Latest news with #Oleg
Sky News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
What new Stalin statue says about Vladimir Putin's Russia regime
Why you can trust Sky News The Moscow metro is a sight to behold. The gilded interiors of its cavernous stations have the opulence of a baroque palace. But amid the mosaics and chandeliers, there is a new monument turning heads - a life-sized statue of Joseph Stalin. The Soviet dictator was responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people, in purges, famines and his infamous gulag labour camps. But there's no mention of that on the new sculpture at the central Taganskaya station. Instead, he's depicted as a leader who was loved by his people - a crowd of adoring workers and their children are reaching out towards him in adoration. It was described as a "gift" to passengers by the capital's metro system to mark its 90th anniversary. Behind a crowd of selfie-snapping passengers Some Muscovites have accepted it with open arms. At Stalin's feet, there is a pile of red carnations, and in front swarms a rolling crowd of selfie-snapping passengers. "It's excellent." gushes Olga. "History of art, culture, significance, beauty." For Denis, it's "the right decision". "This is the history of our state," he says. But as well as flowers, there is fury at what appears to be Russia's latest attempt to rehabilitate the tyrant. "What were they thinking?!" asks Svetlana, incredulous. "How many died under his leadership? And suddenly he appears here, this bloodsucker. How is this possible?!" "We should remember and honour some of his deeds," believes Oleg. "But to put him like this is disrespectful. He did a lot of bad things for the Soviet people." Stalin's creeping return under Putin The sculpture is a replica of one that first appeared in 1950, three years before Stalin's death, in honour of his role in the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. It was removed in the 1960s during the period of de-Stalinisation, which sought to destroy his cult of personality. But under Vladimir Putin's rule, the dictator has been gradually reappearing. It's mostly been on a small scale, in towns well outside the capital. A statue so prominent and so central is a first. A historical rehabilitation? "The trend comes down to the idea of the greatness of the state," says Yan Rachinsky, a human rights activist who works to expose Stalin's crimes at the Moscow branch of Memorial, a renowned rights group that now operates on a local level after the closure of its international arm. "For the current government, the main thing is the state. The state is sacred, the state is above everything, the state is infallible. That is why criticism of Stalin is constantly decreasing." Russia's current leader has previously condemned Stalin's repressions. But he's also said the country shouldn't be made to feel guilty about its past. "Putin's old statement that one should be proud of history - that's it," says Mr Rachinsky. It certainly feels that way, looking at the statue.
Sky News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Putin's Stalin revival hits new level - and Russians are divided
Why you can trust Sky News The Moscow metro is a sight to behold. The gilded interiors of its cavernous stations have the opulence of a baroque palace. But amid the mosaics and chandeliers, there is a new monument turning heads - a life-sized statue of Joseph Stalin. The Soviet dictator was responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people, in purges, famines and his infamous gulag labour camps. But there's no mention of that on the new sculpture at the central Taganskaya station. Instead, he's depicted as a leader who was loved by his people - a crowd of adoring workers and their children are reaching out towards him in adoration. It was described as a "gift" to passengers by the capital's metro system to mark its 90th anniversary. Behind a crowd of selfie-snapping passengers Some Muscovites have accepted it with open arms. At Stalin's feet, there is a pile of red carnations, and in front swarms a rolling crowd of selfie-snapping passengers. "It's excellent." gushes Olga. "History of art, culture, significance, beauty." For Denis, it's "the right decision". "This is the history of our state," he says. But as well as flowers, there is fury at what appears to be Russia's latest attempt to rehabilitate the tyrant. "What were they thinking?!" asks Svetlana, incredulous. "How many died under his leadership? And suddenly he appears here, this bloodsucker. How is this possible?!" "We should remember and honour some of his deeds," believes Oleg. "But to put him like this is disrespectful. He did a lot of bad things for the Soviet people." Stalin's creeping return under Putin The sculpture is a replica of one that first appeared in 1950, three years before Stalin's death, in honour of his role in the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. It was removed in the 1960s during the period of de-Stalinisation, which sought to destroy his cult of personality. But under Vladimir Putin's rule, the dictator has been gradually reappearing. It's mostly been on a small scale, in towns well outside the capital. A statue so prominent and so central is a first. A historical rehabilitation? "The trend comes down to the idea of the greatness of the state," says Yan Rachinsky, a human rights activist who works to expose Stalin's crimes at the Moscow branch of Memorial, a renowned rights group that now operates on a local level after the closure of its international arm. "For the current government, the main thing is the state. The state is sacred, the state is above everything, the state is infallible. That is why criticism of Stalin is constantly decreasing." Russia's current leader has previously condemned Stalin's repressions. But he's also said the country shouldn't be made to feel guilty about its past. "Putin's old statement that one should be proud of history - that's it," says Mr Rachinsky. It certainly feels that way, looking at the statue.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Counteroffensive: Can Ukraine's military survive without Elon Musk's Starlink systems?
After a busy day at work as a software engineer, Oleg Kutkov returns to his apartment in Kyiv. He steps out onto the balcony — but not to smoke or water the flowers. Oleg's balcony is a workshop. There, he repairs Starlink terminals damaged at the front and sends them back to soldiers. "At first, I used to work with Starlink as a hobby. But when I fix them now, I realize it's not just a hobby — it's the main means of communication at the front," Oleg told the Counteroffensive. Hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine — including The Counteroffensive's Kyiv office — depend on Starlink satellites, which have replaced internet networks damaged during the war. Civilians in hospitals, schools, and frontline areas all rely on it — as does the military along the entire front. But U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk see Starlink as leverage over the Ukrainian government. Starlink is part of Musk's company, SpaceX, and although Ukraine and its partners pay for the system's operation, Musk can theoretically shut it off at any time. The centrality of Starlink to Ukraine's military success underscores just how significant a geopolitical figure Musk has become — and how the world's richest man now wields influence far beyond his net worth. The trajectory of the war, in many ways, lies in the hands of one person. Ukrainian soldiers understand there are no full-fledged alternatives to Starlink, but they are prepared to fight without it — because they have no choice. That might mean relying more on traditional methods of communication, including radios and cellular networks. Satellite systems from other companies may help, but they're less efficient and can't fully cover the front. Since childhood, Oleg, now 36, has enjoyed taking apart and reassembling electronics. So when he learned about Starlink in 2021, it immediately piqued his interest. He ordered his first terminal from the United States in late 2021 — before Starlink service was even available in Ukraine. His goal was to disassemble the terminal and see how it worked. He believes his was likely the first Starlink terminal in the country. A few months later, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In late February 2022, Ukraine asked Musk to activate Starlink access. Russia was targeting communication towers and knocking out access to traditional systems. Musk — who can both give and take away — responded within hours. He announced that Starlink service was active in Ukraine and that the first terminals were on their way. 'I know Starlink is not reliable — SpaceX has already shut it down several times. But currently, there are no full-fledged alternatives.' Oleg saw Musk's tweet and decided to try activating his terminal. With help from his SpaceX contacts, it worked. He believes it was one of the first active Starlink terminals in Ukraine. 'It allowed me to at least somehow stay in touch and get some news,' Oleg said of his experience in Kyiv at the beginning of the invasion. 'Where there was no connection due to Russian attacks, it appeared thanks to Starlink.' While Musk supported Ukraine early in the war, he later started to undermine the Ukrainian military's operations. In September 2023, biographer Walter Isaacson claimed Musk had secretly disabled Starlink service near occupied Crimea the previous year to disrupt a Ukrainian attack on the Russian fleet. The story was later confirmed by Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence. In February 2023, SpaceX restricted Starlink's use in Ukraine — specifically limiting its role in drone operations. Musk said the decision was made 'to prevent World War III.' The restrictions were eventually lifted. More recently, threats to shut down Starlink surfaced again when Trump returned to the presidency. According to Reuters, Trump administration officials warned Ukraine they would cut off Starlink access unless Ukraine agreed to a mining deal. The deal remains unsigned. Musk also clashed with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski over Starlink. Although Musk later tweeted that he would never cut access, there is lingering skepticism about whether his word can be trusted. Ukraine remains vulnerable to the possibility that Musk could pull the plug on Starlink at any time. As a result, the government is seeking alternatives. 'I know Starlink is not reliable — SpaceX has already shut it down several times. But currently, there are no full-fledged alternatives. All other options are worse,' Oleg said. With Starlink, Ukraine's military can coordinate operations, transmit front-line data, and monitor the battlefield — even when there's no mobile network coverage. It also enables drone reconnaissance and precision strikes. 'Communication (via Starlink) is the basis of command and control,' said Yaroslav Honchar, head of the nonprofit Aerorozvidka, which promotes robotic military technology. 'If there is communication, then there is control, and then can we talk about offense, defense, and everything else.' Although Starlink isn't officially available to the Russian army, reports suggest some Russian units have used it anyway. Still, the system has its flaws. Starlink terminals aren't designed for long-term use under battlefield conditions. They often break under extreme weather or combat stress. The most common issue Oleg sees is shrapnel damage. But he also fixes terminals that have been flooded in trenches, chewed by rodents, or tossed from moving vehicles. 'There was a case when I drained 5 liters of water from two new terminals. I dried them out, repaired them, and they started working,' Oleg said. Ukraine's growing interest in alternatives is driven by a desire to reduce its dependence on Musk. According to the Financial Times, the European Union is currently in talks with four companies to possibly replace Starlink for Ukraine's armed forces: SES (Luxembourg), Hisdesat (Spain), Viasat (United Kingdom), and Eutelsat/OneWeb (France). The first three rely on older satellite technology, with satellites orbiting around 30,000 kilometers above Earth — compared to Starlink's 500 to 800 kilometers. This affects latency and data speed. Eutelsat/OneWeb's satellites are closer, orbiting around 1,200 kilometers, and are more comparable to Starlink in coverage. But the size of their network is limited — just 500 to 600 satellites versus Starlink's more than 6,000. Other alternatives are more rudimentary. During the Battle of Kursk, Ukrainian forces used radio and wired communications, since Starlink doesn't work in Russia. 'We can successfully defend the country without Starlink. We did it at the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, and we can do it now," said Volodymyr Stepanets of the Narodnyi Starlink initiative, which repairs and supplies terminals. "It is more difficult, more expensive... but it is possible." Stepanets also argues that cutting off Ukraine would hurt Musk, too. He said more than 150,000 Starlink terminals are currently in Ukraine, generating roughly $15 million per month in subscription fees. 'As a country, we are Musk's largest customer on this continent. Probably, the number of Starlink terminals in Ukraine is higher than in the whole of Europe,' he said. The Counteroffensive contacted the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Starlink's Ukraine office to confirm the number of terminals in use. As of publication, neither had responded. Oleg has worked on Starlink Gen 2 terminals, which he says have a vulnerability in field use. One connector used to link the equipment is prone to moisture intrusion and often fails. To fix the issue, Oleg substituted a connector from a different company that was more water-resistant. After testing it, he recorded a video tutorial to help others do the same. Like many Ukrainians, he adapted. He improvised. He taught others how to make do—and how to make things better. Under pressure, Ukraine's creativity shines. And it will continue to shine, even if Elon Musk turns off the lights. Editor's Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter 'The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak' on April 9, 2025, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to The Counteroffensive, click here. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Submit an Opinion Read also: Trump's tariffs risk disaster while bipartisan Russia strategy offers hope We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
AFP
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- AFP
Fabricated footage of 'rare insect' fools social media users
A reel depicting a creature with a locust-like body and a white lotus flower on its back landing on a hand spread March 10, 2025 on . Thai-language text superimposed on the footage reads: "Lotus mantis. It looks like a real lotus. Very beautiful." The caption adds: "What kind of mantis is that? It's so beautiful." Image Screenshot of the false post taken April 1, 2025 Another Facebook video racked up more than 10,000 shares before it was . The claim spread in several languages, including English, Thai, Indonesian and Korean. Some of the clips go on to show another insect with a rose on its back, with a text overlay that claims it is a rare lotus mantis . Image Screenshot of the false post taken April 1, 2025 A reverse image search on Google found the videos were uploaded by the Instagram account " (archived here and here). The account features many AI-generated images and clips centred around the theme of surreal insects, such as a crystal spider, a snow and a daisy-backed caterpillar. The user, Oleg , identifies himself as a "media artist" on his website (archived link). The hand in the first clip has six fingers -- one of the defects that specialists previously told AFP is the best way to recognise images generated using AI. Image Image Screenshot comparisons between the false clips (L) and the original posts The mention AI programs such as Flux, Kling and ElevenLabs. They also include #ai and #digitalart. AFP has previously debunked AI-generated images of creatures passed off as genuine, including an axolotl, giant octopus and lobster.
Khaleej Times
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Ukrainian soldiers speak of broken dreams on 3rd anniversary of war
They dreamed of opening a business, starting a family, buying an apartment or climbing mountains. Instead, these Ukrainians are fighting to hold off Russia's army in a war they never asked for. Three years after the start of Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022, AFP asked soldiers to recount the hopes the conflict has stolen from them. Moroz, his war name, was a driver and answered to the first name of Mykola before being mobilised in 2023. In the army, he drives military vehicles for evacuations or deliveries at the front, where "it's hot", says the 30-year-old with a sweet smile. He never imagined himself in a uniform and among his family members "many couldn't even believe it" when he was called up. "If it wasn't for the army, it would be starting a family. A wife, family, children," said the soldier originally from the west of the country. "It's a bit scary to start a family at such a time," he said, but when the war is over "then we'll start living." Alina, a 45-year-old military medic, said war was inevitable "with a neighbour like that". "But if there had been no war, I would have had a family, children, a house, a happy, peaceful life, and a business," she said. She joined the army in 2018 because for her and many Ukrainians the war did start three years ago but in 2014, when Moscow annexed Crimea and supported pro-Russian separatist militias in the east of the country. Seeing no end to the war coming, she is now training to become a sniper, an even more dangerous position rarely occupied by women. "I am 45 and I have already lived my life. Now, after eight years in the army, the only thing I have left is revenge." Oleksandr took up arms in 2014 to fight the separatists. At the time, he defended the airport in Donetsk and fought in all the "hot spots" until 2018. Then? "I had a so-called "smoke break", he says, smiling. In fact, he had ended up in prison for car theft. When Ukraine's army opened its ranks to inmates in 2024, he signed up. "And now I am here", the soldier in the "Alkatraz" assault battalion tells AFP. In the life he dreams of, he would have started a construction company and become a father. He still thinks about it sometimes, but says he does not expect peace for many years. With mixed feelings, he said that "in a way the war also helped me, because otherwise I would still be in prison". Oleg, 33, was a photojournalist until being called up last year, giving up his professional ambitions as well as sporting ones. The keen mountain climber would rather be scaling summits, above all the Matterhorn, he says, smiling as he mentions the fabled Alpine peak on the Swiss-Italian border. Oleg had already put this dream aside after the birth of his two children, and then because of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Now it's the war," said the press officer of the 24th brigade, "But it will come." Asked to describe what dreams the invasion has shattered, Artem, a company commander in the 93rd Brigade, breaks out into a bitter laugh. "Everything was postponed. I wanted to buy an apartment. I wanted to be a present father for my son," said the 42-year-old. He also lost his social life. "Many friends moved to Europe. Some friends stayed here, but I don't have the opportunity to talk to them." A psychologist by training working in the humanitarian sector, he joined the army at the start of the invasion. "There were so many ideas, but the war erased everything," he said. He says his pre-war identity is "lost" but still hopes that peace will bring it back.
