Free Republic

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not hold his annual year-end press conference for the first time in a decade, prompting speculation that the Russian leader is sick or running scared from answering questions about Ukraine as the war enters its 10th month. “As for the big press conference, yes, it won’t happen before the New Year,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Monday. “But we hope that the president will still find an opportunity to talk with [journalists], as he regularly does, including during foreign [visits],” Peskov added. While Peskov gave no reason behind the move, the war in Ukraine...

Putin promised the Russian people that Donbas would be liberated. And the path to that goal - however fantastical - lies through Bakhmut. So the show must go on. The battle is more symbolic than practical. Analysts agree the blood price that Russia has paid trying to take Bakhmut - thought to be more than 100 troops per day - is not worth the value of capturing it. 'They are just meat to Putin,' a commander named Kostyantyn told the FT on a visit to the front. 'And Bakhmut is a meat grinder. For what? A f****** metre of our...

Vladimir Putin is reportedly set to have surgery following a fall and is also preparing to move his “loved ones” to a huge bunker facility to celebrate New Year's Eve. Russian President Vladimir Putin, 70, allegedly slipped coming down stairs at his Moscow home and bruised his tailbone, but his office has denied the claims. The Russian leader was seen overnight walking gingerly but unaided down the steps of his aircraft in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, for a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union. -snip- Putin, 70, was also seen awkwardly climbing steps in light snow to meet summit...

VLADIMIR Putin appeared swollen as he issued a warning about Russia’s potential use of nuclear weapons. The Russian tyrant, who is rumoured to be “critically ill”, also gave a chilling update on the war in Ukraine, which he said could last for a long time. Putin’s public appearances during the invasion of Ukraine have shown him out of breath, stumbling over his words, or looking exhausted. His alleged health issues hit a new low after it emerged that he apparently soiled himself during a fall at his official residence. Speaking at a meeting of his own Human Rights Council, Putin...

Vladimir Putin guzzled champagne as he blamed Ukraine for Russia's military strikes while admitting the Kremlin has struck key civilian infrastructure. "There's a lot of noise about our strikes on the energy infrastructure of a neighbouring country. Yes, we do that. But who started it?" the Russian president said at an awards ceremony. Russian President Vladimir Putin put on a grotesquely grand dinner for senior Kremlin members to award Gold Star medals to Heroes of Russia on the eve of Heroes of the Fatherland Day in Moscow. -snip- Also in attendance was Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Head of Chechnya, Ramzan...

A new video of an allegedly intoxicated Vladimir Putin discussing the Russia-Ukraine war has been viewed over 820,000 times on Twitter. -snip- Anna Nemtsova, a journalist based in Moscow, tweeted that Putin's alleged intoxication is a first during his time in office. "We've seen many staged photo&video shoots in 20 Years including half-naked Putin on a horse or diving for some Greek jugs,Putin flying w migratory birds or kissing a boy on the stomach but drunk speeches about Russian missiles striking neighbouring state must be Putin's own act," she tweeted. CBC journalist Evan Dyer called it "very strange to see...

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has postponed a planned visit to Minsk following the death of his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei, according to Russian media reports quoting the foreign ministry. Belarus's state news agency Belta reported on Saturday that the long-standing foreign minister and associate of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko had died suddenly. The cause of death wasn't given and Makei wasn't known to suffer from any chronic illness. Makei, 64, was due to meet Lavrov on Monday. Last week he attended a conference of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) -- a military alliance of several post soviet states...

Vladimir Makei 'passed away suddenly', Belarusian state media reported today They gave no cause for Makei's death or any explanation of the circumstances Makei, 64, was due to meet Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov tomorrow He was then set to travel to Poland to meet a host of Western diplomats Some opposition figures in Russia and Belarus have posited the Belarusian security service could well have been involved in Makei's death Belarus's long-standing foreign minister has died suddenly, the state news agency Belta reported on Saturday, just days before he was due in Poland to meet key Western officials. 'Foreign Minister...

THIS is the moment Vladimir Putin appears to wheeze and gasp through a meeting with grieving mums whose children were killed in Ukraine. Russia's president - who is reportedly "critically ill" - met with a carefully selected group of parents as he sat down with them to have tea, cakes and fresh berries. Putin appeared physically uncomfortable and breathless as he spoke - stopping to clear his throat on multi occasions and struggling with his words. "I would like you to know that, that I personally, and the whole leadership of the country - we share your pain," Vlad told...

Belarus foreign minister dies suddenly - one day after meeting Pope's envoy Ante Jozić amid speculation they were discussing a secret peace plan in Ukraine. CAREER SPY Makei had been foreign minister for a decade and was due tomorrow and Monday to host Vladimir Putin's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Minsk. Lavrov's spokeswoman said Russia was 'shocked' at his passing. No cause of death was given - but several sources speculated that his demise could be suspicious. Makei was described as 'healthy'. He had been trained in the Soviet GRU and had a reputation as Lukashenko's 'grey cardinal'. While Lukashenko...

In a visit to Moscow, Miguel Díaz-Canel showed his support for Russia’s leader, in exchange for the postponement of debt payments. Cuba and Russia are united by sanctions and historic confrontations with the United States. On Tuesday, the leaders of the two countries – Miguel Díaz-Canel and Vladimir Putin – met in Moscow to strengthen their bond. -snip- “We denounce the sanctions against Russia and the sources of the current conflict… make no mistake, Russia is not responsible,” the Cuban president said at the beginning of his meeting with Putin. He went on to accuse Washington of expanding NATO “in...

Vladimir Putin has again been pictured tightly gripping a chair and shuffling his feet amid on-going speculation about the Russian president's health. Footage from Putin's Tuesday meeting with Miguel Díaz-Canel, the president of Cuba and leader of the country's communist party, showed the Russian despot sitting awkwardly in his chair as the pair spoke in front of the cameras. -snip- In the latest example, a puffy-faced Putin is seen smiling gingerly as he speaks with Díaz-Canel infront of a marble fireplace in Moscow. His left hand is seen wrapped tightly around the arm of the white chair he is sitting...

A desperate Vladimir Putin will seek to massively boost mobilisation by sending more troops to fight in Ukraine, and impose martial law in many Russian cities, it was forecast today. Yet the draconian moves could trigger a coup from within the elite even before his 'poor health' incapacitates him, says one expert. And he is now using body doubles who are so like him, it is impossible to tell the difference, it is claimed. The scheme comes as Putin's men were forced to retreat from Kherson last week This comes as the first train arrived in the liberated city since...

Update from Ukraine | We are going to cut Ruzzians and Destroy their Army in Massive Counterattack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6Eb6_lpcRk Follow on Instagram up to date uploads. https://www.instagram.com/denys_pilot/ Military maps here: https://militaryland.net/ https://militaryland.net/news/invasion-day-264-summary/

Russia’s first mobilization since World War II may be complete, but the deployment of thousands of soldiers to the battlefields of Ukraine is generating dissent and protest on the front lines – and back home. With the Russian government touting that at least 50,000 of the recently drafted are now in Ukraine, a long list of complaints is emerging: Lack of leadership from mid-ranking officers, tactics that lead to heavy casualties, non-existent training, promised payments not received. There are also logistical difficulties, as reported by soldiers, their families and Russian military bloggers: Insufficient uniforms, poor food, a lack of medical...

These people are not oligarchs per se, but they're people who sit in positions that have some kind of authority over important cash flows - particularly in the oil and gas business,' such as firms Gazprom, Lukoil, Novatek or Gazprombank. 'The sanctions have been devastating for Russia... as a result the pie has been seriously diminished, and a lot of people want to keep their own personal cash flow at the level they had before the war started. 'And so everyone is looking around to redistribute pieces of the pie. Bill Browder, who once ran Russia's largest foreign investment fund,...

Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told lawmakers that Kyiv may not withstand the first 72 hours of Russian invasion and that it could fall in less than 3 days, Fox News reported citing multiple sources with the United States Congress. Milley reportedly warned lawmakers in this week's closed-door briefings, adding that around 15,000 Ukrainian troops and 4,000 Russian troops could lose their lives if Moscow chooses to invade.

-Vladimir Putin has been offered surrender terms by Ukraine and allies, a prominent Russian academic said -Plan would see Russia give up all territory in Ukraine except Crimea, which would become demilitarised zone -In return, Putin and cronies would avoid war crimes prosecution and remain in power, Valery Solovey claimed -Details emerged as Russian troops fled Kherson, with Ukraine liberating the city after eight-month occupation -Putin's forces fled east across the Dnipro River, with Ukrainians painting a picture of a chaotic retreat, that saw Russian troops ditching their uniforms or drowning while trying to escape Vladimir Putin has been offered...

Russian troops DESTROY Ukraine dam then flee Kherson dressed as CIVILIANS in the face of furious Ukraine fire as liberated locals celebrate and shamed Putin suffers 'significant reputational damage' from retreat -Russian troops destroyed a key Ukrainian dam before fleeing Kherson dressed as civilians as they fled region -Video showed moment Nova Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River was blown up by retreating Russian soldiers -Antonovsky Bridge has also been destroyed, which is the other main crossing point into Kherson Region -Satellite images emerged showing damage to Nova Kakhovka dam analysts say was 'deliberately destroyed' -Breaching Soviet-era dam could see...

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday ordered his troops to withdraw from the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson and take up defensive lines on the opposite bank of the River Dnipro. The announcement marked one of Russia's most significant retreats and a potential turning point in the war, now nearing the end of its ninth month. In televised comments, General Sergei Surovikin, in overall command of the war, said it was no longer possible to keep Kherson city supplied. -snip- The announcement had been anticipated by Russia's influential war bloggers, who described it as a bitter blow. "Apparently we...