Free Republic

Vladimir Putin's hopes of a swift victory in Ukraine have been dealt a major blow after a key weapon is proving to be a major flop -snip- Yet one area where Ukraine's military appears to hold the upper hand over their bitter foes is in drone warfare. In a recent Telegram post, a pro-Kremlin military blogger described the fighting round the eastern town of Chasiv Yar, where fierce battles are raging The blogger, whose moniker is "Two Majors", said Putin's army was handicapped by the poor performance of their first-person view (FPV) drones. He said that most of the Russian...

One senior officer who is apart of reconnaissance unit told him he was give ten armoured vehicles for his soldiers. Of these only five were road worthy, while the other five were not fit for purpose - meaning 50 percent of his equipment could not be used. The officer said that no maintenance or repair work had been carried out prior to his arrival, nor had they since received deliveries of spare parts or new equipment. Mr Gulyaev blamed rampant corruption among Russia's military bosses and political leaders for the army's disfunction and disarray. "Prigozhin, Gerasimov and Shoigu have been...

state, a leading Russian opposition politician told Express.co.uk. He also said the only way to remove the Russian President and his "criminal" regime was through the use of force. Andrey Sidelnikov has an extensive background in Russian politics, having initially acted as one of the leaders for Boris Berezovsky's Liberal Party, before going on to help found the Union of Right Forces in 1999 and whose backers included Boris Nemstov and Yegor Gaidar.

Belarusia's army stepped up its military exercises amid growing fears that a new invasion of Ukraine from the north is imminent. Belarusian and Russian troops have been taking part in joint military exercises for a number of weeks. Last Sunday the Belarusian Defence Ministry announced it was extending its training drills with Putin's army.

Nationalist activists from the republic sent shockwaves through the Kremlin after announcing the creation of their own army. Russian soldiers claim they have not been paid We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Vladimir Putin is facing a serious political mutiny, after Bashkiri nationalists called for independence from Russia. The demand for independence poses a threat to Russia's territorial integrity and could encourage other rebellious regions to...

The Russians had virtually no ammunition and some even had to share one assault rifle between two. VIDEO: Ukraine: Russian soldiers appear to 'surrender' Russian troops killed their commander after he tried to stop them from surrendering to Ukraine's army, it has been reported. The soldiers were part of the recently mobilised reserve and had just arrived at the front. Vladimir Putin's army has suffered a series of humiliating defeats on the battlefield in recent weeks. Ukraine's army has made spectacular advances in the northeast, east and south of the country as they continue their counteroffensive on a number of...

VLADIMIR PUTIN faced further humiliation after Russian missile strikes on Odesa succeeded in only destroying a public toilet. The Black Sea port plays a vital role in Ukraine's overall economy and is currently under a Russian naval blockade. The city is a key strategic target for the Russians and has been subjected to heavy bombardment. However, Russian commanders appeared to get their targets confused, after wiping out a beach toilet in the city instead. The destruction of the public bathroom was confirmed in a statement issued by Ukraine's southern operational command. They said: "Another missile strike with the use of...

Putin is facing a collapse in army morale, after Russian soldiers turning their guns on their Chechen comrades. Russian officers are alleged to have gone on strike and are refusing to carry out orders in protest at their conditions and the war. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is a close ally of the Russian despot and has been a strong supporter of Putin's war in Ukraine. He has sent his militias, known as the "Kadyrovtsy", to help bolster Russian forces in their invasion. Kadyrovites have a fearsome reputation and, in the past, have faced repeated allegations of abusing human rights. Part...

Vladimir Putin is leading Russia towards a 'total collapse' and 'civil war', according to a Federal Security Service (FSB) agent. The FSB insider also claimed that the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov will exploit the ensuing political chaos to create an "Emirate of the Caucasus" on Russian territory. In a letter to the Russian human rights campaigner, Vladimir Osechkin, the FSB agent predicts Putin's army will fail in achieving its objectives in the Battle for the Donbas. This in turn will have serious political and security consequences for Putin and ultimately could lead to the breakup of Russia as a unified...

<p>VLADIMIR Putin is facing a catastrophic collapse in army morale, after reports emerged of Russian soldiers turning their guns on their Chechen comrades.</p><p>Furthermore, Russian officers are alleged to have gone on strike and are refusing to carry out orders in protest at their conditions and the war. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is a close ally of the Russian despot and has been a strong supporter of Putin's war in Ukraine. He has sent his militias, known as the "Kadyrovtsy", to help bolster Russian forces in their invasion.</p>

BEIJING is using an "insidious" policy of coercion and pressure to assert its control over the South China Sea, a leading Asia analyst has said. China has long claimed sovereignty over the disputed waters, saying that the entire waterway up to the coasts of the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan belongs to it. Beijing's claim is based on the U-shaped nine-dash line etched onto a map in the 1940s by a Chinese geographer. In 2016, an international court of arbitration dismissed China's territorial claims. Despite the ruling, the People's Republic has in recent years built artificial islands in the waters claimed...