Latest news with #pro-Putin
The Irish Sun
23-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Mum orders contract killing of 12-year-old daughter paying friend £930 to drown her because they ‘constantly argue'
A MUM has been arrested in Russia after allegedly hiring a pal to drown her 12-year-old daughter because they 'constantly argue'. The woman, named only as Svetlana, is said to have tried to pay a male friend £930 to kill her child by throwing her into a river in the Chelyabinsk region. 4 Mother Svetlana was arrested for allegedly ordering the contract killing of her daughter Credit: East2West 4 The evil parent ordered a pal to kill her child because they 'constantly argue' Credit: East2West 4 The mum and daughter's home in Russia Credit: East2West Unbeknown to her, the schoolgirl had been eavesdropping behind a door — and overheard her mum's chilling murder plot. Svetlana, 46, allegedly told the man she was 'tired' of her daughter's 'bad behaviour' and their 'constant arguments'. She then sent the girl off with the would-be killer — named as Andrey, 36 — in the Izmailovsky settlement, it has been claimed. 'When they were walking along the road, the schoolgirl was very afraid and worried,' reported Shot news outlet, citing law enforcement. Read more world news 'But the man told her everything and promised to protect her. 'He hid the girl at his home and went to the police.' He told cops Svetlana had offered cash to have her daughter drowned in the Bolshaya Karaganka River. The mum-of-four was detained and now faces up to 15 years in jail for incitement to murder a minor. Most read in The US Sun When questioned by police, she was reportedly 'unable to explain her actions'. Shock moment Russian teen TikToker threatens to have her Putin official mum send online haters to WAR sparking outrage The young girl has since been placed in care alongside two of her siblings, aged 17 and six. Svetlana also has an adult daughter, aged 18. It comes after a glamorous rapper dubbed the "Barbie Bandit" has been arrested in a dramatic police raid targeting a massive dark web drugs operation. Blonde beauty Maria L., 25, known for posing in Barbie-pink outfits and flaunting an assault rifle on social media, was seized by Russian cops in St Petersburg on May 15. The influencer-turned-trafficker is accused of helping run a slick online drugs shop — managing storage, distribution, and sales of illicit substances through the dark web. Photos online show the rapper in revealing crop tops and doll-like makeup, living a flashy life that masked a far more dangerous double identity. Police said: 'She helped sell the drugs online and also managed their storage and distribution.' During the raid, cops uncovered laptops, mobile phones, and a 'significant' stash of chemicals used to make hallucinogens — along with scales and other manufacturing gear. Meanwhile, a Russian teen TikTok star has sparked outrage after threatening to have her pro-Putin mother send online trolls to the war front. Yulia Shevtsova, a mayor in the Vologda region, was left red-faced after her Ksenia Shevtsova infuriated viewers by boasting on TikTok: "Are you out of your mind, dude? Do you know who my mum is?" She added: "The mayor! We'll send you to the [war]." The clip, which quickly spread online, featured images and videos of Ksenia posing with her politician mum — followed by the bold claim she could send her critics to fight in Vladimir Putin's brutal war in Ukraine. 4 The mum sent her girl off with the male friend who was ordered to kill her in the Izmailovsky settlement Credit: East2West
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Glamorous gangster dubbed ‘Barbie Bandit' arrested in police raid over massive dark web drug trafficking network
PRETTY IN PINK Glamorous gangster dubbed 'Barbie Bandit' arrested in police raid over massive dark web drug trafficking network Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GLAMOROUS rapper dubbed the "Barbie Bandit" has been arrested in a dramatic police raid targeting a massive dark web drugs operation. Blonde beauty Maria L., 25, known for posing in Barbie-pink outfits and flaunting an assault rifle on social media, was seized by Russian cops in St Petersburg on May 15. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Glam rapper Maria L., dubbed the 'Barbie Bandit', flaunted her flashy style online while allegedly helping run a dark web drug empire Credit: Newsflash 7 Known for her doll-inspired looks and assault rifle selfies, she now faces up to 15 years in prison after a dramatic police raid in St Petersburg Credit: Newsflash 7 Prosecutors say she helped peddle psychotropic drugs online Credit: Newsflash The influencer-turned-trafficker is accused of helping run a slick online drugs shop — managing storage, distribution, and sales of illicit substances through the dark web. Photos online show the rapper in revealing crop tops and doll-like makeup, living a flashy life that masked a far more dangerous double identity. Police said: 'She helped sell the drugs online and also managed their storage and distribution.' During the raid, cops uncovered laptops, mobile phones, and a 'significant' stash of chemicals used to make hallucinogens — along with scales and other manufacturing gear. Prosecutors are now preparing to charge Maria L. with attempted illegal production of drugs, trafficking, and selling psychotropic substances. The rapper — who already had a following as a blogger, streamer and musician — could face up to 15 years behind bars if convicted. It comes after a Russian teen TikTok star has sparked outrage after threatening to have her pro-Putin mother send online trolls to the war front. Yulia Shevtsova, a mayor in the Vologda region, was left red-faced after her 19-year-old influencer daughter made the chilling threat in a viral video. Ksenia Shevtsova infuriated viewers by boasting on TikTok: "Are you out of your mind, dude? Do you know who my mum is?" Horror as influencer model Maria Jose Estupinan, 22, shot dead at her door by hitman dressed as delivery driver She added: "The mayor! We'll send you to the [war]." The clip, which quickly spread online, featured images and videos of Ksenia posing with her politician mum — followed by the bold claim she could send her critics to fight in Vladimir Putin's brutal conflict. The mayor later issued a public apology for her daughter's comments. Awkward footage showed the Putin-supporting official struggling to save her political career. She said: "Our children make mistakes by stupidity, through inexperience, but it is necessary to realise and correct these mistakes in time." Looking visibly uncomfortable, she added: "That is why I had a serious conversation with my child." Meanwhile, a twisted grave robber who dressed the mummified corpses of 29 young girls as dolls will stay locked in a psychiatric hospital, a Russian court ruled. Anatoly Moskvin, 55, transformed the dead children into lifelike 'dolls' by dressing them in stockings, clothing, and knee-high boots. He was arrested in 2011 after a series of desecrated graves of girls aged three to 11 sparked a lengthy police investigation in Novgorod, Russia. 7 Before her arrest, Maria L. built a following as a rapper and blogger Credit: Newsflash 7 The 25-year-old posed in boob-skimming crop tops and Barbie-pink outfits Credit: Newsflash 7 Cops say that while Maria shared her glam life online, she secretly managed a high-stakes drug operation Credit: Newsflash When officers raided the apartment Moskvin shared with his parents, they uncovered the mummified remains of 29 girls. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, Moskvin was deemed unfit to stand trial in 2012. He has been confined to a secure psychiatric facility in Russia ever since. Despite multiple legal appeals by his lawyers, a court has now ruled that he must remain in detention. The decision followed a petition from the hospital's chief physician — likely triggered by concerns over Moskvin's behaviour. Moskvin admitted to desecrating 44 graves belonging to girls aged three to 12.
The Irish Sun
22-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Glamorous gangster dubbed ‘Barbie Bandit' arrested in police raid over massive dark web drug trafficking network
A GLAMOROUS rapper dubbed the "Barbie Bandit" has been arrested in a dramatic police raid targeting a massive dark web drugs operation. Blonde beauty Maria L., 25, known for posing in Barbie-pink outfits and flaunting an assault rifle on social media, was seized by Russian cops in St Petersburg on May 15. Advertisement 7 Glam rapper Maria L., dubbed the 'Barbie Bandit', flaunted her flashy style online while allegedly helping run a dark web drug empire Credit: Newsflash 7 Known for her doll-inspired looks and assault rifle selfies, she now faces up to 15 years in prison after a dramatic police raid in St Petersburg Credit: Newsflash 7 Prosecutors say she helped peddle psychotropic drugs online Credit: Newsflash The influencer-turned-trafficker is accused of helping run a slick online drugs shop — managing storage, distribution, and sales of illicit substances through the dark web. Photos online show the rapper in revealing crop tops and doll-like makeup, living a flashy life that masked a far more dangerous double identity. Police said: 'She helped sell the drugs online and also managed their storage and distribution.' During the raid, cops uncovered laptops, mobile phones, and a 'significant' stash of chemicals used to make hallucinogens — along with scales and other manufacturing gear. Advertisement READ MORE ON RUSSIA Prosecutors are now preparing to charge Maria L. with attempted illegal production of drugs, trafficking, and selling psychotropic substances. The rapper — who already had a following as a blogger, streamer and musician — could face up to 15 years behind bars if convicted. It comes after a Russian teen TikTok star has sparked outrage after threatening to have her pro-Putin mother send online trolls to the war front. Yulia Shevtsova, a mayor in the Vologda region, was left red-faced after her Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Exclusive Ksenia Shevtsova infuriated viewers by boasting on TikTok: "Are you out of your mind, dude? Do you know who my mum is?" Horror as influencer model Maria Jose Estupinan, 22, shot dead at her door by hitman dressed as delivery driver She added: "The mayor! We'll send you to the [war]." The clip, which quickly spread online, featured images and videos of Ksenia posing with her politician mum — followed by the bold claim she could send her critics to fight in Vladimir Putin's brutal conflict. The mayor later issued a public apology for her daughter's comments. Advertisement Awkward footage showed the Putin-supporting official struggling to save her political career. She said: "Our children make mistakes by stupidity, through inexperience, but it is necessary to realise and correct these mistakes in time." Looking visibly uncomfortable, she added: "That is why I had a serious conversation with my child." Meanwhile, a twisted Advertisement Anatoly Moskvin, 55, transformed the dead children into lifelike 'dolls' by dressing them in stockings, clothing, and knee-high boots. He was arrested in 2011 after a series of desecrated graves of girls aged three to 11 sparked a lengthy police investigation in Novgorod, Russia. 7 Before her arrest, Maria L. built a following as a rapper and blogger Credit: Newsflash 7 The 25-year-old posed in boob-skimming crop tops and Barbie-pink outfits Credit: Newsflash Advertisement 7 Cops say that while Maria shared her glam life online, she secretly managed a high-stakes drug operation Credit: Newsflash When officers raided the apartment Moskvin shared with his parents, they uncovered the mummified remains of 29 girls. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, Moskvin was deemed unfit to stand trial in 2012. He has been confined to a secure psychiatric facility in Russia ever since. Advertisement Despite multiple legal appeals by his lawyers, a court has now ruled that he must remain in detention. The decision followed a petition from the hospital's chief physician — likely triggered by concerns over Moskvin's behaviour. Moskvin admitted to desecrating 44 graves belonging to girls aged three to 12. 7 Officers say they uncovered laptops, mobile phones, and a 'significant' stash of chemicals during a raid Credit: Newsflash Advertisement
Metro
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Ex-pro Putin politician shot dead 'taking his children to school'
A former pro-Putin Ukrainian politician was gunned down while dropping his children off at school in a wealthy Spanish neighbourhood. Andriy Portnov was a senior aide to Ukraine's former President and Putin sympathiser, Viktor Yanukovych, who was exiled in 2014 and has lived in Russia ever since. Police were called around 9.15 am, when an unidentified gunman or gunmen shot and killed Portnov outside the gates of the American School in Pozeulo, Madrid. Local radio station Cadena SER said he had been taking his children to school when the gunshots rang out. Witness Ines told local media: 'I woke up with a very loud noise of six or seven shots… I knew those weren't firecrackers. 'I heard a scream. We saw a man on the ground.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Witnesses have described the killing as a 'professional hit' and said the killer waited for his victim to drop his daughter off before striking. The school where the shooting took place has annual tuition fees of up to £20,000. A National Police spokesperson said: 'All we can confirm is that a man has been shot dead outside a school in Pozuelo de Alarcon. More Trending 'We received a call around 9.15am. There was nothing emergency responders could do to save the victim. An investigation has been launched and is ongoing.' Spain has had a number of incidents of violence relating to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A letter bomb was sent to the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid, injuring an employee. A Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine after the invasion was found dead near Benidorm with more than a dozen gunshots. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Man United and Tottenham fans in violent clash before Europa League final MORE: Putin shows no sign of agreeing to ceasefire with rare visit to the frontline MORE: Man stabbed in neck by stranger 'for no reason' at Spanish airport
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maga-styled parties given bloody nose in round of European elections
When The Telegraph sat down with Romania's far-Right candidate for the presidential elections, he proudly proclaimed that 'the wave of the Maga movement is here in Europe'. But on Monday morning, George Simion was licking his wounds after suffering defeat to a pro-EU centrist, with similar election results also filtering in from Portugal and Poland. On Sunday, three EU member states held crucial elections seen as a test for the political centre, with pro-Donald Trump, Right-wing candidates hoping to import his cut-throat style to the continent. But the tactic hasn't worked. In Romania, self-styled Maga (Make America Great Again) firebrand Mr Simion hoped to beat Nicușor Dan, the liberal pro-EU mayor of Bucharest, in the second round of the presidential elections. The vote was a rerun of the November presidential elections, which were annulled due to suspicions that Russia had influenced them in favour of pro-Putin candidate Călin Georgescu. In Poland, right-wing party Law and Justice [PiS], which was exceedingly close to Mr Trump during his first term in office, jostled for power with Civic Platform, Donald Tusk's ruling centrist party, for the role of president. And in Portugal, the hard-Right, anti-corruption Chega party was up against the Socialists and Democratic Alliance, the centre-Right ruling party. To the relief of EU leaders, and to the disappointment of the Trump camp, all three centrist candidates swept to victory in their respective polls - albeit by an extremely narrow margin in the case of Poland, where a run-off will be held. Mr Trump has long sought to boost the profile of far-Right, anti-EU populist movements in Europe, as he considers them natural political bedfellows. Like him, they feel that the centrist rulers of Europe are grossly complacent on hot-button issues such as mass-migration. Some share his more sympathetic view towards Vladimir Putin and Russia. The US president has also tried unsuccessfully to shift the odds in his favour in Greenland – where the centrist Democrats won by a landslide, apparently thanks to voters who oppose Mr Trump's desire to take over the territory. Likewise in Canada, the Trump administration-backed Conservative Party was trounced by Mark Carney – the anti-Trump liberal poster boy, and former governor of the Bank of England,. It is also no secret that Europe's current crop of centrist leaders, such as Emmanuel Macron, loathe populism: they view it as a con which offers, but cannot deliver, fast and easy solutions to complex problems. They will no doubt feel emboldened by this set of results, which counters the White House narrative that European countries are embracing Trumpian populism one by one. In future dealings with Mr Trump, they can bring up this set of results in response to suggestions that the centrists don't really have the democratic backing of the people. Some of Mr Trump's closest allies, including Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, aggressively campaigned on behalf of the far-Right populist Alternative for Germany [AfD] party during February's federal elections. The Trump administration's support was so brazen that JD Vance, the vice-president, snubbed a meeting with Olaf Scholz, the then chancellor, at the Munich Security Conference and instead paid a visit to Alice Weidel, the AfD leader. The gambit did not pay off, with Friedrich Merz's centre-Right Christian Democrats [CDU] instead emerging as the victor. Nor did it yield results on Sunday in the cases of Romania, Poland and Portugal. On Monday, it was Mr Merz's turn to send congratulations: 'Romania affirmed its commitment to a strong and secure Europe: Dear [Mr Dan] congratulations on your election victory!' he wrote in a Romanian language post on X. While the champagne corks might have been popping in Brussels on Monday, these results also carried a warning to the centrists: in Portugal, the far-Right Chega party secured its best-ever result with 22 per cent of the vote. It is likely to become the second largest party in parliament. That result mirrors the success of the AfD, now the de-facto opposition in the Bundestag, the German parliament, having won 20 per cent of the vote in February. Chega's success appears to be mainly drawn from railing against corruption, with leader André Ventura vowing to clean up Portuguese politics. Ironically, the party has had to expel or discipline members for being caught up in precisely the kind of sleaze scandals it opposes. One MP has already been kicked out of the party for stealing suitcases at airports, another member has been caught drink-driving, and a third has been charged with paying for oral sex from an underage teenager. None of this seems to have turned off pro-populist voters in Portugal, which is perhaps no surprise: Mr Trump himself has weathered countless sleaze scandals over the past nine years. In Poland, the results paint a much more mixed picture, even if the centrist candidate came in first place, as neither party won an outright majority. That means a run-off will be held in Poland on June 1, allowing Karol Nawrocki, the Right-wing PiS candidate, a chance at overtaking Rafał Trzaskowski, the centrist who is backed by Donald Tusk, the prime minister. 'Nawrocki's victory would undermine Tusk's political project and could be the harbinger of PiS' return to power in 2027 or even earlier in case of a snap election,' said Piotr Buras, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. 'In the medium term, disintegration of Tusk's coalition could be one of the consequences.' He added: 'The campaign in the next two weeks will be very polarising and brutal, a confrontation of two visions of Poland: pro-EU, liberal and progressive versus nationalist, Trumpist and conservative.' Back in Bucharest, however, Mr Simion does not seem too brutally disappointed by the results – and seems to view them as a temporary setback. 'We may have lost a battle, but we will certainly not lose the war,' he said on Monday morning, addressing his 94,000 followers on social media. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
