Dozens of Russian civilians returned by Ukraine
Kiev has handed over 33 civilians from Ukrainian-controlled parts of Russia's Kursk Region, Moscow's human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova has announced. Most of the repatriated citizens are elderly, the official noted.DETAILS TO FOLLOW
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Russia Today
3 days ago
- Russia Today
VIDEO shows Russian soldiers taking down Ukrainian drone with scissors
Russian soldiers have purportedly disabled a Ukrainian fiber-optic drone using scissors, according to a video posted on the Telegram channel Voennyi Osvedomitel (Military Informant) on Saturday. Unlike traditional FPV drones, these models do not rely on radio signals, making them resistant to electronic warfare, with both sides of the conflict deploying them. As the drone passed in an unspecified location in the forest, the troops identified its trailing fiber-optic cable, sprinted forward, and severed it with medical scissors. Moments later, the drone crashed and detonated, footage shows. Russia was first to mass-deploy these 'invisible thread' drones in mid-2024. The 'Prince Vandal of Novgorod' drone was developed by the Ushkuynik Scientific and Production Center in less than a year. The fiber-optic FPV drone has caused substantial damage to NATO-supplied equipment to Ukraine, with claims of up to $300 million in destroyed hardware, according to the head of Novgorod Region, Andrey Nikitin. The Times reported in May that Russia is beating Ukraine in 'the drone race' when it comes to both the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their use on the battlefield. It pointed to the fiber optic drone types connected directly to their operators through a gossamer thin fiber optic thread that makes them difficult to detect or intercept. Russian UAVs are 'altering the physical make-up of the front line, the tactics of the war and the psychology of the soldiers fighting it,' the outlet said. Despite their anti-jamming advantages, fiber-optic drones have a restricted operational range determined by the length of the cable and potential visibility of it under certain environmental conditions.
Russia Today
23-05-2025
- Russia Today
Russian civilians and soldiers return home in prisoner swap with Ukraine (VIDEOS)
The first groups of around 120 civilians and 270 military personnel released from Ukrainian captivity as part of a major prisoner exchange safely returned to Russia on Friday evening. While Moscow and Kiev have conducted several prisoner swaps since the escalation of hostilities in 2022, this exchange is expected to be the largest to date. The two sides agreed to a 1,000-for-1,000 exchange during last week's direct negotiations in Istanbul — the first such talks since Ukraine unilaterally withdrew from dialogue in 2022. Each country returned 270 soldiers and 120 civilians in the initial phase of the deal. The Russian soldiers were first transferred to Belarus, a close ally of Moscow, before being flown to the Russian capital, according to footage shared by Russian media outlets. Some of the freed civilians have already been brought home to the Kursk Region. Russia's Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova welcomed the release of 'civilians and political prisoners' captured during Ukraine's raid into the region last year, noting that some of them required medical assistance, and that 'the story of each of them is akin to an adventure novel or a political thriller.' She also added that around 34 residents of Kursk remain in Ukrainian custody. The swap is expected to continue in the coming days. Once the exchange is complete, Moscow will likely be ready to present its draft peace memorandum to Kiev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. The Russian side is 'actively working' on the document in accordance with the principles agreed during the Istanbul talks, he added. According to calculations by the Telegram channel Mash, the Istanbul deal would see Russia recover nearly all of its soldiers captured by Ukraine over the past three years. The channel estimated the total number of Russian prisoners of war at around 1,300, noting that Ukraine would recover only about one-tenth of its troops currently held by Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this week that he had agreed with US President Donald Trump that the next step toward resolving the conflict would involve drafting a memorandum outlining the core principles and timeline for a peace settlement. Trump welcomed the launch of the prisoner swap on Friday, expressing hope that it would 'lead to something big.'
Russia Today
22-05-2025
- Russia Today
Entertainer who turned down request to sing in Ukrainian accused of treason
A celebrity social media influencer in Ukraine is facing multiple criminal investigations, including a treason probe, after being filmed rolling her eyes at a request to sing in Ukrainian. The allegation against Anna Alkhim, who has over 250,000 Instagram followers, was confirmed Wednesday by MP Natalya Pipa, who said she and other lawmakers had urged police to launch an inquiry. Alkhim is also reportedly being investigated for incitement of hatred and for allegedly threatening a government official. Pipa urged parents to check whether their children are following 'bloggers who trample on Ukraine and everything Ukrainian, spread harmful messages and poison the minds and the souls of children.' Alkhim, whose legal name is Anna Buryachenko, has a reputation for scandal shaped by a turbulent personal life which often features in celebrity news. Nationalists, however, have criticized her for years for perceived anti-Ukrainian behavior. In a 2020 interview, Alkhim acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin is 'handsome' and described him as a very influential figure. She has also perviously declared that 'half of Ukrainian songs are total garbage.' In 2024, she filmed a video in front of billboards depicting her country's fallen soldiers, with a Russian song playing in the background. According to Pipa, the treason investigation stems from a 2023 incident in which Alkhim publicly named two hospitals in her hometown of Dnepr where wounded Ukrainian soldiers were being treated, the day before an alleged Russian attack on the facilities, sparking accusations from critics that she had leaked sensitive information. Alkhim rejected the accusations, declaring in an expletives-ridden message that the hospitals' military use was public knowledge and accusing her detractors of exploiting the timing to smear her. The latest backlash began after a video surfaced earlier this month showing Alkhim at a private event. When jokingly asked to sing in Ukrainian, she rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner and appeared to mutter something the video circulated, several nationalist figures demanded repercussions for what they called a disrespectful act. Pipa joined the calls for accountability, urging a 'harsh reaction' from the government. Alkhim is believed to have left Ukraine amid the controversy and appears to be defiant, despite the mounting pressure.
