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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Putin's former classmate turned top judge Irina Podnosova dies at 71 in latest ‘mystery' death of senior Russian figure
RUSSIA'S top judge and Putin's former university pal has died today - just 15 months after taking the helm of the country's Supreme Court. Irina Podnosova, 71, died after battling cancer for over a year, sources say, but Ukrainian commentators say this is the latest in a string of 'mysterious' deaths in the Russian elite. 2 Chair of the Russian Supreme Court, Irina Podnosova, 71, has died Credit: East2West 2 Podnosova was Vladimir Putin's classmate at university Credit: East2West Podnosova, who was appointed as Chief Justice of Russia's Supreme Court in April 2024, died in Moscow, according to Russian media. It comes as Oil tycoon Andrey Badalov, 62, died after falling from the 17th floor of a luxury Moscow tower block, where he lived in a 10th floor penthouse. Putin's transport minister Roman Starovoit, 53, died this month from gunshot wounds on the day he was fired - a death officially seen as suicide but with widespread speculation that he was murdered. Podnosova's death is also a sign that 72-year-old Putin's habit of appointing his fellow septuagenarians to key posts has limitations for his repressive regime. Podnosova's predecessor Vyacheslav Lebedev died in April last year soon after he was 80. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Like us on Facebook at
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Putin's former classmate turned top judge Irina Podnosova dies at 71 in latest ‘mystery' death of senior Russian figure
PUTIN 'PAL' DEAD Putin's former classmate turned top judge Irina Podnosova dies at 71 in latest 'mystery' death of senior Russian figure RUSSIA'S top judge and Putin's former university pal has died today - just 15 months after taking the helm of the country's Supreme Court. Irina Podnosova, 71, died after battling cancer for over a year, sources say, but Ukrainian commentators say this is the latest in a string of 'mysterious' deaths in the Russian elite. Advertisement 2 Chair of the Russian Supreme Court, Irina Podnosova, 71, has died Credit: East2West 2 Podnosova was Vladimir Putin's classmate at university Credit: East2West Podnosova, who was appointed as Chief Justice of Russia's Supreme Court in April 2024 under Vladimir Putin's recommendation, died in Moscow, according to Russian media. It comes as Oil tycoon Andrey Badalov, 62, died after falling from the 17th floor of a luxury Moscow tower block, where he lived in a 10th floor penthouse. Meanwhile, Putin's transport minister Roman Starovoit, 53, also died this month from gunshot wounds on the day he was fired - a death officially declared as suicide. Podnosova's death is also a sign that 72-year-old Putin's habit of appointing his fellow septuagenarians to key posts has limitations for his repressive regime. Advertisement Podnosova's predecessor Vyacheslav Lebedev died in April last year soon after he was 80. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
OnlyFans model brutalised in Dubai reveals how she was chased by rich Russians & left for dead after fleeing sex party
AN ONLYFANS model who was brutalised during a sex party in Dubai has revealed how she was chased down by rich Russians. Maria Kovalchuk, 20, was left for dead with horrific injuries after 7 OnlyFans model Maria Kovalchuk, pictured in Norway with her mother Anna Credit: East2West 7 She accused 'Russian citizens' of beating her, throwing her from ledge and leaving her for dead Credit: East2West 7 A large scar is visible across her forehead during an interview with Russian media Credit: East2West She vanished for over a week before being discovered unconscious with horrific injuries, including a shattered spine and broken limbs. The Ukrainian model - who is recovering in Norway - has now It was initially thought that Maria had been kidnapped into a sex trafficking ring linked to the notorious 'Porta Potty' scene. These are disturbing events which are known to involve high-paying UAE clients who degrade women, often influencers, for large sums. read more on Dubai But Maria has now denied any involvement of Emirati citizens in her brutal ordeal. She instead accused the privileged children of wealthy Russians and Ukrainian businessmen of abusing her after a wild party in a Dubai hotel. Speaking to Russian news outlet Novosti, the model said: 'I mostly use a wheelchair and crutches. 'I still have a leg fracture that's healing. Most read in The US Sun 'I'm learning to walk with crutches again, but for now, the wheelchair is my main means of moving around.' An insider close to Maria said: "It was the Russians who tortured Maria. Dark side of Dubai where Brit influencers are preyed upon for sex & women are brutalised at 'porta potty' parties 'She was found with a broken spine, arms and legs — and unable to speak." According to Maria, she had missed her flight to Thailand while staying at the luxury Five Jumeirah Village hotel. She was offered a place to stay by a 19-year-old man she had recently met at a karaoke bar. He claimed his father could fly her out on a private jet. But then the man, along with a few other people, began to torture her instead, the model claims. 'They started teasing me, why I wasn't drinking,' she said. 'Then some aggressive pushes like pushing in the shoulders began. 'After that, they started making fun of me like 'you belong to us, we will do whatever we want'.' She described how the group began smashing bottles and glass on the floor, making it impossible to move barefoot, and said they took her passport and belongings. What are Porta Potty parties? PORTA potty parties are events, usually in the United Arab Emirates, where women are paid large amounts of money to sexually gratify wealthy men - in often highly degrading ways. It's thought that the women are sometimes duped into participating on false pretences - such as the promise of a modelling contract. At the events, men exploit the opportunity to commit depraved acts on the women. The name supposedly comes from the fact that the deeply disturbing acts can include men treating women as human toilets. Women, often from ex-Soviet countries, are lured in by the promise of a glamorous lifestyle and highly paid careers in the oil-rich states. An expert Recruiters often target attractive women with online presences, or even TV stars. Radha Stirling, founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai, told The Sun: "It's exploitation disguised as glamour or opportunity. Women, in particular, are offered all sorts of opportunities in Dubai. "They might be offered to come and model, to come and play music, or to expand their career in some way or another. "But what they don't realise is that when they get there, they are essentially at the beck and call of whoever has brought them there. "They're under their complete control, and they put themselves in such a risky position where they could end up gang raped, they could end up drugged, they could end up dead." She claims the men 'hinted' they wanted sex — and when she refused, things escalated. 'I did not reciprocate, and this aggression was also heating them up,' she said. Maria says she tried to escape and hid at a nearby construction site — but was tracked down, beaten, and thrown from a ledge. 'I ran away… I ran to the nearest building, just scared, and ran in, hid there. It was just an unfinished building, open,' Maria recalled. She was eventually found in a hotel bathrobe by a passing driver who called an ambulance. She fell into a coma and remained unconscious for days. CCTV footage that could have shown what happened was allegedly erased after three months, Maria claims, leaving no video evidence. 'The police waited until the cameras were automatically wiped… So now there's no evidence,' she said. 7 Maria pictured after the attack in a hospital in Dubai Credit: East2West 7 Maria said she is recovering and on the road to being able to walk again Credit: East2West Dubai police are said to have detained the accused young men — briefly — but released them the following day, with the case reportedly closed. 'They now claim in their testimonies that they tried to find and help Maria and that she had asked to come to the party herself,' said her mother, Anna. She revealed that her daughter's high-cost medical treatment in Dubai — running into the millions — was paid for by local authorities. 'I don't know how much they paid — the sum was colossal, millions,' she said. Ostorozhno Novosti reported that in exchange, she was asked not to say "anything that would cast the Emirate's authorities in a negative light". 7 It was initially thought she had attended a porta potty party with local UAE men 7 She suffered a broken spine and multiple fractures to her limbs Credit: East2West
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
OnlyFans model brutalised in Dubai reveals how she was chased by rich Russians & left for dead after fleeing sex party
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN ONLYFANS model who was brutalised during a sex party in Dubai has revealed how she was chased down by rich Russians. Maria Kovalchuk, 20, was left for dead with horrific injuries after fleeing the sex party back in March. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 OnlyFans model Maria Kovalchuk, pictured in Norway with her mother Anna Credit: East2West 7 She accused 'Russian citizens' of beating her, throwing her from ledge and leaving her for dead Credit: East2West 7 A large scar is visible across her forehead during an interview with Russian media Credit: East2West She vanished for over a week before being discovered unconscious with horrific injuries, including a shattered spine and broken limbs. The Ukrainian model - who is recovering in Norway - has now broken her silence for the first time since fleeing the sex party in Dubai. It was initially thought that Maria had been kidnapped into a sex trafficking ring linked to the notorious 'Porta Potty' scene. These are disturbing events which are known to involve high-paying UAE clients who degrade women, often influencers, for large sums. But Maria has now denied any involvement of Emirati citizens in her brutal ordeal. She instead accused the privileged children of wealthy Russians and Ukrainian businessmen of abusing her after a wild party in a Dubai hotel. Speaking to Russian news outlet Novosti, the model said: 'I mostly use a wheelchair and crutches. 'I still have a leg fracture that's healing. 'I'm learning to walk with crutches again, but for now, the wheelchair is my main means of moving around.' An insider close to Maria said: "It was the Russians who tortured Maria. Dark side of Dubai where Brit influencers are preyed upon for sex & women are brutalised at 'porta potty' parties 'She was found with a broken spine, arms and legs — and unable to speak." According to Maria, she had missed her flight to Thailand while staying at the luxury Five Jumeirah Village hotel. She was offered a place to stay by a 19-year-old man she had recently met at a karaoke bar. He claimed his father could fly her out on a private jet. But then the man, along with a few other people, began to torture her instead, the model claims. 'They started teasing me, why I wasn't drinking,' she said. 'Then some aggressive pushes like pushing in the shoulders began. 'After that, they started making fun of me like 'you belong to us, we will do whatever we want'.' She described how the group began smashing bottles and glass on the floor, making it impossible to move barefoot, and said they took her passport and belongings. What are Porta Potty parties? PORTA potty parties are events, usually in the United Arab Emirates, where women are paid large amounts of money to sexually gratify wealthy men - in often highly degrading ways. It's thought that the women are sometimes duped into participating on false pretences - such as the promise of a modelling contract. At the events, men exploit the opportunity to commit depraved acts on the women. The name supposedly comes from the fact that the deeply disturbing acts can include men treating women as human toilets. Women, often from ex-Soviet countries, are lured in by the promise of a glamorous lifestyle and highly paid careers in the oil-rich states. An expert told The Sun that, once in the country, they fall under the complete control of the men and can be raped, drugged or even end up dead. Recruiters often target attractive women with online presences, or even TV stars. Radha Stirling, founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai, told The Sun: "It's exploitation disguised as glamour or opportunity. Women, in particular, are offered all sorts of opportunities in Dubai. "They might be offered to come and model, to come and play music, or to expand their career in some way or another. "But what they don't realise is that when they get there, they are essentially at the beck and call of whoever has brought them there. "They're under their complete control, and they put themselves in such a risky position where they could end up gang raped, they could end up drugged, they could end up dead." She claims the men 'hinted' they wanted sex — and when she refused, things escalated. 'I did not reciprocate, and this aggression was also heating them up,' she said. Maria says she tried to escape and hid at a nearby construction site — but was tracked down, beaten, and thrown from a ledge. 'I ran away… I ran to the nearest building, just scared, and ran in, hid there. It was just an unfinished building, open,' Maria recalled. She was eventually found in a hotel bathrobe by a passing driver who called an ambulance. She fell into a coma and remained unconscious for days. CCTV footage that could have shown what happened was allegedly erased after three months, Maria claims, leaving no video evidence. 'The police waited until the cameras were automatically wiped… So now there's no evidence,' she said. 7 Maria pictured after the attack in a hospital in Dubai Credit: East2West 7 Maria said she is recovering and on the road to being able to walk again Credit: East2West Dubai police are said to have detained the accused young men — briefly — but released them the following day, with the case reportedly closed. 'They now claim in their testimonies that they tried to find and help Maria and that she had asked to come to the party herself,' said her mother, Anna. She revealed that her daughter's high-cost medical treatment in Dubai — running into the millions — was paid for by local authorities. 'I don't know how much they paid — the sum was colossal, millions,' she said. Ostorozhno Novosti reported that in exchange, she was asked not to say "anything that would cast the Emirate's authorities in a negative light". 7 It was initially thought she had attended a porta potty party with local UAE men
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
OnlyFans model left for dead after ‘Dubai Porta Potty' party breaks silence… and reveals horror aftermath of ordeal
A UKRAINIAN OnlyFans model who was left for dead after a Dubai "Porta Potty" party finally broke her silence on her horror ordeal. Maria Kovalchuk, 20, vanished for over a week in March before being discovered unconscious with horrific injuries, including a shattered spine and broken limbs. 8 OnlyFans model Maria Kovalchuk, pictured in Norway with her mother Anna Credit: East2West 8 A large scar is visible across her forehead during an interview with Russian media Credit: East2West 8 The 20-year-old was found seriously wounded in Dubai after going missing for more than a week Credit: East2West She had reportedly "fallen from a height" and was found inches from death after fleeing what some feared was a 'Porta Potty' party — a Maria is now recovering in Norway, where her mother lives, and has told her side of the story for the first time. She also revealed a prominent scar on her forehead after undergoing multiple surgeries. Speaking to Russian news outlet Ostorozhno, Novosti, the model said: 'I mostly use a wheelchair and crutches. Read more world news 'I still have a leg fracture that's healing. 'I'm learning to walk with crutches again, but for now, the wheelchair is my main means of moving around.' There were initial claims Maria had been kidnapped into a sex trafficking ring linked to the notorious 'Porta Potty' scene — disturbing events reportedly involving high-paying UAE clients who degrade women, often influencers, for large sums. But Maria has now denied any involvement of Emirati citizens in her brutal ordeal. Most read in The US Sun She instead accusing the privileged children of wealthy Russian and Ukrainian businessmen of abusing her after a wild party in a Dubai hotel. Dark side of Dubai where Brit influencers are preyed upon for sex & women are brutalised at 'porta potty' parties What are Porta Potty parties? PORTA potty parties are events, usually in the United Arab Emirates, where women are paid large amounts of money to sexually gratify wealthy men - in often highly degrading ways. It's thought that the women are sometimes duped into participating on false pretences - such as the promise of a modelling contract. At the events, men exploit the opportunity to commit depraved acts on the women. The name supposedly comes from the fact that the deeply disturbing acts can include men treating women as human toilets. Women, often from ex-Soviet countries, are lured in by the promise of a glamorous lifestyle and highly paid careers in the oil-rich states. An expert Recruiters often target attractive women with online presences, or even TV stars. Radha Stirling , f ounder and CEO of Detained in Dubai, told The Sun: "It's exploitation disguised as glamour or opportunity. Women, in particular, are offered all sorts of opportunities in Dubai. "They might be offered to come and model, to come and play music, or to expand their career in some way or another. "But what they don't realise is that when they get there, they are essentially at the beck and call of whoever has brought them there. "They're under their complete control and they put themselves in such a risky position where they could end up gang raped, they could end up drugged, they could end up dead." According to Maria, she had missed her flight to Thailand while staying at the luxury Five Jumeirah Village hotel and was offered a place to stay by a 19-year-old man she had recently met at a karaoke bar. He claimed his father could fly her out on a private jet. What began as a seemingly harmless offer allegedly spiraled into a nightmare. 'They started teasing me, why I wasn't drinking,' she said. 'Then some aggressive pushes like pushing in the shoulders began. 'After that, they started making fun of me like 'you belong to us, we will do whatever we want'.' She described how the group began smashing bottles and glass on the floor, making it impossible to move barefoot, and said they took her passport and belongings. One of the girls allegedly left the hotel wearing Maria's clothes, ignoring her pleas. She claims the men 'hinted' they wanted sex — and when she refused, things escalated. 'I did not reciprocate, and this aggression was also heating them up,' she said. Maria says she tried to escape and hid at a nearby construction site — but was tracked down, beaten, and thrown from a ledge. 8 Maria said she is recovering and on the road to being able to walk again Credit: East2West 8 Maria pictured after the attack in a hospital in Dubai Credit: East2West 8 The model accused 'Russian citizens' of beating her, throwing her from ledge and leaving her for dead Credit: East2West 'They practically tore the skin off her scalp, then threw her off a ledge onto the road,' the report states. 'I ran away… I ran to the nearest building, just scared, and ran in, hid there. It was just an unfinished building, open,' Maria recalled. She was eventually found in a hotel bathrobe by a passing driver who called an ambulance. She fell into a coma and remained unconscious for days. CCTV footage that could have shown what happened was allegedly erased after three months, Maria claims, leaving no video evidence. 'The police waited until the cameras were automatically wiped… So now there's no evidence,' she said. Dubai police are said to have detained the accused young men — briefly — but released them the following day, with the case reportedly closed. 'They now claim in their testimonies that they tried to find and help Maria and that she had asked to come to the party herself,' said her mother, Anna. 8 It was initially thought she had attended a porta potty party with local UAE men Credit: East2West 8 She suffered a broken spine and multiple fractures to her limbs Credit: East2West She slammed the official version of events as 'falsified' — including a police claim that Maria had tried to end her life. 'The [Dubai] police investigation indicated that Maria said that she was running away from sexual violence and then went to protect her honour, her dignity, decided to commit suicide,' Anna said. 'This statement was falsified.' She also rejected reports that her daughter had been intoxicated, insisting medical tests showed no alcohol in her system. Maria's mother revealed that her daughter's high-cost medical treatment in Dubai — running into the millions — was paid for by local authorities. 'I don't know how much they paid — the sum was colossal, millions,' she said. Ostorozhno, Novosti reported that in exchange, she was asked not to say "anything that would cast the Emirate's authorities in a negative light". The shocking case comes after months of speculation and media frenzy Initial reports suggested she had been lured into a disturbing sex trap, with some linking her disappearance to the dark world of elite 'Porta Potty' parties in the UAE. A source close to Maria previously said she had been abused not by Emirati men, but by 'Russian citizens who tortured Maria'. 'She was found with a broken spine, arms and legs — and unable to speak,' the insider said. One fellow model described such elite parties as involving 'rape, beatings, and mistreatment,' often under the false promise of money and fame. Before her disappearance, Maria had appeared at a Dubai event supporting jailed Russian sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky, who has been sentenced to five years for allegedly justifying terrorism. His daughter, Ksenia, previously said: 'She will be able to walk… This is all very good news. But the details will come later, when she leaves the country.' You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, Papyrus, Samaritans,
