Latest news with #ImportantStories
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
407,000 people joined Russian forces in 2024, but recruitment pace slows
Russian opposition publication Vazhnye Istorii (Important Stories) has found that up to 407,200 Russians signed contracts with the Russian Defence Ministry in 2024, which contradicts the Russian authorities' statements about the flow of volunteer soldiers. Meanwhile, the rate of recruitment is declining this year. Source: Vazhnye Istorii (Important Stories) "The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation is probably still overestimating the number of new contract servicemen. [Russian] Defence Minister Andrey Belousov said that 427,000 people signed a contract for service at the end of 2024, which is 5-15% higher than the budget expenditure data shows. Dmitry Medvedev's estimate of 450,000 contract servicemen is even more at odds with the budget expenditures," Vazhnye Istorii said. Over 407,000 people signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence in 2024. Infographic: Vazhnye Istorii Details: Vazhnye Istorii notes that the recruitment rate has slowed down compared to the previous year. In particular, an average of 1,700 people signed contracts per day in the 4th quarter of 2024, which is 1.3 times less than in the same period in 2023. Also, data from Russian regions show that the rate of contract recruitment continued to decline in the spring of 2025. However, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced a twofold increase in volunteer soldiers – 1,800 recruits per day. The recruitment rate of new contract soldiers to the Russian army decreased in the 4th quarter of 2024 compared to the previous year. Infographic: Vazhnye Istorii Meanwhile, German researcher Janis Kluge, who assesses the pace of recruitment into the Russian army, points out that "contracts with the Russian Armed Forces are now being signed by an average of about 1,000 people a day across Russia". Background: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine had estimated that the ground force of the Russian military group involved in hostilities against Ukraine in November 2024 totalled almost 580,000 Russian servicemen, including Kursk Oblast. In June 2024, Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that nearly 700,000 Russian servicemen were fighting in Ukraine. In December 2023, he stated that 617,000 soldiers had been involved in the war. At that time, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) highlighted Putin's remarks, indicating that Russian forces lose approximately 20,000 personnel monthly in Ukraine. This number roughly matches or is slightly lower than the number of new soldiers Russia recruits each month. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
The Sun
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Chilling reason why Russia removed eyes & brain of mutilated Ukraine journalist after she was snatched reporting on war
RUSSIA removed the body parts of a kidnapped Ukrainian journalist to hide the horrific torture she had to face at the hands of sick troops, Kyiv has claimed. Award-winning reporter Viktoria Roschyna, 27, was brutally beaten and tortured in occupied Ukraine, where she was being held as a prisoner of war. 5 5 5 Vile Russian troops even mutilated her body while she was in captivity. And she was sent back to Ukraine in a body bag, which was wrongly marked as "unidentified male". DNA testing confirmed that the emaciated body, with her head shaved and a broken neck bone, was Roshchyna's. But her body parts, including her eyes, brain and even larynx, were removed before being sent back to Ukraine. Officials in Kyiv claim that it is likely Russian forces took those parts out to hide the atrocious torture she had to go through while in captivity, according to the DailMail. It is known to be a common practice in Russia to remove the body parts of prisoners who have been tortured beyond the limits to hide human rights violations. Authorities were still able to confirm there were "numerous signs of torture and cruel treatment". Investigators also found burn marks on her feet, likely traces of electric shock. An expert told Important Stories: "The larynx can be important evidence in cases of strangulation. "When a person is strangled, the hyoid bone [in the neck] is often broken. How scheming Putin has undermined Trump's 100 day peace plan for finally end bloody war in Ukraine The expert continued: "Haemorrhages can be found in the whites of the eyes, and oxygen deprivation can be detected in the brain." She is also said to have suffered a broken rib, according to local media. Tragic Roshchyna vanished into Putin 's penal hell in 2023 while reporting in Ukraine's occupied territories. Former PoWs held alongside Roshchyna said she was detained in Energodar in summer 2023. 5 5 Three days after being captured she was transported to Melitopol, where she was held captive for four months and subjected to ruthless torture. In critical condition, she was then sent to Taganrog's SIZO-2 - an infamous site which has been dubbed a "concentration camp". A former inmate seemed to disagree and said: "Even the word 'concentration camp' would be too mild for SIZO-2." She had fevers, her menstruation stopped, and she suffered from abdominal pain. Yet the heroic reporter rejected her captors, and reportedly told guards: "I will never cooperate with you." Roshchyna worked for digital media organisation Hromadske TV among other outlets.
The Irish Sun
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Chilling reason why Russia removed eyes & brain of mutilated Ukraine journalist after she was snatched reporting on war
RUSSIA removed the body parts of a kidnapped Ukrainian journalist to hide the horrific torture she had to face at the hands of sick troops, Kyiv has claimed. Award-winning reporter Viktoria Roschyna, 27, was brutally beaten and tortured in occupied Ukraine, where 5 Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna was returned by Putin's henchmen with her eyes, brain, and larynx removed Credit: East2West 5 The award-winning reporter was taken prisoner in 2023 Credit: East2West 5 Her body was found mislabelled as an 'unidentified male' among 757 Ukrainians returned by Russia Credit: East2West Vile Russian troops even And she was sent back to Ukraine in a body bag, which was wrongly marked as "unidentified male". DNA testing confirmed that the emaciated body, with her head shaved and a broken neck bone, was Roshchyna's. But her body parts, including her eyes, brain and even larynx, were removed before being sent back to Ukraine. more on Russia-Ukraine war Officials in Kyiv claim that it is likely Russian forces took those parts out to hide the atrocious torture she had to go through while in captivity, according to the It is known to be a common practice in Authorities were still able to confirm there were "numerous signs of torture and cruel treatment". Investigators also found burn marks on her feet, likely traces of electric shock. Most read in The Sun An expert told Important Stories: "The larynx can be important evidence in cases of strangulation. "When a person is strangled, the hyoid bone [in the neck] is often broken. How scheming Putin has undermined Trump's 100 day peace plan for finally end bloody war in Ukraine The expert continued: "Haemorrhages can be found in the whites of the eyes, and oxygen deprivation can be detected in the brain." She is also said to have suffered a broken rib, according to local media. Tragic Roshchyna vanished into Former PoWs held alongside Roshchyna said she was detained in Energodar in summer 2023. 5 Roshchyna was subjected to months of torture Credit: East2West 5 Putin's troops are known for removing parts of tortured bodies to hide the extent of abuse Three days after being captured she was transported to Melitopol, where she was held captive for four months and subjected to ruthless torture. In critical condition, she was then sent to Taganrog's SIZO-2 - an infamous site which has been dubbed a "concentration camp". A former inmate seemed to disagree and said: "Even the word 'concentration camp' would be too mild for SIZO-2." She had fevers, her menstruation stopped, and she suffered from abdominal pain. Yet the heroic reporter rejected her captors, and reportedly told guards: "I will never cooperate with you." Roshchyna worked for digital media organisation Hromadske TV among other outlets.
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Russia returns mutilated body of top Ukrainian reporter, 27, with her eyes and brain missing after torture in Putin's brutal jails
Russia gave back the body of a detained award-winning Ukrainian female journalist with her eyeballs, brain and part of her larynx missing, it has been revealed. Prisoner of war Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, was held in occupied Ukraine and tortured by Vladimir Putin 's brutal regime. The body bag she was sent home in marked the corpse as an 'unidentified male'. DNA testing confirmed the emaciated body - with her head shaved and a neck bone broken - was Roshchyna. There were 'numerous signs of torture and cruel treatment', said on the body, said representative of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, Yuriy Bielousov. Ukrainian investigators found burn marks on her feet, likely traces of electric shock, and a broken rib, reported independent news outlet Important Stories. She had vanished into Putin's penal hell in 2023 on a reporting mission inside Ukraine's occupied territories. Her internal organs were likely missing in a crude attempt to hide the torture which is routine in the Russian system. 'The larynx can be important evidence in cases of strangulation,' an expert told the news outlet. 'When a person is strangled, the hyoid bone [in the neck] is often broken. 'Haemorrhages can be found in the whites of the eyes, and oxygen deprivation can be detected in the brain.' Former POWs held with Roshchyna - who worked for digital media Hromadske TV and other outlets - said she was detained in Energodar in the summer of 2023 and three days later transported to Melitopol, where she was held captive for four months and subjected to torture. From here, she went to Taganrog's SIZO-2 - likened to a concentration camp - in a critical condition. She had fevers, her menstruation stopped, and she suffered from abdominal pain. Yet she still defied her captors, telling guards: 'You are occupiers, you came to our country, you kill our people... I will never cooperate with you!' A former inmate said: 'Even the word 'concentration camp' would be too mild for SIZO-2.'
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Russia returns body of female Ukrainian reporter with eyes and brain MISSING
Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, was taken as a prisoner of war after heading inside occupied areas of Ukraine to report on the invasion - her mutilated remains have now been returned The body of a Ukrainian journalist detained by Russia earlier in the war was finally returned, but with her eye and brain missing after suffering horrific torture at the hands of the Kremlin. Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, was taken as a prisoner of war in 2023 after heading inside Ukraine 's occupied territories on a reporting mission. She vanished into Russia 's hellish penal system and her severely emaciated body has now been finally returned to Ukraine. The body bag she was sent home in marked the corpse as an "unidentified male' before DNA tests finally proved the remains - missing her eye, part of her larynx and brain - were Viktoria. Investigators believe the organs were removed in an attempt by the Russians to hide the torture she suffered at their hands. They also found burn marks on her feet, likely traces of electric shock, and a broken rib. An expert told news outlet Important Stories: 'The larynx can be important evidence in cases of strangulation. When a person is strangled, the hyoid bone [in the neck] is often broken. Haemorrhages can be found in the whites of the eyes, and oxygen deprivation can be detected in the brain.' Former POWs held with Roshchyna - who worked for digital media Hromadske TV and other outlets - said she was detained in Energodar in the summer of 2023. She was later transported to Melitopol, where she was held captive for four months and subjected to torture. From here, she went to Taganrog's SIZO-2 - likened to a concentration camp - in a critical condition. She had fevers, her menstruation stopped, and she suffered from abdominal pain. Yet she is reported to have defied her captors, telling guards: 'You are occupiers, you came to our country, you kill our people... I will never cooperate with you.' A former inmate said: 'Even the word 'concentration camp' would be too mild for SIZO-2.' The prison earned a reputation early in the occupation for torture, with beatings a daily happening. Inmates were made to admit war crimes during torture sessions and were denied access to lawyers or human rights activists. Among the inmates are soldiers who refused to take part in notorious Russian 'meat-grinder' assaults on the frontline. Others are held because they had tried to escape, or for other supposed transgressions. Horrific acts of torture have been reported from prisoner of war camps in Russia where captured Ukrainian soldiers are fed dog food and suffer sickening cruelty. Inmate Oleksiy Kretsu revealed he had witnessed the torture of two prisoners whose genitals were stunned. He said: 'There were women in their bathhouse. And they loved to beat us in the genitals with boots, stun guns, anything. They also beat us during interrogations. 'I'm just a simple border guard, not an assault trooper, not a marine, not a machine gunner. I lost half of my teeth during these interrogations.'
