15:46, 19 May 2022 Updated: 15:46, 19 May 2022
Lieutenant-General Serhiy Kisel
VLADIMIR Putin has fired senior commanders for huge 'failures' during the invasion in Ukraine.
The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Russia has fired senior commanders who are considered to have performed poorly during the opening stages.
Lieutenant General Serhiy Kisel, who commanded the elite 1st Guards Tank Army, was suspended for his failure to capture Kharkiv, adding to the growing list of lost commanders.
The UK Ministry of Defence tweeted: "Russian Chief of the General Staff Valeriy Gerasimov likely remains in post, but it is unclear whether he retains the confidence of President Putin.
"A culture of cover-ups and scape-goating is probably prevalent within the Russian military and security system.
"Many officials involved in the invasion of Ukraine will likely be increasingly distracted by efforts to avoid personal culpability for Russia’s operational set-backs."
Follow our Russia-Ukraine live blog below for up-to-the-minute updates...
‘Almost 1,300 civilians found dead in Kyiv Region’
Around 1,288 bodies of civilians have been found in the Kyiv region since the start of the Russian invasion, a police chief says.
According to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Andriy Nyebytov, head of the Kyiv Region Police said: “At present, we have bodies of 1,288 killed people. I emphasise, civilians.”
He added: “Most of them were shot with automatic weapons.”
Mariupol siege heroes to be tortured and executed by ruthless Russians, it is feared
Fears are mounting that busloads of heroes from the Mariupol steelworks siege are to be executed or tortured.
Nearly 1,000 exhausted and wounded Ukrainian servicemen and women were believed to be heading for a hellhole penal colony at Russian-held Olenvika in the east of the country.
UN and Red Cross officials who helped to broker the end of the 82-day siege were last night battling to force the Russians not to renege on their prisoner-swap promise.
Sources described Olenvika as a “21st century concentration camp” where the wives of soldiers and former government workers have been starved and tortured.
Other Mariupol fighters face being sent to the even worse Izolyatsia Prison in Donetsk.
Teams of Russia’s dreaded FSB torturers were feared to be preparing to greet their Ukrainian enemies there with mock executions and sexual violence.
Russian-backed rebel forces said 962 Ukrainian soldiers have now been taken out of the plant.
But Vladimir Putin's cronies in the Russian parliament and his brutal Chechen warlord allies yesterday called for “Nazi” member of the Azov group to face the death penalty at war crimes trials.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Russian parliament, raged: “Nazi criminals should not be exchanged. They are war criminals and we must do everything to bring them to justice.”
Go, Vlad Lad! Putin’s maniacal war has resurrected Nato
This is a comment piece by Rod Liddle
Meanwhile, only the UK and the Baltic states were paying their fair whack towards Nato, much to the fury of the Americans.
It really felt as if the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, founded more than 70 years ago, was on its last legs.
But now look. In three short months, Putin has resurrected it.
Western European countries are at last pledging to pour more money into defence.
Meanwhile, both Finland and Sweden have announced they want to join, which would have been unimaginable only six months ago.
Go, Vlad Lad! Putin’s maniacal war has resurrected Nato
This is a comment piece by Rod Liddle
You've got to hand it to Vladimir Putin – very few politicians can bring the dead back to life.
But this idiot has just about managed it, with Nato.
Four months ago, this defensive alliance was on life support. It was seen as being a creature of the past, of no relevance any more.
The European Left have always hated it, for a start.
But even centrist politicians in Paris and Berlin were beginning to question its effectiveness.
Some resented being under the effective military control of Washington DC.
They thought a European army allied to the European Union might be a better bet.
Ha! Can you imagine that?
If war broke out, they’d spend the next two years passing resolutions.
Arguing among themselves about health-and-safety implications.
Debating what to do over large bottles of claret.
Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak slapped with 12-month ban for wearing ‘Z’ war symbol
RUSSIAN gymnast Ivan Kuliak has been slapped with a 12-month ban for wearing the controversial ‘Z’ war symbol next to a Ukrainian athlete.
Kuliak caused uproar in March after finishing third in the parallel bars at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha.
Standing next to Ukrainian winner Illia Kovtun, he proudly displayed the Russian army’s ‘Z’ symbol on his chest.
The letter has been featured on Russian tanks and military vehicles in Ukraine.
And it has become a symbol of support for Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
The International Gymnastics Federation (IGF) declared it would push to open disciplinary proceedings against Kuliak “following his shocking behaviour.”
And they have now announced that the 20-year-old has been banned from competing for at least one year.
Kuliak will be unable to compete in events until May 2023.
But that could be extended should current bans on displaying Russian flags or playing the national anthem at competitions remain in place.
Pro-Kremlin voice admits to ‘difficulties’ in the war
A pro-Kremlin voice has admitted to “difficulties” in the war with Ukraine.
Deputy secretary of Vladimir Putin’s Security Council, Rashid Nurgaliyev, insisted Russia would achieve its objectives.
Nurgaliyev said: “In spite of all the existing difficulties, the special military operation will be completed – while its objectives, including the ones to do with the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine, [and] defence of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic will be carried out in full.”
It follows remarks by a retired colonel and military analyst on primetime Russian TV earlier this week, in which Mikhail Khodarenok warned “the situation [for Russia] will clearly get worse”.
Khodarenok, while appearing on flagship talk show 60 Minutes, said: “We are in total political isolation and the whole world is against us, even if we don’t want to admit it.”
Russia’s Security Council is today holding a meeting with nearly 100 foreign ambassadors to discuss the threats posed by “closed laboratories” and “neo-Nazism”.
Zelensky celebrates
Ukraine is marking Vyshyvanka Day today - a celebration of the traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt.
President Zelensky posted a tweet describing the vyshyvanka as "a holy protective amulet" in the war with Russia.
He took to Twitter to share a video of himself wearing the vyshyvanka.
Putin faces nightmare scenario
VLADIMIR Putin faces a nightmare scenario after Finland & Sweden formally applied to join Nato, which could see its forces expand by a million troops.
Finland and Sweden submitted their highly anticipated bids to join NATO, sealing their decision to jettison decades of military non-alignment, despite threats of reprisals from Moscow.
“The applications you have made today are a historic step,” chief Jens Stoltenberg said.
“Allies will now consider the next steps on your path to NATO,”
The membership push could represent the most significant expansion of NATO in decades, doubling its border with Russia – with Putin warning it may trigger a response from Moscow.
But the applications face resistance from NATO member Turkey, which has threatened to block their membership over accusations the Nordic neighbours act as safe havens for armed groups opposed to Ankara.
Stoltenberg added: “The security interests of all allies have to be taken into account and we are determined to work through all issues and reach rapid conclusions.”
Canadian public broadcaster CBC has Russian office closed
Russia is closing the Moscow bureau of Canadian public broadcaster CBC.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said Russia has also withdrew the accreditation of its journalists in Russia.
She says this is a response to “measures taken in practice in relation to Russian media, their transmission and broadcasts in Canada”.
MoD: Belarus ‘deploying special forces soldiers on Ukraine border’
Belarus has deployed special forces soldiers along the Ukraine border, the UK Ministry of Defence has said.
In an update on Monday, the MoD said that the presence of president Alexander Lukashenko’s forces would “likely fix Ukrainian troops, so they cannot deploy in support of operations in the Donbas”.
“Following exercise activity earlier this month, Belarus has announced the deployment of special operations forces along the Ukraine border, as well as air defence, artillery and missile units to training ranges in the west of the country,” the MoD said.
“The presence of Belarusian forces near the border will likely fix Ukrainian troops, so they cannot deploy in support of operations in the Donbas.”
US backs Finland & Sweden Nato membership bids
US President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Finland and Sweden on Thursday to discuss their NATO membership bids, while Ukraine said no military option was left to rescue the soldiers still inside a steel plant besieged by Russian forces.
Moscow’s troops have been accused of widespread atrocities against civilians during their devastating campaign, and Ukraine began its first war crimes trial of the conflict on Wednesday with a Russian soldier pleading guilty.
The brutality of the invasion that began on February 24 shook Sweden and Finland, and the neighbours — after decades of military non-alignment — decided to seek NATO membership despite warnings from the Kremlin.
“I warmly welcome and strongly support the historic applications from Finland and Sweden for membership in NATO,” Biden said in a statement Wednesday, offering US support against any “aggression” while their bids are considered.
Biden will meet President Sauli Niinisto of Finland and Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Washington on Thursday for consultations.
Football legend Shevchenko becomes ambassador for Ukraine charity
Former Ukraine, Chelsea and AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko has a new goal – to help raise funds for rebuilding his country following Russia’s invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Shevchenko, whom he met in Kyiv on Wednesday, had been appointed the first ambassador of UNITED24, a fundraising initiative to collect donations for the “restoration and development” of Ukraine.
“Andriy, with his work and sporting achievements, gained great confidence on the international stage,” Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
“And now he has a new mission to tell the world about the events in Ukraine and direct his authority to increase international assistance to our state. I am sure that is all for you it will work!”
Shevchenko, now 45, is widely regarded as his countrys greatest ever player. He played for Ukraine 111 times, scoring 48 goals, and represented Dynamo Kyiv before playing abroad. He was coach of the national team for five years until last August.
EU ‘must create solidarity fund to help rebuild Ukraine’
The European Union must make preparations for rebuilding Ukraine after the war by setting up a solidarity fund to help cover the billions of euros reconstruction will cost, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
Addressing parliament ahead of a meeting of EU leaders, Scholz said French President Emmanuel Macron was right that EU accession was not a matter of a few months or years, meaning it was all the more important to focus on pragmatic, immediate support.
“Rebuilding destroyed infrastructure and revitalising the Ukrainian economy will cost billions,” he said. “We as the EU must start laying the ground for a solidarity fund financed by contributions from the EU and its partners.”
Moment ‘cancer-stricken’ Putin retches and splutters through dazed meeting
Vladimir Putin appeared to retch and splutter through a televised meeting today – sparking fresh fears for his health after claims he’s being treated for cancer.
The Russian president‘s face looked bloated as he gripped the table in front of him during talks with Sergey Chemezov, head of state-owned defence giant Rostec.
Putin, 69, sat opposite Chemezov – an ally since their KGB days in the 1980s – amid rumours he is being treated for cancer.
He seemed to retch several times and struggle to speak throughout the clip released by Russian state TV.
It is the latest appearance by Putin to spark speculation about his health since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Kremlin insiders have claimed that he may have cancer, which could explain his recent bloated appearance and erratic behaviour.
Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund
PICTURES of women and children fleeing the horror of Ukraine’s devastated towns and cities have moved Sun readers to tears.
Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos — and now you can, by donating to The Sun’s Ukraine Fund.
Give as little as £3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded.
Donate here to help The Sun’s fund
Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles
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£10 — text SUN£10Texts cost your chosen donation amount (e.g. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit redcross.org.uk/mobile
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18620053/ukraine-russia-vladimir-putin-health-latest-updates-video-maps/
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