldiers reportedly revealed the incident. A Russian soldier died after killing a comrade and eating his corpse in an attempt to survive during the wartime crisis, reported the Kyiv Post. The incident came to light after a phone call between two Russian soldiers discussing the cannibalism was allegedly tapped by Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence. According to the New York Post, one of them was heard saying, 'Brelok f***ing ate him, f*** me… nobody went anywhere. Brelok took him out and then ate him for f\*\*\*ing two weeks." 'No f***ing way… Holy shit… F*** my bald skull. Was Brelok really found as a 200?" the second soldier replied. 'Found as a 200" is slang from the Soviet era, meaning a soldier killed in action. 'Yeah, they say he was a 200. He ate his comrade. So yeah… something to think about. I was shocked myself," the caller concluded, according to the outlet. Meanwhile, with the tension between Russia and Ukraine continuing, Russian troops on Saturday captured the small settlement of Zaporizhzhya in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, Russian state news agency TASS reported. The small village of Zaporizhzhya, once home to around 200 residents before the war, lies close to the strategic city of Pokrovsk- a vital transport hub in eastern Ukraine that has witnessed some of the most intense fighting in recent months. On Friday, Russian drones slammed into two Ukrainian cities, killing at least one person in nighttime attacks. Moscow targeted the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv in the overnight assault. The barrage of more than 20 drones injured almost two dozen civilians, including girls aged 17 and 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. 'Russia continues its tactics of targeted terror against our people," Zelenskyy said on messaging app Telegram, urging the United States and the European Union to crank up economic pressure on Russia. About the Author News Desk First Published:
NDTV
21-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Russian Soldier Dies After Killing And Eating His Comrade To Survive Ukraine War: Report
A Russian soldier on the frontlines in Ukraine died after killing a comrade and eating his corpse in a desperate attempt to survive wartime conditions, according to the Kyiv Post. The incident came to light after Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence allegedly intercepted a phone call between two Russian soldiers discussing the gruesome story of the cannibalistic 'Brelok', who killed his countryman 'Foma'. "Brelok f***ing ate him, f*** me... nobody went anywhere. Brelok took him out and then ate him for f***ing two weeks," the first caller said, per the New York Post. "No f***ing way... Holy shit... F*** my bald skull. Was Brelok really found as a 200?" the other person replied, using Soviet era slang for a soldier found killed in action. "Yeah, they say he was a 200. He ate his comrade. So yeah... something to think about. I was shocked myself," the caller concluded, per the Post. 'Berlok' was later found dead, according to the outlet. Russia has reportedly recruited criminals, including murderers and convicted cannibals, to fight in Ukraine. According to the Moscow Times, Denis Gorin from Sakhalin, who killed four people and was sentenced to 22 years in prison in 2012, ate part of the body of one of his victims. He was released in 2023 to fight for Russia in the Ukraine war. He served in the ranks of Storm-Z and was injured during a battle, after which President Vladimir Putin granted him a pardon. This enabled Gorin to return to his hometown as a free man. Another criminal, Nikolay Ogolobiak, convicted of killing two young women and cooking their organs in 2008, was released in 2023 to fight for Russia. Convict Dmitry Malyshev, who was jailed for killing three men and pan-frying one of their hearts, was also sent to the frontlines. This comes as Russia continues to pound Ukraine. Earlier this week, Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on Kyiv, killing at least 14 people and wounding several others. The attack occurred as world leaders gathered in Canada for the Group of Seven (G7) meeting. Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said that 27 locations in different districts of the capital came under enemy fire. "Residential buildings, educational institutions and critical infrastructure facilities" had all been hit, he said, adding that 30 apartments were destroyed in a single residential block. "The deaths have risen to 14 people. As of now, 44 people have been injured in Kyiv," Klymenko added. In Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defence units had repelled an attack on the city by two Ukrainian drones. The city's airports were briefly closed.
New York Post
21-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Russian soldier kills, eats comrade in twisted attempt to survive Ukraine war: report
He bit more than the bullet. A Russian soldier on the frontlines in Ukraine murdered his comrade and ate the corpse to survive the grim wartime conditions — only to end up dying anyway, Kyiv's military intelligence reported. A call between two Russian soldiers who shared the jaw-dropping story of the cannibalistic 'Brelok', who killed his countryman 'Foma', was allegedly intercepted by Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, according to the Kyiv Post. 'F–king hell… Brelok f–king ate him, f–k me… nobody went anywhere. Brelok took him out and then ate him for f–king two weeks,' the first caller said. A Russian soldier reportedly killed and ate his comrade in order to survive the harsh frontline conditions in Ukraine. 'No f–king way… Holy sh-t… F—k my bald skull. Was Brelok really found as a 200?' the other person replied, using Soviet era slang for a soldier found killed in action. 'Yeah, they say he was a 200. He ate his comrade. So yeah… something to think about. I was shocked myself,' the caller concluded. The ghoulish cannibal was found dead, according to the report. Russia has recruited hardened criminals — including murderers and convicted cannibals — to bolster its ranks during the country's three-year invasion of Ukraine. Denis Gorin, a cannibal from Sakhalin, who killed four people and was sentenced to 22 years in prison in 2012, ate part of the body of one of his victims, Politico reported, citing Radio Liberty. Russia recently launched a deadly attack in Kyiv, killing 15 Ukrainians with Iranian-made vehicles. AFP via Getty Images Another criminal, Nikolay Ogolobiak — a Satanist convicted of killing two young women and cooking their organs in 2008 — was also sent to fight for Mother Russia back in 2023, according to that report. Convict Dmitry Malyshev, who was jailed for killing three men and pan-frying one of their hearts, was also sent to the frontlines, the Daily Mail reported. That deranged madman infamously took a selfie with freed murderer-rapist Alexander Maslennikov, who grinned in fatigues before being sent to the frontlines in 2024, the Daily Beast reported. Russia strongman Vladimir Putin continues to pound Ukraine — with Iranian-made drones killing 15 Ukrainians in Kyiv earlier this week.
Newsweek
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russia Preparing 'Combat Training' ICBM Launch, Kyiv Warns
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russia is reportedly planning to conduct a "combat training" launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Monday night as a show of force, Ukraine's military intelligence agency said in a notice on Sunday. Newsweek has contacted Russia's defense ministry for comment via email on Sunday. Why It Matters Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a war for more than three years after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded the Eastern European nation in February 2022. The two nations met on Friday in Turkey to discuss on how to end the war, marking the first direct meeting between Russia and Ukraine since March 2022. What To Know Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence said on Sunday that Moscow was planning to carry out a "combat training" launch of the RS-24 ICBM from a launch site near the village of Svobodny in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia. The launch of the missile, equipped with training ammunition, was ordered to be carried out by the crew of the 433rd regiment of the 42nd division of the 31st Army of Russia's strategic missile forces, Kyiv's Main Directorate of Intelligence said. It added that the flight range of the three-stage solid-propellant rocket is more than 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles). The agency said the move was meant as an intimidation tactic against Ukraine, the European Union, (EU) and member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In a Truth Social post on Saturday, President Donald Trump shared his plan to speak with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine next week, with the goal of encouraging a final agreement to end the conflict. The day prior, both sides met in Istanbul for talks. The talks lasted under two hours and ended without a ceasefire deal, but a prisoner exchange was agreed upon, according to the Associated Press. A Yars mobile nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile is seen during drills at an undisclosed location in Russia on February 6. A Yars mobile nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile is seen during drills at an undisclosed location in Russia on February 6. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP What People Are Saying Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence said in a statement: "In order to demonstratively pressure and intimidate Ukraine, as well as EU and NATO member states, the aggressor state Russia intends to carry out a 'combat training' launch of the RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile from the Yars complex on the night of May 19, 2025." President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social Post on Saturday: "I will be speaking, by telephone, to President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday, at 10 a.m. the subjects of the call will be, stopping the 'bloodbath' that is killing, on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and trade." He continued: "I will then be speaking to President Zelensky of Ukraine and members of NATO. Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end. God bless us all!!!" What Happens Next? In a Saturday post on X, formerly Twitter, Zelensky called on the international community to maintain pressure on Moscow, renewing his call for sanctions if Russia does not pursue genuine diplomatic efforts. "Without tougher sanctions, without stronger pressure, Russia will not seek real diplomacy," he wrote.
