Sleeper agent plot to assassinate Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky revealed by reports
©UK Independent
Today at 00:30
A plot to assassinate Volodymyr Zelensky at an airport in Poland last year involved a Polish pensioner who had been a Russian sleeper agent for decades, new reports have revealed.
It is among what is believed to be dozens of attempts on the Ukrainian president's life since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Missile strikes, deliberate pandemic & protecting royals – inside British military drills for war on UK soil
MINISTERS have warned Britain could face a "wartime scenario" and unveiled plans for how the country will prepare to face threats. A chilling new national security blueprint set out what the UK can expect as Russia, China and ramp up threats. 12 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer watches a demonstration by troops as he visits the Netherlands marines training base Credit: Reuters 12 Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet with soldiers from the Operation Interflex at Downing Street Credit: EPA 12 Members of the Indonesian Navy stand guard as the British Royal Navy's HMS Richmond anchors at the Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 25 Credit: EPA 12 Royal Navy warships shadow Russian vessels in the English Channel and waters off the Outer Hebrides Credit: Royal Navy The stark message came as the PM jetted into The Hague for a crunch NATO summit, where leaders confirmed plans for all allies to spend five per cent of GDP on defence and security by 2035. Sir Keir Starmer admitted the country faces 'daily challenges on the home front' when asked about the growing threat after the security strategy's release. The Government's strategy lays bare the scale of the 'For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the Read more The new plan focuses on three key areas - protecting the UK at home, working with allies to strengthen But the PM is now facing growing pressure to explain how they will afford the huge jump in defence spending needed to meet NATO's 2035 target. The warning comes after Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, declaring that without a major increase in defence spending, the British 'better learn to speak Russian'. The strategy said threats from other countries are on the rise. Most read in The Sun It revealed that the UK has been "directly threatened by hostile activities including assassination, intimidation, espionage, sabotage, cyber attacks and other forms of democratic interference". Annual drills for terror attacks, assassinations and missile strikes Britain will hold annual drills to prepare for a wide range of enemy attacks. The new national security strategy on Tuesday included plans for the exercises designed to test the country's "whole-of-society preparedness". These will include Ministers have committed to the annual drills which will test the response to the Government, Possible drills may include a missile strike by a foreign state, a mass terror attack, cyber attacks or the assassination of a public figure. The first drill will be held this autumn and will be codenamed "Pegasus". It will test how the Government and other public bodies would respond to a new global pandemic - five years after Covid-19 wrecked havoc across the country, triggering multiple lockdowns. According to 12 Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to British and Albanian troops at Berzite military museum in Tirana, Albania Credit: AP 12 Defence Secretary John Healey speaks with flight crew as he visits RAF Waddington in Northolt, United Kingdom Credit: Getty 12 Troops check their kit ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Keir Starmer Credit: Getty Mock-ups of emergency Cobra meetings Part of these preparedness drills will include mock-ups of Cobra meetings, which are held in an emergency. These are held in the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms in Whitehall. The meetings are held to co-ordinate the actions of Government bodies in response to national or sometimes regional emergencies. COBRA meetings are also held during overseas events that could have a major impact on the UK. They are held in the event of catastrophic emergencies, including natural disasters, terrorist attacks and major industrial accidents or disruption. For example, following the 9/11 attacks COBRA was used to take the decision to immediately close UK airspace. Depending on the emergency, officials and agencies most closely involved will already be handling many of the immediate decisions. In a terrorist attack, the emergency services and security services will already be responding, while in the event of floods or other natural disaster the Environment Agency, local authorities and emergency services will be coordinating action straight away. Convening it can sometimes be a way for prime ministers to indicate that they are taking action and have a grip of the situation. Between January and April 2020, at least 16 COBRA meetings took place as the Covid pandemic intensified the 2024 summer riots following the 12 Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street after an emergency Cobra meeting was called during the 2024 summer riots Credit: PA 12 Foreign Secretary David Lammy departs from an emergency Cobra meeting at Downing Street on June 18, 2025 Credit: Getty Cold War-style "protect and survive" films Tuesday's report also promised "greater vigilance to the public" going forward. This may lead to a return of Cold War-style "protect and survive" information films. They were used between 1974 and 1980. These advised the public on how to survive a nuclear attack. Instructions included how to prepare a fallout room, stockpiling supplies like food and water, and recognising warning signals. Escape plans for politicians and the Royal Family According to The Telegraph, the Cabinet Office civil servants are running a complex war game. It would set out the movements of ministers in the hours after a major attack by a hostile state. This would include how senior politicians would escape if London was bombed. It would also plan where the Royal Family would be taken to keep them safe during such an attack. The plans were last updated more than two decades ago. 12 Prince William, Prince of Wales, Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps (AAC), visits the regiment for the first time for a firsthand introduction to 4 Regiment Army Air Corps (4AAC), on June 4 Credit: Getty A new network of biosecurity centres Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden told the House of Commons that the plan is "both clear-eyed and hard-edged about the challenges we face". The strategy will boost the UK's capabilities in shipbuilding, nuclear power and artificial intelligence. The Government will also spend £1billion on a "new network of national biosecurity centres". These are aimed at improving the UK's defences against biological attacks. It is also intended to reduce the country's dependence on others, "including the ability of adversaries to coerce or manipulate us". RAF pilots to get nuclear bombers for the first time in 30 years The F-35As will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk, which housed Britain's air-launched nuclear weapons until 1998. That was the year then—PM Tony Blair scrapped Britain's air-launched bomb, the WE-177. The new B-61 bombs, made by US-firm Lockheed Martin, can take out small areas — unlike Trident 2 missiles on Britain's submarines which can obliterate whole cities. The F-35As can also carry conventional weapons. The announcement came as a new National Security Strategy warned: 'For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario.' The Government said the jets would support Nato's nuclear mission. Ahead of today's Nato summit in The Hague, The strategy highlighted Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the most pressing example. And it warned It added: 'Some adversaries are laying the foundations for future conflict, positioning themselves to move quickly to cause major disruption to our energy and/or supply chains, to deter us from standing up to their aggression.' The strategy said the UK's enemies are spreading disinformation and using social media to "stoke tensions between generations, genders and ethnic groups". Critical infrastructure such as undersea cables will "continue to be a target", the document added. 12 The F-35As can also carry conventional weapons Credit: Stephen Huntley/HVC 12 The Government said the jets would support Nato's nuclear mission
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Brit paedo Jacky Jhaj's ad for ‘Disneyland child wedding' revealed calling for 100 kids to ‘watch him marry girl, 9'
THE ad for the sickening Disneyland "child wedding" has been revealed - calling kids as young as five to watch Brit paedophile Jacky Jhaj allegedly "marry" a nine-year-old girl. Jhaj, 39, previously jailed in the UK for child sex offences, was arrested for putting on the 7 The ad for the sickening Disneyland 'child wedding' has been revealed Credit: Facebook 7 Jacky Jhaj is a convicted paedophile who was jailed for four years in 2016 7 Jhaj was allegedly the 'groom' in a mock wedding ceremony with a child at Disneyland Paris Credit: 7 A bracelet given to guests at the fake ceremony showed the name 'Jack' as the pretend husband on behalf of paedophile Jacky Credit: Instagram/bfmtv The disgraced director and actor, from Feltham, was His latest The sex offender was allegedly the "groom" in a twisted mock wedding ceremony - involving a nine-year-old girl as "bride". Disney staff immediately called cops after seeing a "scared and confused" child in a big dress with four-inch heels taped to her feet, reports French newspaper read more news Jhaj was described as the "mastermind" behind the abominable stunt. The Facebook ad for the vile production has been revealed, offering kids as young as five 200 euros to be an "extra" in the fake wedding. 100 kids aged five to 15 were required, according to the ad, with those involved in the production having to maintain "absolute confidentiality". Their role was to "stand up, sit, applaud and play their part in the prestigious gathering". Most read in The Sun A private bus service to transport "guests" from the Paris city centre to the "exceptional live shoot" was offered. And those who attended what was dubbed in the ad a "high-end wedding rehearsal" were required to wear a "very elegant evening outfit" like a "suit, evening dress or tuxedo". Brit, 22, arrested at Disneyland Paris after 'trying to marry girl, 9, in bizarre ceremony at Sleeping Beauty castle' The sickening advert was posted by a woman named Christelle Ka, who is a self-proclaimed "actor and TV host". It is unclear what her connection to paedo Jhaj is. Le Casting Parisien and Christelle Ka have been approached for comment. Jhaj has reportedly been charged with fraud, breach of trust, money laundering and identity theft after the horror incident. Jhaj and the "bride" girl's 41-year-old mother, believed to be Ukrainian, were arrested, along with two others involved in the ceremony. Both Disneyland Paris and the "guests" claim they were deliberately misled - none knew a child would be involved in the mock wedding. The sex offender even conned Disney officials by "assuming the identity of a Latvian national and using false documents to secure the contract" of the park, according to a Meaux prosecuting spokesman. Prosecutors confirmed on Tuesday that Jhaj is known in the UK "for sexual offences against minors" and is 7 Guests at the twisted mock 'wedding rehearsal' in front of Disneyland Paris' Sleeping Beauty castle Credit: 7 The man posing as the 'groom' claimed that he was the director of a production company and that they were shooting a video Credit: Instagram Before his arrest, he drove around the streets of Hounslow, offering girls alcohol and claiming to be a Hollywood film producer. After his conviction, Detective Constable Nav Johal, the investigating officer from Hounslow CID, said: "Thanks to the courage and bravery of the young vulnerable victims who gave evidence, a dangerous sexual predator has been brought to justice. 'I am hopeful that the verdict and sentencing will give them some peace and closure, and they will be able to, in time, move forward from this difficult period." But the convicted paedophile has pulled a string of distasteful stunts since being released from jail. In September 2024, Jhaj A year before the explosion, A Met spokesperson said: "A 39-year-old man is wanted by the Met Police for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a breach of a Sex Offenders' Register notification requirement. "We are aware the man has been arrested in France for other matters and officers are in contact with the French authorities." 7 Disneyland Paris rented out the iconic castle grounds to the organisers under the belief it was a genuine wedding
Irish Independent
9 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Ukraine seeks Western help as latest Russian attacks kill 24 and injure over 200
©Associated Press Today at 00:30 Russian drones, missiles and artillery killed at least 24 civilians and injured more than 200 others in Ukraine, officials said yesterday. It comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky sought guarantees at a Nato summit of further Western help for his country's efforts to repel Russia's invasion.
