Body found inside the head of iconic WW2 monument
A body has been discovered inside the head of 'The Motherland calls', an iconic 85-meter statue in the city of Volgograd, according to Russia's Investigative Committee.
Volgograd, which was known as Stalingrad from 1925 to 1961, saw one of the Second World War's deadliest and most pivotal battles. 'The Motherland Calls', by architect Evgeny Vuchetich, was erected in 1967 to commemorate the defenders of the city and remains the tallest statue of a woman globally.
The local branch of Russia's Investigative Committee has told RIA Novosti on Thursday that a probe has been launched into the death of a man inside the statue, who they described as a tourist. A source cited by the news outlet later identified him as the principal of the Moscow State Academy of Physical Education, Nikolay Chesnokov.Local news website V1.ru reported that he had started to feel unwell during an excursion inside the statue and passed away before paramedics could reach him.
Later in the day, the academy announced on its website that Chesnokov had passed away at the age of 68.
Chesnokov was a former track and field athlete, a Doctor of Sciences in Pedagogy, a professor and a member of the expert council at the Russian Sports Ministry. He had been the principal of the Moscow State Academy of Physical Education since May 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
6 hours ago
- Russia Today
Zelensky gave Putin ‘reason to bomb the hell out of' Ukraine
The recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian airfields hosting long-range nuclear-capable bombers have sharply increased the risk of escalation and gave Moscow a valid reason to retaliate with force, US President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday. In addition to launching a coordinated drone strike on multiple Russian airbases, Ukraine also blew up railway bridges in Russia last week, derailing both civilian and freight trains, killing at least seven people, and injuring over 120 others, including children. President Vladimir Putin discussed the attacks in a phone call with his US counterpart on Wednesday, warning that Moscow's response is inevitable and justified. Trump told journalists on Friday that he 'didn't like' the escalation when asked whether Kiev's attack on a key component of Russia's nuclear triad changed his view of 'what's at stake' and what 'cards' Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky holds. 'Well, they gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night,' Trump stated. 'That's something I didn't like about it. When I saw it, I said: 'Here we go… now it's going to be a strike.'' In response to the recent 'terrorist acts' by Kiev, the Russian military carried out large-scale strikes against Ukrainian defense industry sites early Friday morning, using air-, sea-, and land-based missiles as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to the Defense Ministry. The targets of the overnight strikes included 'design bureaus, enterprises involved in the production and repair of Ukraine's weapons and military equipment, workshops for the assembly of attack drones, flight training centers, as well as warehouses of weapons and military equipment,' the statement said. Putin described the deadly railway sabotage incidents as 'undoubtedly a terrorist act' committed by the 'illegitimate regime in Kiev,' which, he said, is 'gradually turning into a terrorist organization.' Moscow has accused Kiev of escalating its attacks in an effort to undermine US-backed peace talks. Russia has also claimed that Trump is receiving 'filtered' information about the Ukraine conflict from individuals pushing Washington to support Kiev.
Russia Today
10 hours ago
- Russia Today
Ukraine's most reckless attack: Was NATO behind it?
While Western headlines celebrated Operation Spider's Web as a daring feat of Ukrainian ingenuity, a closer look reveals something far more calculated – and far less Ukrainian. This wasn't just a strike on Russian airfields. It was a test – one that blended high-tech sabotage, covert infiltration, and satellite-guided timing with the kind of precision that only the world's most advanced intelligence networks can deliver. And it begs the question: who was really pulling the strings? Let's be honest. Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence didn't act alone. It couldn't have. Even if no Western agency was directly involved in the operation itself, the broader picture is clear: Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, its military, and even its top political leadership rely heavily on Western intelligence feeds. Ukraine is deeply embedded within NATO's intelligence-sharing architecture. The idea of a self-contained Ukrainian intel ecosystem is largely a thing of the past. These days, Kiev draws primarily on NATO-provided data, supplementing it with its own domestic sources where it can. That's the backdrop – a hybrid model that's become standard over the past two years. Now, let's look more closely at Operation Spider's Web itself. We know the planning took roughly 18 months and involved moving drones covertly into Russian territory, hiding them, and then orchestrating coordinated attacks on key airfields. So how likely is it that Western intelligence agencies had a hand in such a complex operation? Start with logistics. It's been reported that 117 drones were prepped for launch inside Russia. Given that numerous private companies in Russia currently manufacture drones for the war effort, it wouldn't have been difficult to assemble the necessary devices under that cover. That's almost certainly what happened. Components were likely purchased domestically under the guise of supplying the 'Special Military Operation.' Still, it's hard to believe Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence could have pulled off this mass procurement and assembly alone. It's highly likely Western intelligence agencies played a quiet but crucial role – especially in securing specialized components. Then there's the explosives. If the operation's command center was located in the Ural region, as some suggest, it's plausible that explosives or components were smuggled in via neighboring CIS countries. That kind of border-hopping precision doesn't happen without outside help. In fact, it mirrors tactics long perfected by intelligence services in both the US and Western Europe. Because make no mistake: this wasn't just the CIA's playground. European services – particularly those in the UK, France, and Germany – possess the same capabilities to execute and conceal such an operation. The NATO intelligence community may have different national flags, but it speaks with one voice in the field. The real giveaway, however, lies in the timing of the strikes. These weren't blind attacks on static targets. Russia's strategic bombers frequently rotate bases. Commercial satellite imagery – updated every few days at best – simply can't track aircraft on the move. And yet these drones struck with exquisite timing. That points to a steady flow of real-time surveillance, likely derived from signals intelligence, radar tracking, and live satellite feeds – all tools in the Western intelligence toolbox. Could Ukraine, on its own, have mustered that kind of persistent, multidomain awareness? Not a chance. That level of situational intelligence is the domain of NATO's most capable agencies – particularly those tasked with monitoring Russian military infrastructure as part of their day job. For years now, Ukraine has been described in Western media as a plucky underdog using low-cost tactics to take on a larger foe. But beneath the David vs. Goliath narrative lies a more uncomfortable truth: Ukraine's intelligence ecosystem is now deeply embedded within NATO's operational architecture. Real-time feeds from US and European satellites, intercepts from British SIGINT stations, operational planning consultations with Western handlers – this is the new normal. Ukraine still has its own sources, but it's no longer running a self-contained intelligence operation. That era ended with the first HIMARS launch. Western officials, of course, deny direct involvement. But Russian investigators are already analyzing mobile traffic around the impact sites. If it turns out that these drones weren't connected to commercial mobile networks – if, instead, they were guided through encrypted, military-grade links – it will be damning. Not only would that confirm foreign operational input, it would expose the full extent of how Western assets operated inside Russia without detection. At that point, no amount of plausible deniability will cover the truth. The question will no longer be whether NATO participated – but how deep that participation ran.
Russia Today
13 hours ago
- Russia Today
Wagner PMC announces withdrawal from African country
Russian private military company (PMC) Wagner Group announced the end of its mission in Mali on Thursday, saying its fighters have completed their objectives and are returning home. Wagner operatives have reportedly been active there since 2021, when the West African country's transitional authorities turned to the group for support following a coup and a surge in attacks by Tuareg rebels and al-Qaeda-linked militants. 'For three and a half years, the 'musicians' fought shoulder to shoulder with the people of Mali against terrorism,' Wagner said, using the informal name for its contractors. 'We eliminated thousands of militants and their commanders, who had terrorized the civilian population for years.' The group added that it had helped Malian patriots build 'a strong and disciplined army capable of defending its land,' and claimed that all regional capitals had been returned to 'the control of the legitimate authorities.' Wagner declared that 'the mission is complete. Wagner PMC is returning home.' Previously, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had confirmed that the Mali government had indeed asked Wagner for help back in 2021 and has since also been receiving official military support from Russia. In April, he reiterated Moscow's commitment to support the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—by helping build joint armed forces, training personnel, and supplying weapons. Wagner's withdrawal comes amid accusations by Malian and Russian officials that Ukrainian military agents have been aiding jihadist groups in the region. Earlier this week, the Malian outlet Bamada reported that government troops had recovered Ukrainian drones and documents from vehicles used by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate. According to the outlet, the drones were allegedly delivered via neighboring Mauritania by Ukrainian instructors working with Tuareg fighters, who then passed the equipment to their jihadist allies. Materials linked to Ukraine's military intelligence were also reportedly seized near the town of Mopti. Russian Foreign Ministry official Tatyana Dovgalenko echoed the accusations, claiming Kiev has been supplying Western-provided weapons to militants across Africa as part of 'systematic efforts' to destabilize the Sahel. In 2024, a deadly ambush by Tuareg rebels left dozens of Malian and Wagner fighters dead. A spokesman for Ukraine's military intelligence later described it as a 'successful military operation,' prompting Mali to cut diplomatic ties with Kiev, followed by Burkina Faso and Niger.
