Fourthestate

This is the freakish mutant piglet born with completely smooth skin and a ‘trunk like an elephant’. The young hog was born on 19th March and was the only one in its litter to present with the odd birth defects, its owners said.

This is the moment a group of Red Cross paramedics line dance in a car park as part of the popular Git Up Dance Challenge made famous by US teen Harvey Bass on TikTok. Paramedics from the Steyr Red Cross in the city of Steyr in Upper Austria released the video on their social media account as part of the new ‘Git Up’ social media challenge. In the video, two paramedics can be seen in the district control centre when an ‘alarm’ sounds and they walk into the car park where the ambulances are parked.

This is the bright pooch that brings its owner cans of beer during COVID-19 lockdown and even carries home the shopping from the nearby store. Lorry driver Jonce Spiroski from Ohrid, a small resort city on the hilly shores of Lake Ohrid in the southwest of North Macedonia, spent 10 days in isolation after recently returning from driving in Romania.

This is the moment a man with incredible dad reflexes pulls his young son away from a car which nearly mows them down on a zebra crossing. Parent Mr Huang, from Pujiang County in the city of Jinhua, which is in Zhejiang Province in East China, is pictured crossing Zhongshan South Road with his five-year-old on 25th March.

This is the moment a van turns into the path of a speeding car and has its entire front ripped off in the impact leaving the driver tumbling onto the tarmac where he incredibly escaped with only minor injuries. The incident was filmed in the western Russian city of Saint Petersburg and the shocking footage has been widely shared on social media.

This Chinese takeaway owner has become an overnight viral sensation after videos showing her peeling 100 boiled eggs in a minute were seen 30 million times over the weekend. Bai Xue, 42, runs a small eatery with her husband in Hanggin Rear Banner, which is a town in the city of Bayannur in China’s northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

This is the moment Russian soldiers crawl through the dirt and hide among their dead comrades to save themselves during an attack by Ukrainian forces near Bakhmut. The footage shows Russian invaders wriggling their way across the grass and in and around trenches while their surroundings are being pummeled by Ukrainian gunfire. But their attempts at saving their lives apparently turn out to be in vain as Ukrainian drone operators spot them hiding among wounded and dead comrades. Few can be seen left standing after Ukrainian forces fire on their positions and destroy them. One soldier appears to be desperately trying to save himself by crawling into a trench while dragging his rifle right before the footage cuts. The images were obtained by Newsflash from the Office for Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces (StratCom) of Ukraine on 2nd January, along with a short statement: "Bakhmut. Disruption of three assault groups by [Ukrainian] forces." Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 314th day of the invasion. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 3rd January, Russia had lost about 108,190 personnel, 3,036 tanks, 6,100 armoured combat vehicles, 2,033 artillery units, 424 multiple launch rocket systems, 214 air defence systems, 283 warplanes, 270 helicopters, 1,839 drones, 723 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,735 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 181 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Ukraine's Defence Ministry has claimed responsibility for an attack in Makiivka, a Russian-held city in Donetsk that allegedly killed around 400 Russian soldiers. The Russian Ministry of Defence 63 soldiers of recently mobilised troops died in the attack on Makiivka when Ukraine hit "a temporary deployment facility" with four US-supplied Himars missiles. Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said it also "successfully" shot down 39 (Iranian-made) Shahed drones, two Orlan-10 drones and a Kh-59 cruise missile. Russian drones have attacked infrastructure in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv and the surrounding regions, damaging energy facilities and causing some power outages, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russia is preparing a drone attack campaign to "exhaust" Ukraine. "It is probably banking on exhaustion. Exhausting our people, our anti-aircraft defences, our energy," Zelenskyy said in his Monday address. Zelenskyy said Ukraine's armed forces have shot down more than 80 drones since the beginning of 2023. The UK Ministry of Defence said Russia's attacks near Bakhmut in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region are unlikely to yield a significant breakthrough in the near future. And former NATO general Hans-Lothar Domrose said a truce between Russia and Ukraine can be expected during 2023, possibly even in the early months.

These images show how Ukrainian troops took out three Russian tanks and destroyed 30 enemy soldiers in the Zaporizhzhia region. The footage shows the three Russian tanks being destroyed by Ukrainian ordnance as they attempt to advance on Ukrainian positions. Russian soldiers can then apparently be seen retreating from near the destroyed war machines, with subsequent images showing them being targeted on an open battlefield. The images were obtained from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Thursday, 19th January, along with a statement saying: "The long-announced 'offensive' of the enemy's 58th Army in the direction of Zaporizhzhia only reduces the number of its personnel and equipment. "Poor training and interaction between enemy units is more like suicide than offensive action. "One gets the impression that the leadership of the Russian occupiers is preparing its personnel and equipment for the role of 'targets' for our units. "The video shows the offensive actions of the invaders at the positions of the Defence Forces in the Zaporizhzhia region. "As a result of this enemy attack alone, it was confirmed that three enemy tanks were destroyed and about 30 occupiers were eliminated and wounded. "Let's stay in line - destroy the enemy! Glory to Ukraine!" Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 331st day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 20th January 2023, Russia had lost about 119,300 personnel, 3,139 tanks, 6,241 armoured combat vehicles, 2,129 artillery units, 442 multiple launch rocket systems, 220 air defence systems, 287 warplanes, 277 helicopters, 1,886 drones, 749 cruise missiles, 17 warships, 4,903 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 190 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Eleven NATO countries have pledged significant new military assistance to Ukraine with aid from countries including the United Kingdom, Poland, Estonia and Latvia set to be made up of tens of Stinger defence systems as well as S-60 anti-aircraft guns and training. The United States has announced a further USD 2.5 billion in aid for Ukraine, including Stryker armoured personnel carriers, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and Avenger air defence systems and ammunition, according to the Pentagon. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Kyiv expects “strong decisions” from NATO defence leaders and other countries meeting today, Friday, to discuss increasing Ukraine’s ability to fight the invading Russian forces using modern tanks. The US officials have said that CIA director William Burns had recently travelled to meet President Zelensky in secret. The official said: “Director Burns traveled to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian intelligence counterparts as well as President Zelensky and reinforced our continued support for Ukraine and its defence against Russian aggression.” UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace has said that Britain is planning to send 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine. Wallace said: “We’re in it for the long haul.” Sweden has announced new military aid to Ukraine that will include armoured infantry fighting vehicles and Archer artillery systems. Poland has said that it is prepared to send a company of German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, “pending why the coalition” of Leopard donors. But Germany is currently still holding out on sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine or allowing other countries with Leopard 2 tanks to send them to help fight the Russians. Arvydas Anusauskas, Lithuania’s Defence Minister, has said that several countries will announce that they are sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine at Friday’s meeting of Defence Ministers at the Ramstein airbase in Germany. The US and German defence ministers met on Thursday amid increasing pressure for Germany to allow Leopard tanks to be sent to Ukraine. Lloyd Austin and Boris Pistorius met as a German official said that Germany would allow Leopard tanks to be sent to Ukraine if the US agreed to send its own tanks. But US officials have so far said that Washington has no plans to send American tanks to Ukraine due to maintenance and training issues. Maia Sandu, the President of Moldova, has requested air defence systems from Moldova’s allies to strengthen its own capabilities as the war in Ukraine, its neighbour, continues. Russia has said that it will achieve its goals in Ukraine “one way or another” and has said that Russia is ready to hold military operations in Ukraine if Kyiv meets its demands, but Moscow has yet to detail what it wants from Kyiv in order to end the hostilities.

This footage shows Ukrainian artillery taking out Russian soldiers who can be seen poaching some geese for a dinner with their commander. The video begins by showing one of three Russian soldiers shooting a goose while one of his colleagues can be seen with a dead bird already at his feet. The images then show the Russian soldiers returning to a civilian building they were occupying with the dead animals slung over their shoulders. A military vehicle that was reportedly transporting the local Russian commander can then be seen approaching the house down a nearby road. The buildings in the area are then shelled by Ukrainian artillery in a cloud of smoke as the footage ends. The images were obtained from the State Border Service of Ukraine on Friday, 2nd December, along with a statement saying: "The hunters became the prey: the border guards taught the occupiers who were 'hunting' the goose. "In Donetsk region, in one of the occupied villages, with the help of a UAV, the border guards discovered the invaders who were 'hunting' the poultry of civilians. "The marauders shot and carried the goose to one of the houses, in which they had set up their command and observation post. "The border guards reported the coordinates of the enemy to their fellow artillerymen, who later fired at the object from Rapier guns and destroyed the invaders together with their unit commander, who also came for a treat." Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 285th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 5th December, Russia had lost about 91,690 personnel, 2,924 tanks, 5,900 armoured combat vehicles, 1,914 artillery units, 395 multiple launch rocket systems, 211 air defence systems, 281 warplanes, 264 helicopters, 1,582 drones, 531 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,497 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 163 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Avril Haines, the United States Director of National Intelligence, has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is now “better informed” about the challenges his army is facing in Ukraine. It had previously been assessed that Putin was being shielded by his inner circle from the worst news about his troops’ performance in Ukraine. Haines said that Putin was “becoming more informed of the challenges that the military faces.” Haines also said that there will likely be a “reduced tempo” in fighting over the winter, adding: “Most of the fighting right now around Bakhmut and the Donetsk area has slowed down with the withdrawal of Russia from the western Kherson area to the east of the river. And we expect that’s likely to be what we see in the coming months.” There is ongoing heavy fighting near the key town of Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where the Russian military has struggled for the last six months to make any substantial progress. Ukrainian forces are also said to be making headway on the east bank of the Dnipro River after taking control of the city of Kherson. Russia has also been intensifying its artillery attacks on the Kherson region since abandoning it and withdrawing to the east bank of the river. There is reportedly a draft resolution circulating at the United Nations proposing a Nuremberg-style tribunal to hold Moscow to account for its crimes in Ukraine. Rob Malley, the US special envoy on Iran, has said that the Islamic Republic has locked itself into a “vicious cycle” regarding the ongoing protests gripping the country and over providing Russia with weapons. He said: “The more Iran represses, the more there will be sanctions; the more there are sanctions, the more Iran feels isolated.” Malley added: “The more isolated they feel, the more they turn to Russia; the more they turn to Russia, the more sanctions there will be, the more the climate deteriorates, the less likely there will be nuclear diplomacy. So it is true right now the vicious cycles are all self-reinforcing.” Some 500 localities in Ukraine remained without electricity on Sunday after weeks of Russian missile strikes targeting the country’s power grid, according to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry.

These images show the corpses of Russian troops strewn on a battlefield in eastern Ukraine and a destroyed armoured vehicle after they were taken out by Ukrainian paratroopers. The footage, which appears to have been shot from a drone, shows at least four Russian soldiers lying motionless on the snow-covered ground after being taken out by the Ukrainian soldiers. The footage then cuts to a Russian armoured vehicle, which appears to have been destroyed nearby. The images were obtained from the 95th Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Friday, 3rd February, along with a statement saying: "Zhytomyr paratroopers destroyed the occupiers' unit and armoured vehicles. "The video captures the consequences of the combat work of the soldiers of the 95th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who continue to successfully destroy the Russian invaders and their armoured vehicles in the east of the country. "Together to victory! Glory to the Air Assault Forces! Glory to Ukraine!" The images and statement were also relayed by the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 345th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 3rd February 2023, Russia had lost about 129,870 personnel, 3,215 tanks, 6,388 armoured combat vehicles, 2,215 artillery units, 460 multiple launch rocket systems, 222 air defence systems, 294 warplanes, 284 helicopters, 1,952 drones, 796 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,068 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 202 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The European Union has said that it will train an additional 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers, effectively doubling one of its military aid programmes. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, said at the beginning of a two-day trip to Kyiv, that the EU will “stand by Ukraine for the long haul”. She also reiterated that the EU plans to have a 10th package of sanctions in place against Russia by the anniversary date of the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, on 24th February. The European Union also wants to work with Ukrainian prosecutors to set up an international centre in The Hague to prosecute the perpetrators of crimes committed in Ukraine, von der Leyen said. The European Parliament has voted in favour of a roadmap outlining Ukraine’s path to becoming a member of the European Union. The UK’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has said that sending fighter jets to Ukraine would imply “months if not years” of training and he was looking for more effective ways of helping Ukraine to secure victory. But Mateusz Morawiecki, the Prime Minister of Poland, has said he is open to providing Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets if such a decision were to be taken in concert with NATO allies. The Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Oleksii Reznikov, has said that Moscow is planning a major offensive to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the invasion, on 24th February. He reportedly claimed that this could involve 500,000 Russian troops. Two additional Russian missiles hit the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on Thursday after an apartment block was destroyed in the city on Wednesday evening. The regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, has said that the latest strikes resulted in civilian casualties, but it is currently unclear how many.

This timelapse video shows the arrival of storm Gloria in northern and eastern Spain over the weekend bringing heavy rain and snow, killing two and forcing the closure of Alicante airport. There are reportedly 33 provinces affected by bad weather with nine of them on red alert: they are Teruel Albacete, Murcia, Barcelona, Tarragon, Girona, Valencia, Castellon and Alicante, according to local media. According to the State Meteorological Agency in Spain (AEMET), the storm will move towards the north-western part of Spain tomorrow (Tuesday) and the bad weather is expected to finish on Wednesday.

These images show pro-Ukrainian Chechen volunteers battling the Russian invaders in the Bakhmut area in eastern Ukraine. The images, punctuated by the sound of gunfire, show scenes of urban warfare, with one soldier seen firing a rocket launcher at the enemy. The footage was obtained from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on Saturday, 7th January, along with a statement saying: "Chechen volunteers destroy the Russian occupiers in Bakhmut. "Chechen volunteers continue to defend Ukraine as part of the International Legion of the Armed Forces of the Ministry of Defence in the hottest points of the front. "Among the volunteers is Abdul Hakim, the hero of the Ichkerian people. Currently, the Chechen division of the Legion is destroying the Russian occupiers in Bakhmut. "Before the full-scale Russian invasion on 24th February, Abdul Hakim led the Ajnad al-Kavkaz group in Syria. After 24th February, his group became part of the Special Special Purpose Battalion of the Ministry of Defence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria - a volunteer unit within the Ukrainian International Legion of the Ministry of Defence of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. "On 15th October, Abdul Hakim was promoted to the rank of colonel of the Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria." The images and statement were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria was a de facto state that controlled most of the former Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. It was a moderate Islamic secessionist government operating in Chechnya between 1991 and 2007. Ukraine's parliament voted in October 2022 to recognise the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as "temporarily occupied". Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 320th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 9th January, Russia had lost about 111,760 personnel, 3,080 tanks, 6,147 armoured combat vehicles, 2,069 artillery units, 434 multiple launch rocket systems, 217 air defence systems, 285 warplanes, 275 helicopters, 1,856 drones, 723 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,809 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 183 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his country’s forces are repelling numerous attacks on the city of Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Zelensky said on Sunday night: “Bakhmut is holding on despite everything. And even though most of the town has been destroyed by Russian strikes, our soldiers are repelling constant Russian attempts to advance. Soledar is holding on, even though there is even greater destruction and things are very difficult.” Russia has said that it has killed over 600 Ukrainian soldiers in a strike on the eastern Ukrainian town of Kramatorsk, but Ukraine’s military and the town’s mayor have rejected this claim. Ukrainian officials have said that at least two people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine, with the Governor of Donetsk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, saying that one person had been killed in strikes on Bakhmut, while eight others in the region had been wounded. Russia and Belarus have reportedly expanded their joint military training exercises in Belarus. The move comes amid concern that Moscow is pushing its ally to join the war in Ukraine. Demands for a special court to investigate Moscow for “crimes of aggression” against Ukraine have been backed by UK politicians across the political spectrum. Germany and the United States have joined France and agreed to send armoured fighting vehicles to Ukraine in a move that is seen as a significant boost to the country’s military capabilities on the battlefield. Ukraine has been asking its Western allies for tanks for months, but the request has so far gone largely unheeded, despite Germany taking part in a tank swap deal under which Ukraine is being provided with Soviet-era tanks from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Greece, which are then supplied with modern German equipment.

These images show Ukrainian drones dropping bombs on Russian troops on the battlefield. The footage begins by showing two Russian soldiers being targeted by the drone, with a first bomb apparently injuring them before a second bomb also hits. The images then show other Russian soldiers being targeted on the battlefield, with a bomb exploding right next to one soldier, apparently injuring him. The footage then shows a group of Russian soldiers in a large field being targeted by a number of explosions with subsequent images apparently showing many of them not moving, while one soldier attempts to flee before falling to the ground. The images were obtained from the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Wednesday, 14th December, along with a statement saying: "The 108th Separate Mountain Assault Battalion continues to destroy the enemy." Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 294th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 14th December, Russia had lost about 96,000 personnel, 2,970 tanks, 5,937 armoured combat vehicles, 1,931 artillery units, 404 multiple launch rocket systems, 211 air defence systems, 281 warplanes, 264 helicopters, 1,617 drones, 592 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,562 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 171 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The United States is said to be finalising plans to provide Ukraine with the Patriot missile defence system. US federal prosecutors have said that a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agent is among seven people accused of helping Russia to illegally obtain electronic components of a sensitive nature from American companies. The electronic components are said to have civilian uses, but they can also be used to make hypersonic and nuclear weapons. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that generators are as important as tanks when it comes to helping Ukrainians survive through the winter after Russian President Vladimir Putin targeted the country’s energy infrastructure with waves of missile strikes. President Zelensky told an emergency conference that was convened in Paris that Ukraine will need an additional EUR 800 million to make it through the winter and a further EUR 1.5 billion to repair the damage done to its energy grid. Over EUR 1 billion was raised to help Ukraine over the winter months at the Paris aid conference, according to France’s Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna. The money, which has been pledged by 46 countries and 24 international organisations, is to be used to restore some of Ukraine’s damaged energy network, to support the food sector and to help with water supply, health and transportation. Heavy fighting was ongoing between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk on Tuesday. The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, has said that Ukrainian air-defence systems shot down 10 Iranian-made Shahed drones today, Wednesday.

These images show Ukrainian Marines using an SPG-9 to take out Russian troops attempting an attack near Avdiivka and thwarting their advance. The SPG-9 is a tripod-mounted, man-portable, 73-millimetre calibre recoilless gun that was originally developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. The SPG-9 can be used against armoured vehicles, buildings and infantry, making it a very versatile weapon. The footage begins by showing nearly a dozen Russian soldiers crossing a snowy area before the images cut to the SPG-9 mounted on the back of a military pickup truck. It can be seen opening fire and hitting their position. The images were obtained from the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynsky of the Ukrainian Navy on Monday, 16th January, along with a statement saying: "In the Avdiyiv area of the Donetsk region, a Russian assault group 'made a gesture of goodwill' once again. "'They will accept a difficult decision'. Russian soldiers were helped by the calculation of an SPG-9 of the fire support company of the Mykolaiv 36th Separate Brigade of marines named after rear-admiral Mykhailo Bilinskyi. "Glory to the marines of Ukraine! Death to the occupiers!" The images and statement were also relayed by the Marine Corps Command of the Ukrainian Navy and by the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 328th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 17th January 2023, Russia had lost about 116,950 personnel, 3,121 tanks, 6,215 armoured combat vehicles, 2,104 artillery units, 441 multiple launch rocket systems, 220 air defence systems, 286 warplanes, 276 helicopters, 1,872 drones, 749 cruise missiles, 17 warships, 4,877 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 190 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Monday that over 7,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion. The OHCHR added that it believes that the actual death toll is “considerably higher” but said that it is currently hard to determine due to numerous pending reports and the inaccessibility of parts of the country where intense fighting is currently ongoing. Turkish ombudsman Seref Malkoc has said that Russia and Ukraine have been putting together a large prisoner exchange deal they could see 1,000 prisoners swapped between the two countries. Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary of the United Kingdom, has confirmed that the UK will send a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. Speaking to the British Parliament, he defined the military support as “the most significant package of combat power to date to accelerate Ukrainian success”. The announcement makes the UK the first Western power to supply Ukraine with main battle tanks, with Wallace also urging Germany to allow for Leopard tanks to be supplied to Kyiv. Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has said that Germany should take “decisive actions” and send “all sorts of weapons” to Ukraine to help the country defend itself against Russian aggression. Russia and Belarus have begun joint air force drills, increasing fears in Kyiv and among Ukraine’s western allies that Moscow could be pushing its ally into launching a new offensive on Ukraine. The Norwegian authorities have said that a Russian citizen, named as Andrey Medvedev, who reportedly fought for the notorious Wagner group, a private mercenary organisation that has been operating closely with conventional Russian forces in Ukraine, has crossed into Norway and requested political asylum.

This is the moment a Ukrainian fighter shoots down a Russian cruise missile with a single shot using MANPADS. His comrade can be heard joyfully confirming the successful strike which blew the enemy target to pieces. In the far background, the downed Russian missile can be seen disappearing in a bright flash. MANPADS (Man-portable air-defense systems) are surface-to-air guided weapons that can be carried and fired by a single individual or a small team of people. The footage was obtained by Newsflash from the Air Command 'South' on 29th December, along with a statement: "The radio engineering brigade named after Bohdan Khmelnytskyi speaks and shows. "Soldiers of the mobile fire group shot down a Russian cruise missile with a well-aimed shot. "Watch and recharge with our Ukrainian indomitable spirit!" Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 310th day of the invasion. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 30th December, Russia had lost about 105,250 personnel, 3,026 tanks, 6,059 armoured combat vehicles, 2,010 artillery units, 423 multiple launch rocket systems, 212 air defence systems, 283 warplanes, 268 helicopters, 1,740 drones, 711 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,683 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 180 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Residents of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, have been urged to head to air raid shelters as sirens were going off across the city as Russia's aerial assaults shook the country. The city's military administration reported that five Shahed drones entered Kyiv’s airspace, and debris from one struck an administrative building in the Holosiiv district. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said air defences in Ukraine repelled 54 Russian missiles and 11 drones. Russian forces are said to have primarily struck infrastructure facilities, in the Lviv, Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions causing widespread disruptions to energy, heating, and water supplies. More than 18 residential buildings and 10 critical infrastructure installations were reportedly destroyed during the wave of Russian missile strikes. Many Ukrainian regions are suffering power outages, with the situation being "especially difficult" in Kyiv, Odesa and Kherson, according to President Zelenskyy. And Belarus' Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down a Ukrainian S-300 missile in a field in Russia's latest attacks on Ukraine. US President Joe Biden signed a USD 1.7 trillion (GBP 1.4 trillion) spending bill that includes emergency support for Ukraine. The UK said it has given Ukraine more than 1,000 metal detectors and 100 kits to deactivate bombs to help clear minefields in a bid to provide military support for the country in the conflict with Russia. Britain's Defence Minister Ben Wallace said the UK would grant GBP 2.2 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2023.

‘Europe’s last dictator’ Alexander Lukashenko has said that regular vodka shots and saunas will help combat the deadly COVID-19 virus. Lukashenko, 65, has been president of Belarus, described by Western opponents as ‘Europe’s last dictatorship’, since the office was created in 1994.

This is the moment Russian soldiers flee for their lives as their military positions are discovered and destroyed by Ukrainian artillerymen. In the footage, troops can be seen abandoning their posts and scattering left and right in an attempt to save themselves as heavy gunfire pummeled the ground around them. The footage was obtained by Newsflash from the 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on 26th December, along with a statement: "Soldiers of the 1st offensive battalion of the 66th Indomitable Brigade showed how they massively destroy the invaders." The information was also relayed by the Ground Forces of Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 307th day of the invasion. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 27th December, Russia had lost about 103,220 personnel, 3,016 tanks, 6,024 armoured combat vehicles, 1,998 artillery units, 418 multiple launch rocket systems, 212 air defence systems, 283 warplanes, 267 helicopters, 1,707 drones, 653 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,652 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 179 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called for a "peace" summit with Russia at the United Nations, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as mediator. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded with an ultimatum for Ukraine to either surrender Russian-controlled territory or have the Russian army decide for them. And a UN spokesperson said that the secretary-general would only agree to meditate only "if all parties want him to mediate". Ukraine called for Russia to be removed as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, accusing it of violating international law. Nearly nine million Ukrainians are left without electricity as power shortages keep persisting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. A drone believed to be Ukrainian reached deep into Russia's airspace, causing a deadly explosion at the main base for Moscow’s Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable strategic bombers. The Russian military reported that it shot down a Ukrainian drone approaching the Engels airbase, where three servicemen were killed by falling debris. Russia's Defence Ministry claimed no Russian aircraft were damaged in the explosion. The Ukrainian Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reported that former Chief of Staff of the Eastern Military District Lieutenant General Evgeny Valerivich Nikiforov, a Wagner Group-linked Russian officer, was appointed commander of the Russian Western Military District. Nikiforov has previous experience commanding elements of the Wagner Group in Donbas from 2014 to 2015. Russia’s Federal Security Service claimed that a Ukrainian "sabotage group" had allegedly been eliminated while trying to enter the Bryansk region, which lies near the Ukrainian border.

These images show Ukrainian marines destroying a column of Russian armoured vehicles on the battlefields of Donetsk. The footage shows the Russian armoured vehicles advancing on a snow-covered road before they are hit by Ukrainian ordnance. The images then show the remains of the war machines, which are nothing more than burnt out shells. The video then shows a larger group of Russian armoured vehicles attempting to advance but they, too, are targeted by Ukrainian forces, leaving them blown up and destroyed, with one seen burning on the battlefield. The Ukrainian side can then be seen firing artillery shells at one of the remaining Russian war machines, causing it to blow up. Footage filmed from a drone then shows it dropping bombs on damaged Russian armoured vehicles and finishing off soldiers taking cover next to them. The images were obtained from the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynsky of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Wednesday, 25th January, along with a statement saying: "The audacious 'attrition' offensive of the 'Third Army of Peace' was completely defeated during the effective and coordinated defensive battle of our defenders in the Donetsk region. "For your attention, an epic video of the destruction of the assault column of the invaders on 15th January near the settlement of Vodiane by the forces of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynsky, fellow infantrymen and the 503rd Naval Infantry Battalion. "Glory to Ukraine!" The images were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 338th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 27th January 2023, Russia had lost about 124,710 personnel, 3,182 tanks, 6,340 armoured combat vehicles, 2,180 artillery units, 452 multiple launch rocket systems, 221 air defence systems, 292 warplanes, 283 helicopters, 1,941 drones, 796 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,001 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 199 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Russia has fired a new wave of missiles at Ukraine, killing at least 11 people, after Kyiv was promised tanks from its Western allies. The Russian attacks damaged 35 buildings in several regions, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. General Valery Zaluzhny, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that Russia had fired 55 missiles at Ukraine on Thursday and that 47 of them were shot down. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that government officials who do not do their duty during wartime will be removed from their posts. The announcement comes as Zelensky cracks down on corruption. So far, 11 Ukrainian government officials have either resigned or been sacked. Alex Chalk, the UK's Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, said on Thursday that Britain hopes that the Challenger 2 tanks that it is supplying to Ukraine will reach the country at the end of March. Canada has reportedly confirmed that it is sending four German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Thursday that they had arrested one of their lieutenant colonels on suspicion of spying for Russia. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been criticised after it suggested that Russian and Belarusian athletes might be able to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as neutral athletes.

These images show Ukrainian drones hunting down and dropping bombs on Wagner mercenaries in the hotly contested Soledar area on the frontlines of eastern Ukraine. The footage then shows fleeing Russian soldiers running into a building on an industrial estate, which is then hit by Ukrainian artillery. The images were obtained from the State Border Service of Ukraine on Sunday, 15th January, along with a statement saying: "The work of border guards with unmanned aerial vehicles includes many tasks. "The other day, on the defensive line in Soledar, border guards spotted enemy infantry hiding in trenches and trenches from the air. Our soldiers did not waste a great opportunity to destroy the invaders and bombarded them from a drone." The statement also said: "[...] the Wagnerites ran into a building in the industrial zone, but the watchful 'eye' of our UAVs captured this moment. And the artillery of one of the Armed Forces' brigades is clearly doing its job." The images were also relayed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 327th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 16th January 2023, Russia had lost about 116,080 personnel, 3,118 tanks, 6,204 armoured combat vehicles, 2,099 artillery units, 438 multiple launch rocket systems, 220 air defence systems, 286 warplanes, 276 helicopters, 1,872 drones, 749 cruise missiles, 17 warships, 4,870 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 190 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said on Russian state television that the war in Ukraine, which he again referred to as a “special military operation”, is going to plan and that its “dynamic is positive”. He added: “Everything is developing within the framework of the plan of the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff.” Russia carried out two large-scale missile attacks on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Saturday, with at least 35 people reportedly killed so far, according to Ukrainian officials. At least 75 people have been wounded in the attacks, with 39 people rescued. Local officials said that 46 people are still missing. Dnipro’s Mayor, Borys Filatov said: “The chances of saving people now are minimal.” He added: “I think the number of dead will be in the dozens.” German weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall has said that main battle tanks from Germany would not be ready to be delivered to Ukraine until 2024. Rheinmetall’s CEO, Armin Papperger, said: “Even if the decision to send our Leopard tanks to Kyiv came tomorrow, the delivery would take until the start of next year.” The revelation comes after the United Kingdom promised to deliver at least 14 of its Challenger 2 main battle and other advanced artillery tanks to Kyiv, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirming the move in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday. Prime Minister Sunak said it was the UK’s “ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine”. Zelensky had said on Saturday that the move "will not only strengthen us on the battlefield, but also send the right signal to other partners". He added that support from the United Kingdom was “always strong” and was “now impenetrable”. UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said that “now is the time to accelerate and go further and faster”. He said that the Russian army was now on the defensive and that morale among its forces was pitifully low, blaming the “shambolic state of Russian military logistics” for the Russian army’s state of affairs. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Ukraine can expect further deliveries of heavy weaponry from Western countries in the near future. He said: “The recent pledges for heavy warfare equipment are important – and I expect more in the near future.” The Secretary-General said, ahead of a meeting at the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany on 20th January, that other Western allies will consider sending additional main battle tanks to Ukraine.

This is the moment a husband-and-wife duo score an online hit with their coronavirus-themed rendition of 80s classic ‘Come on Eileen’ after being challenged to find something that rhymed with COVID-19. Singaporean couple Edward Choy and Jo Tan, both reportedly esteemed actors in Singapore, posted the clip on Facebook with the revised lyrics to the Dexys Midnight Runners classic where it has been viewed over 54,000 times. Jo wrote: “Ed and I were both supposed to be working this Valentine's Day but instead we're at home! Here is a little duet largely written because we have too much time and also someone said COVID-19 had no song because it didn't rhyme with anything."

This is the moment Ukrainian drone operators ambush Russian soldiers in trenches and drop grenades on them near Bakhmut. In the footage, Russian troopers can be seen attempting to maintain their cover and avoid giving away their positions by moving slowly inside the trench. Then they attempt to carefully walk inside a protective dugout to remain hidden. But Ukrainian drone operators manage to spot them and begin dropping grenades into the trench to apparently force the Russians to give themselves away and to later eliminate them. The images were obtained by Newsflash from the 30th Prince Konstanty Ostrogski Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces on 5th January, along with a statement saying: "We destroy the occupants. "Operators of 30 OMBr drones use very effective tactics - they find enemy positions, shoot them with 1-2 grenades, and then quickly 'cover' their positions." The footage and statement were also relayed by the Office for Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 317th day of the invasion. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 6th January, Russia had lost about 110,250 personnel, 3,064 tanks, 6,124 armoured combat vehicles, 2,059 artillery units, 431 multiple launch rocket systems, 215 air defence systems, 285 warplanes, 272 helicopters, 1,844 drones, 723 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,797 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 182 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The Ministry of Defence of Russia announced a temporary 36-hour-long ceasefire set to last from 6th January at 12am to 7th January at 12pm in a Telegram post late Thursday. The United States Department of State called the truce announcement during Russian Orthodox Christmas a "cynical" proposition. US President Joe Biden described the situation as Russian President Vladimir Putin "trying to find some oxygen". And US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said: "Our concern is that the Russians would seek to use any temporary pause in fighting to rest, to refit, to regroup, and ultimately to re-attack." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Russia's order for a ceasefire and called it a trick to slow down Ukraine's defences in the Donbas region. President Zelensky said: "They now want to use Christmas as a cover, albeit briefly, to stop the advances of our boys in Donbas and bring equipment, ammunition and mobilised troops closer to our positions." He added: "The war will end either when your soldiers leave or we throw them out." The White House announced that Germany will join the USA in providing additional Patriot missile systems to Ukraine. Germany will also be sending armoured personnel carriers to Ukraine, according to an announcement after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with President Biden. The German Minister for Economic Affairs, Robert Habeck, said it was a "good decision" for Germany to supply Ukraine with weapons.

These images show Ukrainian special forces dropping drone bombs on Russian soldiers huddling in foxholes on the frontlines. The images begin with a Russian soldier apparently being injured by a drone bomb before the footage shows a group of Russian soldiers huddled in a foxhole being hit by another drone bomb. A Russian soldier can be seen trying to scramble to safety as another bomb hits. It lands just next to him and appears to injure him. A sole Russian soldier can then be seen making himself small in the foxhole before a drone grenade appears to land right next to him, detonating under him in a cloud of black smoke. The Ukrainian special forces drone then drops a bomb right into the entrance to what appears to be a Russian dugout. It explodes, causing smoke to rise out of the dugout. The images then show other Russian soldiers on the frontlines being targeted by drones, with some trying to run to safety. A large explosion occurs as a group of soldiers can be seen running in a line in a field. At least one of them appears to be hit, with the rest ducking for cover. The footage ends with a drone bomb hitting what appears to be a piece of Russian ammunition, causing a large explosion. The images were obtained from the Command of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Monday, 28th November, along with a statement saying: "Expert destruction of enemy infantry. "Operators of the SSO of Ukraine are constantly hunting the enemy in the positions occupied by him not only with the help of 'classical' means of firepower but also using UAVs. "As you can see in the video, attempts to wait out the shelling in shelters do not help the Russians. Punishment comes from heaven to anyone who encroaches on the will of Ukrainians." Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 278th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 28th November, Russia had lost about 87,900 personnel, 2,908 tanks, 5,861 armoured combat vehicles, 1,899 artillery units, 395 multiple launch rocket systems, 209 air defence systems, 278 warplanes, 261 helicopters, 1,555 drones, 531 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,416 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 163 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Petro Kotin, the head of Energoatom, the Ukrainian state nuclear power plant operator, has said that there are signs that the Russian forces could be preparing to abandon the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Kotin said: “In recent weeks we are effectively receiving information that signs have appeared that they are possibly preparing to leave.” He added: “One gets the impression they’re packing their bags and stealing everything they can.” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia is planning to launch fresh missile attacks. Zelensky said on Sunday evening: “We understand that terrorists are preparing new strikes. We know that for sure. And as long as they have missiles, they won’t stop, unfortunately.” Hundreds of Ukrainians have reportedly left the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine after Russian shelling intensified on Sunday. Evacuations from the city began last week amid fears that there was a lack of electricity, water and heating. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is reportedly set to promise to maintain or increase military aid to Ukraine in 2023, according to an extract from a speech he is set to give today. The Prime Minister will reportedly say: “We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will maintain or increase our military aid next year. And we will provide new support for air defence.” The authorities in Ukraine are slowly restoring power across the country, but millions are still said to be doing without heat or electricity after Russia’s heaviest missile strikes so far in the war. Zelensky said: “We have been restoring electricity generation and supply day after day.” He added: “As of today, in most regions of the country, only stabilisation schedules of shutdowns are in effect.” The Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom has said that Russia is currently hitting Ukraine with ageing cruise missiles that have been stripped of their nuclear warheads because Russia’s stocks are so depleted. The UK MoD added that the move by the Russian side was “unlikely to achieve reliable effects”.

These images show Ukrainian drones dropping bombs on Russian soldiers as they try to run and hide in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The footage begins by showing a drone dropping a bomb in a forested area as at least two Russian soldiers scramble down a dirt path away from the area. The images then show a Russian soldier standing by a farmhouse as a Ukrainian drone drops a bomb on him. He also runs the safety, falling over as he goes, before finding refuge behind a wall as the drone bomb explodes. A group of Russian soldiers is then seen lying in a field by what appears to be a railway line as a drone bomb is dropped on them. They can be seen scrambling out of the way on their stomachs but the bomb does not appear to detonate. A Russian soldier, also apparently next to a railway line, is then hit by a drone bomb that explodes right on top of him. Still by a railway line, a final Russian soldier is targeted by the Ukrainian drone, but the bomb does not appear to explode either. The images were obtained from the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Konstantin Ostrozky of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Sunday, 27th of November along with a statement saying: "How was this day for the occupiers? 'Fun'!" They also indicated that the images were filmed near Bakhmut. The images were also relayed by the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Monday, 28th November. Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 278th day of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 28th November, Russia had lost about 87,900 personnel, 2,908 tanks, 5,861 armoured combat vehicles, 1,899 artillery units, 395 multiple launch rocket systems, 209 air defence systems, 278 warplanes, 261 helicopters, 1,555 drones, 531 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,416 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 163 units of special equipment. Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. Petro Kotin, the head of Energoatom, the Ukrainian state nuclear power plant operator, has said that there are signs that the Russian forces could be preparing to abandon the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Kotin said: “In recent weeks we are effectively receiving information that signs have appeared that they are possibly preparing to leave.” He added: “One gets the impression they’re packing their bags and stealing everything they can.” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia is planning to launch fresh missile attacks. Zelensky said on Sunday evening: “We understand that terrorists are preparing new strikes. We know that for sure. And as long as they have missiles, they won’t stop, unfortunately.” Hundreds of Ukrainians have reportedly left the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine after Russian shelling intensified on Sunday. Evacuations from the city began last week amid fears that there was a lack of electricity, water and heating. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is reportedly set to promise to maintain or increase military aid to Ukraine in 2023, according to an extract from a speech he is set to give today. The Prime Minister will reportedly say: “We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will maintain or increase our military aid next year. And we will provide new support for air defence.” The authorities in Ukraine are slowly restoring power across the country, but millions are still said to be doing without heat or electricity after Russia’s heaviest missile strikes so far in the war. Zelensky said: “We have been restoring electricity generation and supply day after day.” He added: “As of today, in most regions of the country, only stabilisation schedules of shutdowns are in effect.” The Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom has said that Russia is currently hitting Ukraine with ageing cruise missiles that have been stripped of their nuclear warheads because Russia’s stocks are so depleted. The UK MoD added that the move by the Russian side was “unlikely to achieve reliable effects”.

China’s oldest critically ill coronavirus patient to recover from the disease has been discharged from hospital aged 98. Hu Huanying, from Jing’an District in COVID-19 epicentre Wuhan, which is in the province of Hubei in Central China, was given a clean bill of health and released from Leishenshan Hospital on 1st March.