EXCLUSIVE A bright yellow minibus, a force 9 gale in the Baltic and a gang of heavies with Kalashnikovs: how MI6 extracted a KGB colonel and double agent from under the Russians' noses - with his wife, son and senile mother-in-law in tow
Even with decades of experience between them, the two middle-aged spies were on edge. They were about to attempt something that had never been done before in the history of MI6.
Instead of smuggling out one Russian spy to a new life in Britain – the more usual scenario – they were going to extract an entire family.
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Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
U.S. trans mercenary who fought for Ukraine handed 20-year jail term for 'spreading fake news'
Russia has sentenced a U.S. trans woman who fought for Ukraine to 20 years in prison. Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, 47, was found guilty Tuesday of being a mercenary for Kyiv 's forces and spreading fake news about Russia's forces. The former journalist had been volunteering as a medic for Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces (TDF) and briefly served as its spokesperson. She was found guilty by the Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic in occupied Ukraine. Ashton-Cirillo traveled to Ukraine shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 to cover the conflict as a war correspondent for the U.S. publication LGBTQ Nation. Within a matter of months, she resigned her post and volunteered to join the Ukrainian army, fighting as part of Kharkiv's 113th Territorial Defense Brigade, and was made a junior sergeant. In 2023 she withdrew from the frontline, having suffered injuries amid a Russian artillery attack on her unit's position, and was appointed as an English-language spokesperson for the TDF. In this role, she launched a YouTube show entitled Russia Hates The Truth which she reviewed and debunked Moscow's disinformation campaigns, catching the eye of Russian media controllers. Russian authorities added Ashton-Cirillo to a 'register of extremists and terrorists' and opened a criminal case against her in 2024, months after she said Russian journalists affiliated with state media would be 'hunted down.' She was sentenced in absentia by the court in Donetsk, meaning that she would be liable to face the full jail term if captured by Russian forces. Ashton-Cirillo courted controversy in August 2023 after her work with the Ukrainian TDF was brought to the attention of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who at the time was a Republican senator. Vance penned a letter to then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines in which he accused the junior sergeant of threatening 'physical violence to anyone who circulates Russian propaganda' during a video message she had made while in post. He also wanted to know whether Ashton-Cirillo was being 'compensated using American resources' and questioned whether U.S. officials had 'reason to believe Ukrainian forces or intelligence services are planning to commit acts of violence against those who engage in "Russian propaganda." ' But Ashton-Cirillo went on to release a follow-up video amid Vance's speculation in which she told viewers that 'Russian devils' would 'pay for their crimes,' with Ukrainian TDF branding in the background. The release of the clip coincided with a visit to Washington by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and was not approved by the Ukrainian TDF, leading to her suspension. Speaking to in 2023, Ashton-Cirillo admitted she had not sought approval from her superiors before posting her response to Vance. 'Russia Hates The Truth doesn't require anything to be vetted - I and the TDF team have editorial control over that. 'It's meant to be as over the top as possible. 'It was my response to Senator Vance in uniform in front of the TDF logo without approval which was the reason for my suspension. 'I told my team that I was going to do it, but given that it was something as sensitive as a response to a U.S. Senator in a public setting, it needed to be approved. 'I couldn't believe it that there was a U.S. Senator trying to unmask me. 'It wasn't my message to him that was a problem, it was that President Zelensky was on a trip to the U.S. at the time and I probably should have held back in responding.' She was later cleared of wrongdoing and reinstated, but quickly moved into another unspecified role in Ukraine's Armed Forces. Ashton-Cirillo remains in Ukraine as of May 2025 and is engaged in promoting fundraising and crowdfunding campaigns to help Ukrainian soldiers wounded on the frontlines. The Russian-controlled court took umbrage with Ashton-Cirillo's vow to 'hunt down' Russian state-affiliated journalists and allegations that Russian forces had used biological weapons in operations in Ukraine and Syria. A court statement on the ruling against Ashton-Cirillo was published yesterday. It reads: 'The Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic has issued a verdict in absentia in the criminal case against 47-year-old U.S. citizen Sarah Ashton-Cirillo. 'She was found guilty under paragraph 'd' of Part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public dissemination of knowingly false information about the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation), Part 3 of Article 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation of a mercenary in an armed conflict). 'The court established that... the mercenary arrived in Ukraine, voluntarily joined the International Legion, and was then assigned to the 113th Territorial Defense Brigade of Ukraine. 'She underwent military training at training bases and was provided with firearms, ammunition, uniforms, and special equipment. Ashton-Cirillo took part in combat operations on the side of the Ukrainian security forces against servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. 'In August 2023, she prepared a video story, which she posted on the Internet, about the alleged stockpiles of biological weapons created in Russia and the use of chemical weapons by the Russian Armed Forces in the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as on the territory of Ukraine during a special military operation. 'The mercenary has been placed on an international wanted list, and the court has chosen a preventive measure in the form of detention in absentia against her. 'Taking into account the position of the state prosecutor, the court sentenced Ashton-Cirillo in absentia to 20 years of imprisonment to be served in a general regime penal colony.'
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted to change surname to Spencer 'amid fears Charles was delaying Archie and Lilibet's passports because the application included HRH titles'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle feared Archie and Lilibet's British passports were being held up at the behest of their grandfather the King over the use of their HRH titles, it was claimed today. The Sussexes are said to have become 'exasperated' about waiting months for their children's passports to arrive and believed it was being 'blocked' due to the use of their royal titles. The couple thought the application would take weeks and suspected it was because they wanted HRH on Archie and Lilibet's British travel documents. They then began exploring changing their surname to Spencer - a nod to Princess Diana, as revealed by The Mail on Sunday. 'The King hadn't wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles, most of all the HRH, and the British passports, once created, would be the first and perhaps the only legal proof of their names', a source close to Harry and Meghan reportedly told The Guardian. 'There was clear reluctance to issue passports for the kids'. The insider has claimed that Harry wanted Archie and Lilibet, whose fourth birthday yesterday was marked with a video of her mother and father twerking before her birth, to have HRH titles so when they are adults they retain the chance to become working royals, should they wish. However, Buckingham Palace has pushed back on the claims the King or any of his staff intervened. When asked if there was any objection from Charles or aides to the passports being issued with the HRH titles, a spokesman said: 'No' but declined to comment further. Buckingham Palace denied that the King or any of his aides had anything to do with the delays in issuing their passports A gift basket and HRH note sent to Meghan's friend, CEO of IT Cosmetics Jamie Kern Lima. Meghan's spokesman last month denied that has been using it for commercial gain On their birth certificates, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children are Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. But according to reports their applications used the surname Sussex, not Mountbatten-Windsor, which Archie had on his previous US and British passports. The average wait for a UK passport is currently around three weeks. But apparently Harry and Meghan cancelled their initial standard applications after three months and reapplied using the UK Government's 24-hour passport service. But then their online meeting to fasttrack the applications was eventually cancelled at the 11th hour owing to a 'systems failure.' The Guardian's source claimed that Harry and Meghan feared officials in the UK were 'dragging their feet' because Archie and Lilibet's passport applications included the titles HRH. The insider added: 'Harry was at a point where British passports for his children with their updated Sussex surnames (since the death of Queen Elizabeth II) were being blocked with a string of excuses over the course of five months. 'Out of sheer exasperation he went to his uncle to effectively say: 'My family are supposed to have the same name and they're stopping that from happening because the kids are legally HRH, so if push comes to shove, if this blows up and they won't let the kids be called Sussex, then can we use Spencer as a surname?'.' The couple then reportedly asked their lawyers to write to the HM Passport Office threatening to pursue a data subject access request relating to Archie and Lilibet's applications. Days later the two passports were reportedly issued with HRH titles and Sussex as the new surname. A spokesman for Harry and Meghan said: 'We do not comment on private issues pertaining to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 's children.' The Home Office declined to comment. Meghan Markle posted a video of her and Prince Harry twerking in a hospital room before Lilibet's birth to mark her fourth birthday yesterday The Sussexes' use of HRH has proved highly controversial because the couple are said to have reassured the Queen that they would not use the title after they emigrated to the US. But then MailOnline revealed last month that Meghan Markle calls herself Her Royal Highness to friends - but has denied that in doing so she is flouting the Megxit deal agreed with the late monarch. The former actress, 43, sparked controversy after her friend Jamie Kern Lima shared a picture of a food hamper with a note that said it was 'With the compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex'. Although no laws were passed or documents signed to prevent their use, Harry and Meghan's agreement with the late Queen and senior officials was that they would stop using the word 'Royal' and their HRH titles after they quit duties and emigrated to the US to become 'financially independent' from the Crown. A spokesman for the Sussexes insisted that they do not use HRH titles for commercial purposes. A source close to the royal couple suggested that the image shared by Jamie Kern Lima was taken before the Duchess launched her As Ever brand in early March. In the podcast, Jamie Kern Lima claimed that she had been sent the jam last year. The Sussexes have never had their HRH taken away by Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles. The source close to the couple said that while Meghan and Harry do not publicly use 'HRH ', their titles remain. Last weekend The Mail on Sunday revealed how Prince Harry sought advice from Princess Diana 's brother about changing his family name to Spencer. Sources told Richard Eden that the Duke of Sussex actively explored ways to assume his mother's surname – a move that would have involved ditching Mountbatten-Windsor, used by his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It is understood he discussed the issue with Earl Spencer – whose family seat is Althorp in Northamptonshire – during a rare visit to Britain, but was told that the legal hurdles were insurmountable. 'They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step,' said a friend of Harry. Nevertheless, the fact that he consulted the Earl over the issue – a proposal that would dismay his brother and father – is a vivid expression of the toxic rift with his family. Mountbatten-Windsor is the surname available to descendants of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. It combines the Royal Family 's name of Windsor and the Duke of Edinburgh 's adopted surname. Royal author Tom Bower has claimed that 'Meghan decided her real object in life was to be Diana'. If the name change had succeeded, Meghan's daughter, who is believed to have met the King only once, would have become Lilibet Diana Spencer, a more fulsome tribute to Harry's late mother. The move would be particularly hurtful to King Charles, who cherishes the Mountbatten name just as his father did.
Reuters
34 minutes ago
- Reuters
Franc leading Swiss back to deflation vortex, asset stockpiling
LONDON, June 5 (Reuters) - The supercharged Swiss franc is sucking Switzerland back into a deflationary vortex that its central bank will once again struggle to escape, possibly recycling a fresh wave of financial flows back out across the world. The Swiss franc, long perceived as a haven in stressful times, has seen its broad nominal exchange rate index surge 5% since U.S. President Donald Trump's return to the White House. But this is just the latest leg of a relentless appreciation of 20% in five years and 33% over the past decade. In a small open economy, that latest move has been enough to force deflationary relapse and the first drop in annual aggregate Swiss consumer prices in four years last month. In turn, the Swiss National Bank will almost certainly cut its already meagre 0.25% interest rate back to zero this month. A return to the negative interest rate era of the eight years through 2022 now seems almost inevitable further out. Markets already see a one-in-three chance of that happening as soon as the SNB's meeting on June 19. As the last experiment showed, there's a limit to how negative rates can go - mainly because it would be cheaper for big savers to vault their own money than have banks dock more than about 0.75% of deposits annually. And so the SNB may quickly have to resume selling francs and expanding its balance sheet once again to ward off deflation. It's been here before. The SNB's balance sheet ballooned almost 10-fold over the decade to 2022, hitting more than 1 trillion francs ($1.3 trillion) at its peak. While it has shrunk since to 843 billion francs, it remains bigger than annual Swiss GDP and more than four times that of the Federal Reserve's balance sheet as a share of the U.S. economy. Even though the SNB has appeared somewhat reluctant to resume outright franc sales recently, its top brass has pointedly refused to rule out either negative rates or another protracted bout of franc intervention. A sustained reversal of the franc's fortunes may allow the country to dodge the problem of course - with much of this year's franc surge coming against the ebbing dollar, unlike the euro/Swiss rate focus of a decade ago during the euro crisis. But if "safety" flows are at least part of what's driving the Swiss currency higher this year, then it's hard to see trade or geopolitical peace breaking out anytime soon. While this may all feel like deja vu in Switzerland, a slow-motion repeat of the "frankenshock" episode, it speaks to some of the biggest trends impacting markets today and has numerous implications globally. Rebuilding SNB reserves from today's already lofty levels could put upward pressure on a range of euro debt and dollar equity assets. The SNB remains a top 50 shareholder in all seven of the top U.S. big tech megacap stocks, for example, as well as euro zone government debt. The SNB diversified away from the euro in favour of dollars during the euro debt crisis over a decade ago and now holds an equal share of both euro and dollar holdings, as Barclays analysts point out. "A reversal of that trend would not be unprecedented," they said, referring to "jitters" around the prospect of the SNB diversifying away from the dollar in light of recent trade developments. While the SNB's trade-weighted franc index is dominated by a 42% euro weighting, the dollar still commands a 14% share and the dollar, yuan, yen and sterling combined account for about a third of the total. And so a sharp weakening of the dollar, dollar-priced commodities and other dollar-linked currencies still packs a punch for Switzerland regardless of relative stability on the euro. The other complication of a renewed intervention bout is that Switzerland finds itself firmly on the radar of the Trump Treasury's "currency manipulator" report, expected by analysts to be published this month. ING's Francesco Pesole reckons one reason the SNB has been holding off from intervention so far this year is precisely because it wants to avoid being labelled a manipulator by Washington and thus face a more extreme tariff onslaught. Pesole says that with Switzerland already in the "currency manipulator" report's sights due to the country's trade surplus with the U.S., its current account surplus more broadly and its long history of currency capping, the SNB may push negative rates as far as they can go before wading back into foreign exchange markets. "Should the (U.S.) Treasury's FX report be published before then, markets may increase their bets on a 50bp rate cut in June on the view that being added to the monitoring list further reduces the scope for FX interventions," he wrote. Unlike previous franc surges, when FX purchases were the obvious solution, the SNB may now find itself "damned if it does, and damned if it doesn't." The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters
