The trip, which comes on the heels of his lavish visit to North Korea, is being interpreted as a demonstration of the diplomatic support Russia still enjoys in this region.

The United States has criticised the visit for giving a platform for President Putin to promote his war of aggression in Ukraine.

Vietnam still values the historic ties it has with Russia even as it works to improve its relationship with Europe and the US.

Looming over a small park in Ba Dinh, Hanoi’s political quarter, a five-meter-high statue of Lenin depicts the Russian revolutionary in a heroic pose. On his birthday every year, a delegation of senior Vietnamese officials solemnly lay flowers and bow their heads before the statue, a gift from Russia when it was still the Soviet Union.

Vietnam’s ties to Russia are close and go back many decades, to the vital military, economic and diplomatic support given by the Soviet Union to the new communist state in North Vietnam in the 1950s.

Vietnam has described their relationship as “filled with loyalty and gratitude”. After Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1978 to throw out the murderous Khmer Rouge regime, it was isolated and sanctioned by China and the West and depended heavily on Soviet assistance. Many older Vietnamese, including the powerful communist party secretary-general Nguyen Phu Trong, studied in Russia and learned the language.

Today Vietnam’s economy has been transformed by its integration into global markets. Russia has fallen far behind China, Asia, the US and Europe as a trading partner. But Vietnam still uses mainly Russian-made military equipment, and relies on partnerships with Russian oil companies for oil exploration in the South China Sea.

The invasion of Ukraine presented Vietnam with a diplomatic challenge, but one it has so far managed to meet. It has chosen to abstain on the various resolutions at the United Nations condemning Russia’s actions, yet maintained good relations with Ukraine and even sent some aid to Kyiv. They also share a legacy from the Soviet era; thousands of Vietnamese have worked and studied in Ukraine.

This is all in keeping with Vietnam’s long-held foreign policy principles of being friends with everyone but avoiding all formal alliances – what the communist party leadership now calls ‘bamboo diplomacy’, bending with the buffeting winds of great power rivalry without being forced to take sides.

It is why Vietnam has so readily upgraded its relations with the US, a country against which its older leaders fought a long and destructive war, in the interests of seeking lucrative markets for Vietnamese exports and balancing its close ties with its giant neighbour China.

The US has objected to President Putin’s official visit to Vietnam on the grounds that it undermines international efforts to isolate him, but it can hardly be surprised. Aside from the special historical links with Russia, public sentiment in Vietnam on the war in Ukraine is more ambivalent than in Europe.

There is some admiration for Putin as a strongman who defies the West, and scepticism, fuelled partly by social media commentary, of the US and European claims to be upholding international law.

This is also true in other Asian countries, where the Ukraine war is seen as a faraway crisis. In Thailand, for example, a historic military ally of the US which was on the opposite side to Russia during the Cold War, public opinion is just as divided as in Vietnam. Thais too value the even older links between its monarchy and the pre-revolutionary Tsars of Russia, and the Thai government maintains close ties with Russia today, valuing the contribution millions of Russians make to its tourist industry.

How long Vietnam maintains its camaraderie with Vladimir Putin is less clear. It is already seeking alternative sources of military equipment, but ending its current dependence on Russia will take years.

A series of high-level resignations inside the communist party recently suggest intense internal rivalries over the next generation of leaders, and, potentially, over which direction the country will take. But there is no talk yet of abandoning the ambition of being friends to all, and enemies of none.

But when election officials said results gave him more than 87% of the vote, he said Russia’s democracy was more transparent than many in the West.

In truth no credible opposition candidate was allowed to stand.

Supporters of dead Putin critic Alexei Navalny did stage symbolic protests.

Their “Noon against Putin” initiative meant that long queues of voters turned out in Russian cities including Moscow and St Petersburg and outside many embassies abroad, but it was never going to have any impact on the result.

Monitoring group OVD-Info said at least 80 Russians were arrested. There was no repeat of the sporadic attacks on some polling stations that happened on Friday.

Western countries lined up to condemn the vote as neither free nor fair.

Germany called it a “pseudo-election” under an authoritarian ruler reliant on censorship, repression and violence.

UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron condemned “the illegal holding of elections on Ukrainian territory”.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said “the Russian dictator is simulating another election”.

In the words of Navalny ally Leonid Volkov, savagely beaten with a meat hammer in exile in Lithuania last week: “The percentages drawn for Putin have, of course, not the slightest relation to reality.”

Russians had three days to vote and people in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine had even longer, in an attempt to persuade residents to take part.

One election commission official was reported killed in the occupied town of Berdyansk on Sunday and residents spoke of pro-Russian collaborators going from home to home with ballot boxes accompanied by armed soldiers.

But on Russia’s carefully controlled state TV channels the result was hailed as a triumph.

“This is an incredible level of support and unity around the figure of Vladimir Putin,” said one correspondent excitedly, “and a signal to Western countries”.

President Putin was more subdued as he took questions from reporters, but he did hail Russia’s presidential campaign as far more advanced than the US, citing Russia’s use of online voting, which officials said brought in eight million voters.

Mr Putin had earlier been filmed performing a single keystroke to exercise his democratic right.

“It’s transparent and absolutely objective,” he suggested, “not like in the US with mail-in voting… you can buy a vote for $10”.

Independent watchdog Golos was barred from observing the vote but reports of irregularities have emerged, as well as pressure on public sector employees to vote either in polling stations or online.

President Putin praised opposition campaigners for encouraging voters to turn out in greater numbers, although he condemned those who spoilt their ballots and said action would be taken against them.

For the first time he referred to Alexei Navalny by name, a month after his most vocal critic died in a penal colony inside the Arctic Circle.

In a remark possibly aimed at rebutting widespread allegations that he had Navalny killed, Mr Putin confirmed reports that he had explored exchanging him for prisoners held in the West, but on the condition that his rival never returned.

“I said I’m for it but, unfortunately, what happened happened. What can you do? That’s life.”

Yulia Navalnaya described queuing for six hours outside the Russian embassy in Berlin as part of the protest vote campaign. She said she had written her late husband’s name on her ballot paper, and praised everyone who turned up, for giving her “hope that everything is not in vain”.

One protest voter in London said she had queued for more than seven hours before casting her ballot.

Activist and lawyer Lyubov Sobol said in Washington DC that the protest votes would not be reflected in the Kremlin’s results, “but this solidarity, this symbol, is nonetheless important”.

Russia’s presidential election was never going to be a level playing field. The Kremlin tightly controls the political system, the media and elections.

Communist Party candidate Nikolai Kharitonov managed little more than 4% of the vote and his fellow candidates even less.

None of the three were serious candidates and Mr Kharitonov even praised the president ahead of the election for “trying to consolidate the nation for victory in all areas”.

Millions of Russians will have voted for a fifth Putin presidential term partly because they see no credible alternative.

But that is purely because the Kremlin has removed any possible challenger from the political landscape. Opponents have either been jailed, or they have fled into exile, or they have lost their lives.

For a few short weeks there was a suggestion that an anti-war politician called Boris Nadezhdin might be allowed to stand. But last month he was ruled out by the election commission as increasing numbers of Russians warmed to his message and queued to register their support.

ALSO READ:

• Russia election: Arrests for vandalism as ballot boxes targeted in Putin vote

• Russia election: Putin thanks citizens of Russia and claims win

Speaking at his campaign headquarters, Putin says: “Out of every voice, we are building a common will of the people of Russian Federation.”

He also thanks the citizens who came to the polling stations and expresses “special gratitude to our warriors on the line of contact”, referring to the front line of the war in Ukraine.

“No matter how hard they tried to scare us, suppress our will, our conscience, no-one has ever succeeded in history. They failed now, and they will fail in the future,” he adds.

The Russian election has been described as neither free nor fair by some of his international counterparts.

The former KGB leader, who has been in power since 1999 will lead the country for a fifth term.

But tonight’s results were no surprise, as any credible opposition to Vladimir Putin is either in jail, in exile or dead.

ALSO READ:

• Russia election: Arrests for vandalism as ballot boxes targeted in Putin vote

• Alexei Navalny: Mother demands Putin returns son’s body

In a video filmed outside the colony where he died on Friday, she said she had been trying to see him for five days but didn’t even know where he was.

And Navalny’s wife Yulia urged the authorities not to stop his loved ones from saying goodbye to him.

The family have been told his body will not be released for two weeks.

His mother was informed it was being held for “chemical analysis”, a representative for Navalny said.

There has been no confirmation of the whereabouts of the body from Russian authorities, while efforts to locate it have been repeatedly shut down.

Yulia Navalnaya has alleged her husband’s body was being kept until traces of poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok had disappeared. Navalny survived an attempt to kill him using the poison in 2020.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the accusations “unfounded and vulgar”, but added that since Ms Navalnaya was widowed just days ago he wouldn’t comment further.

• Navalny’s widow faces daunting challenge

Navalny’s mother made a direct appeal to President Putin outside the Siberian penal colony known as Polar Wolf, where his death was announced on 16 February.

“I’ve not been able to see him for five days, they’re refusing to give his body to me, and they’re not even saying where he is,” she says.

“I’m asking you, Vladimir Putin – it all depends on you alone. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexei’s body is released immediately so I can give him a decent burial.”

Her words were echoed in a strongly worded post on X (formerly known as Twitter) by her daughter-in-law.

“I couldn’t care less about how the murderer’s press secretary comments on my words,” she said, referring to Mr Peskov. She has directly accused Mr Putin of killing her husband.

“Give back Alexei’s body and let him be buried with dignity, don’t get in the way of people saying goodbye to him,” she said.

Her remarks follow speeches to the European Union and the Munich Security Conference, and an emotional video released on Monday where she vowed to continue her husband’s work to fight for a “free Russia”.

The following day, Ms Navalnaya’s newly-created X account where the video was posted was briefly suspended. The company said it was blocked “mistakenly” due to a system error.

Ms Navalnaya also told EU leaders on Monday not to recognise Russia’s presidential elections on 16 March and to pursue members of Mr Putin’s inner circle who were still trying to dodge sanctions.

https://emp.bbc.com/emp/SMPj/2.51.0/iframe.htmlMedia caption,

Watch: ‘I will continue Alexei’s work’, says Navalny’s widow

Navalny’s death in prison was announced on Friday. The authorities at the Siberian penal colony where he was being held said he had never regained consciousness after he collapsed following a walk.

Officials later said that Navalny had suffered “sudden death syndrome”.

His mother and lawyer travelled to the remote colony as soon as news of his death broke.

Attempts to locate the body have repeatedly been shut down by the prison mortuary and local authorities.

On Monday, the Kremlin said an investigation into Navalny’s death was ongoing and that there were “no results” as of yet.

Later, Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said that investigators had told Navalny’s mother Lyudmila they would not hand over the body for two weeks while they conducted a “chemical analysis”.

Navalny, who was the Russian opposition’s most significant leader for the last decade, had been serving a 19-year sentence on politically motivated charges.

Western leaders have put the blame for Navalny’s death squarely on President Putin and new sanctions against Russia are likely to follow.

The US will announce a “major sanctions package” on Friday to “hold Russia accountable” for Navalny’s death, National Security spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday.

The European Union has also signalled it is considering new sanctions, while UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said he expects Britain and the rest of the G7 group of rich nations to target individuals linked to Navalny’s death.

Lvova-Belova is the official at the center of the alleged scheme to forcibly deport thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia.

The ICC said both Putin and Lvova-Belova are “allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.”

Some key background: According to the US and several European governments, Putin’s administration has carried out a scheme to forcibly deport thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia, often to a network of dozens of camps, where the minors undergo political reeducation.

“Lvova-Belova’s efforts specifically include the forced adoption of Ukrainian children into Russian families, the so-called ‘patriotic education’ of Ukrainian children, legislative changes to expedite the provision of Russian Federation citizenship to Ukrainian children, and the deliberate removal of Ukrainian children by Russia’s forces,” the US Treasury said in September.

Her government title is commissioner for children’s rights in the Office of the Russian President.

The ICC statement Friday said there are “reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes,” both for having committed the acts directly or through others in his command, and for “his failure to exercise control properly over civilian and military subordinates.”

Russia has characterized reports of forcible relocation as “absurd” and said it does its “best” to keep minors with their families.

The ICC announcement comes just days after several US news outlets reported the court was planning to open two war crimes cases tied to the invasion of Ukraine and issue arrest warrants against “several people.”

ALSO READ:

Ukraine war: What’s happening now is a tragedy, not our fault – Putin

Russia has not lost anything over actions in Ukraine – Putin

According to the New York Times, the ICC was set to first open a case on Russia’s alleged abduction of Ukrainian children. Then a second case would focus on Moscow “unrelentingly” targeting civilian infrastructure, including water supplies and gas tanks.

The cases would represent the first international charges to be brought since the start of Russia’s war and come after months of work by special ICC investigation teams, according to the NYT.

In a post on Twitter, Mr Goïta said: “We spoke of the Russian Federation’s support for Mali’s political transition, and I praised the quality of our partnership, which respects Mali’s sovereignty and the aspirations of its people.”

J’ai eu un entretien téléphonique avec le Président Poutine. Nous avons évoqué l’appui de la Fédération de Russie ?? à la transition politique malienne et j’ai salué la qualité de notre partenariat respectueux de la souveraineté du #Mali et des aspirations de sa population.

— Colonel Assimi GOITA (@GoitaAssimi) August 10, 2022

On Tuesday, Mali’s air force officially unveiled several new combat aircraft supplied by Russia during a ceremony presided over by Mr Goïta at Bamako’s international airport.

The Soviet-era warplanes are the latest batch of military deliveries from Moscow under close ties forged between Russia and Mali since the Sahel state suffered a coup in August 2020.

Mali has pivoted towards Russia after falling out with the West, particularly France, which is opposed to the presence of Wagner mercenaries in the Sahel country.

ALSO READ:

• Woman jailed for killing lover over grasscutter soup

• EC finally speaks on Adwoa Safo’s seat

• Check out lovely photos of Abedi Pele and wife as they mark 35th marriage anniversary

Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he “had a very productive” discussion with Mr Putin.

It comes after Sri Lanka’s energy minister warned at the weekend that the country may soon run out of petrol.

On Wednesday, hundreds of people took to the streets of the capital Colombo to protest against the government.

“I requested an offer of credit support to import fuel,” Mr Rajapaksa tweeted in reference to his conversation with the Russian leader.

Mr Rajapaksa also said he had “humbly made a request” for flights between Moscow and Colombo to resume, after the Russian flag carrier Aeroflot suspended services last month.

“We unanimously agreed that strengthening bilateral relations in sectors such as tourism, trade and culture was paramount in reinforcing the friendship our two nations share,” he added.

1/2
Had a very productive telecon with the #Russia President, Vladimir Putin. While thanking him for all the support extended by his gvt to overcome the challenges of the past, I requested an offer of credit support to import fuel to #lka in defeating the current econ challenges.

— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) July 6, 2022

The country has already purchased oil from Russia in recent months to help bolster fuel supplies during the crisis, and the government has signalled that it is willing to buy more from the energy-rich country.

Attempts by Mr Rajapaksa to resolve Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis in more than 70 years, including securing financial support from India and China, have so far failed to end weeks of shortages of fuel, power, food and other essential items.

ALSO READ:

• Akufo-Addo’s boy, Thomas Amoani blows course in UK University

• Popular Nollywood actor reportedly homeless

• Mexican mayor marries alligator in colourful wedding ceremony

On Sunday, energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera said the country only had enough petrol left for less than a day under regular demand.

Last week, authorities suspended sales of petrol and diesel for non-essential vehicles in an attempt to preserve its dwindling fuel stocks.

On Thursday, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka raised its key interest rates by one percentage point to tackle the soaring cost of living in the country.

The lending rate was raised to 15.5%, while the deposit rate was increased to 14.5%, the highest in 21 years.

It comes as annual inflation hit a record high of 54.6% in June as the cost of food rose by more than 80%.

Hundreds of protesters had a day earlier on Wednesday gathered near the parliament building in Colombo as they launched what they called the “final push” to remove Mr Rajapaksa’s government.

This week, the UK reinstated advice against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka because of civil unrest in the country.

The Foreign Office warned holidaymakers could encounter “demonstrations, roadblocks and violent unrest at short notice”.

Visiting countries against Foreign Office advice would be likely to invalidate one’s travel insurance, the Association of British Insurers said.

Sri Lanka desperately needs the help of Russian President Vladimir Putin for both fuel and tourists, which are both vital to rescuing the country’s economy.

The island nation has virtually run out of fuel, crippling businesses and public transport.

It is struggling to get oil shipments from its usual suppliers in the Gulf or elsewhere due to a lack of foreign currency as well as banking and logistical difficulties.

Western nations have imposed restrictions on Russian oil in response to its invasion of Ukraine. But President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is clearly willing to take the risk of triggering displeasure in Western capitals.

To add to Colombo’s woes, Aeroflot suspended Moscow-Colombo passenger flight services last month after a Sri Lankan court briefly detained one of its planes following a commercial dispute over payment.

Russians accounted for almost a fifth of total tourist arrivals in the months before the war started in Ukraine.

Even if the flights resume, it may not be easy to attract Russian tourists as they could find it difficult to pay for things while they are on holiday.

Several Russian banks have been disconnected from using the SWIFT international payment system and Visa and Master credit cards have suspended Russian operations in response to Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

Sri Lanka has seen its foreign exchange reserves shrink due to economic mismanagement and the impact of the pandemic.

As a result it has struggled to pay for imports of essential goods, including fuel, food and medicine.

In May, it defaulted on its debts for the first time in its history after a 30-day grace period to come up with $78m (£63m) of unpaid debt interest payments expired.

The country is currently in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a £3bn bailout.

Sri Lanka’s government has said it needs $5bn this year in support from the international community, including the IMF.

The Foreign Office said Anna Tsivileva, Putin’s cousin and president of a major mining firm, has been sanctioned.

Vladimir Potanin, Russia’s second richest man and key supporter of Putin’s regime, was also sanctioned on Wednesday due to the war in Ukraine.

The UK government said the sanctions were intended to “weaken the Russian war machine”.

The pair will be subject to asset freezes and travel bans.

Ms Tsivileva, who runs prominent Russian coal mining company JSC Kolmar Group, significantly benefitted from her relationship with the president, the Foreign Office said.

READ MORE:

• Akufo-Addo terminates Juliana Cudjoe’s appointment

• Tiger storms Sunyani; eats only intestines of its prey

• IGP not working, only seeking human faces – DCOP Akrofi

Oligarch Mr Potanin, owner of major conglomerate Interros, continues to amass wealth supporting Putin’s regime, according to the UK.

He has acquired Russian bank Rosbank and shares in Tinkoff Bank in the period since the invasion of Ukraine.

A UK government spokesperson said: “As long as Putin continues his abhorrent assault on Ukraine, we will use sanctions to weaken the Russian war machine.

“Today’s sanctions show that nothing and no one is off the table, including Putin’s inner circle.”

The sanctions are the latest as part of a series imposed by the UK on Russian individuals and companies.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, in Madrid for a Nato summit, told the BBC that Russia must be held to account for its actions.

The group, which owes its name to the initials of its five member states – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – is holding its annual summit on Thursday, but without much fanfare or huge expectations.

Talks will also be held in a virtual format, for the third consecutive year. The last two were held during the Covid pandemic, but it’s not clear why the leaders chose to skip face-to-face meetings this year.

It’s in stark contrast to the Quad – which groups India with Australia, Japan and the US – whose leaders met in person in Japan last month amid the global media glare.

Some analysts say that this is also partly due to the fact that the Brics hasn’t really lived up to expectations over the years. When it was formed in 2009, the group was expected to reshape the global economy and create a new financial order to help the developing world.

Its success can be described at best as moderate, but its importance can’t be overstated. Brics nations have a combined population of 3.23 billion and their combined GDP is more than $23tn.

“The Brics may seem irrelevant because it hasn’t really moved the needle forward on its long-standing efforts to usher in viable global economic alternatives to the US-led existing system,” says Michael Kugelman, deputy director at the Wilson Center think-tank in Washington.

But he adds that writing the Brics off will be a mistake because of its collective economic might, “even though it often tends to punch below its weight”.

READ ALSO:

• I have nothing to lose leaving Nigeria, I have two houses in America – Peter Okoye

• Latest twist to bullion van robberies case

• Beautiful photos drop as Adwoa Safo’s son graduates from a US school

The economy has always been at the heart of the Brics but the Ukraine war is likely to loom large over the summit on Thursday.

The nations may not overtly mention the war, but it will definitely be discussed when Indian PM Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro talk to each other.

Pratyush Rao, director for South Asia at the Control Risks consultancy, says Ukraine, without a doubt, will be the elephant in the room.

“A lot of people will be keeping an eye on the summit, especially on the dynamics between Russia and China over Ukraine,” he says.

While China has been more open about its support for Russia, India, South Africa and Brazil have tried to walk the diplomatic tightrope over the war. They haven’t openly criticised Russia but have advocated talks to end the war.

But a lot has changed since the war started. The economic impact of the war and the West-led sanctions is showing across the world – inflation is up in many countries, global supply chains have been disrupted and there are fears of food shortages.

Russian commentators have been talking about the importance of the Brics nations in blunting the impact of the sanctions.

Mr Rao says some pushback against Western sanctions can be expected at the summit, and that will be comforting for Russia.

“But it should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Russia’s actions,” he adds.

However, Brics members would want to be seen as taking an initiative to help developing nations overcome the economic impact of the war.

“I expect the summit to underscore the group’s global importance because of its collective demographic and economic clout. I also expect it to help poorer and middle-income countries build resilience to deal with the economic impacts of the Ukraine crisis,” says Mr Kugelman.

But then there will be challenges within the group. Beijing and Moscow might agree on taking tougher lines against the West, but Delhi would not like the summit to be used to openly criticise the US and more broadly the West.

Delhi takes pride in its “strategic autonomy” and the policy of non-alignment and has proven that it can be a significant member of even competing multilateral forums.

“India has an independent strategic policy and an independent autonomous voice on the global stage and it wouldn’t want to compromise on that,” says Mr Rao.

Both Russia and China have criticised the Quad as “Asia’s Nato” but this hasn’t deterred Delhi from pledging its support to the group’s initiatives in the Indo-Pacific, which Beijing considers as its area of influence.

Analysts say that Russia and China will mostly likely overlook these irritants for the larger goal of establishing the Brics as a viable financial institution to help the developing world, and also stay relevant in the fast-changing geopolitical order.

Meanwhile, there are reported differences between Delhi and other members over the expansion of the Brics.

Bloomberg news agency recently reported that Delhi would push back against Beijing’s plan to include new members into the group.

“India wouldn’t want to see more members in a group where China plays a dominant role. India will fear more Chinese influence,” says Mr Kugelman.

The success of the summit will also depend on how the two countries manage their differences over this and other issues, which includes their ongoing border disputes.

Both Mr Kugelman and Mr Rao believe that the two nations have the ability to overlook their differences when it suits their mutual interests.

They are partners in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which is an alliance of eight nations, and have also co-operated at the COP26 summit to push back against accepting hard targets to cut emissions.

Against this backdrop, Ukraine can be a point of convergence for the Brics. It can serve as an opportunity for the group to convince the world that it can be a viable financial option against Western-led institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

So, some concrete announcements on financial aid and more investment into the Brics-led New Development Bank can be expected.

And analysts say that this would be a step in the right direction for the Brics to get more clout as a serious global player.

The nation’s Chief of Defence Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov claimed the tyrant was attacked in an “unsuccessful attempt” on his life around two months ago.

He told Ukrainian Pravda: “Putin was assassinated…

“He was even attacked in the line of, as they say, representatives of the Caucasus not so long ago.

“This is non-public information. Absolutely unsuccessful attempt, but it really took place… It was about 2 months ago.”

“Once again, he was unsuccessful. There is no publicity about this event, but it took place. “

Pravda said the full interview with Mr Budanov will be aired tomorrow.

In the event of Putin’s assassination, a “little-known tax official” named Mikhail Mishustin would take control of the Russian state, according to Business Insider, which cited a clause in legislation Putin passed last year to “reset the presidential clock” and allow him to stay in power.

Mr Mishustin has actually been Russia’s Prime Minister since January 2020.

The 56-year-old would officially take control of the Russian Government in Putin dies, or is incapacitated, for 90 days or until an election to replace him can be held.

Mr Mishustin is regarded in political circles as bland and powerless, with no major ambitions.

However, other sources say the power could be transferred to Nikolai Patrushev – Putin’s former KGB pal and current secretary of the Security Council of Russia since 2008.

The former spook is “no better than Vladimir Putin”, according to another ex-Kremlin spy.

He added: “If he comes to power, Russians’ problems will only multiply.”

Described as Putin’s right-hand man Mr Patrushev is the “most influential person in the Kremlin bureaucracy” and the “only person” Putin trusts, according to Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer.

Writing for the New York Post, Ms Koffler said: “Both men have likely authorised the poisonings and killings of many Russian ‘enemies.”

She explained, some believe the pair of them ordered FSB officials to bomb apartment buildings in Moscow, killing up to 300 civilians in 1999.

In October last year, Putin was directly asked about his successor in an interview with American broadcaster CNBC.

Putin replied: “I prefer not to answer such questions.”

The Russian leader could remain in power until 2036, if his health allows.

The incident relayed by Major-General Budanov today was not the first attempt made against the despot’s life as he has reportedly survived five previous would-be assassins.

In a 2012 interview with filmmaker Oliver Stone for the Putin Interviews, the tyrant explained how he foiled the plots by taking the advice of Cuban revolutionary and President Fidel Castro.

He claimed by personally managing his own security detail he has been able to cheat death.

One attempt is thought to have taken place the funeral of Anatoly Sobchak in St. Petersburg, on February 24, 2000, although he was saved by his guard service.

According to Rense, Federal Guard Service press secretary, Sergei Devystov, said that “not a psychopath but a certain organization was behind the attempt.”

CNN reports that a second took place that same year. The foiled attempt took place at a meeting of former Soviet nations, the Yalta summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In attendance at the summit were leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Ukraine.

The news was first reported by Interfax, a Russian news agency. Ukraine’s Security Service chief Leonid Derkach, said that his forces had foiled an attempt on the life of one of the leaders.

It was reported later by Russia Today that four Chechens and “several persons from Middle East countries”, had been arrested.

Another attempt saw a man drive into the perimeter walls of the Kremlin and tell the guards: “My name is Ivan Zaitsev. I’m the President of Russia. Now take me to Vladimir Putin!”

Putin’s security had the man arrested straight away.

Earlier this month Budanov – who holds the Major General rank – waded into the Putin health debate, saying he’s in “very bad condition” with cancer and other illnesses ravishing his body.

He said at the time: “Mr Putin is in a very bad psychological and physical condition and he is very sick.”

At the start of May the spy chief warned the the war won’t come to an end until Putin dies.

Major-General Budanov said the Russian leader has effectively signed his death warrant by ordering his troops into Ukraine.

Boldly predicting a Ukrainian victory at the same time as warning that mass-mobilisation in Russia was near, Major-General Budanov issued this veiled threat on Monday evening.

“Leaving him a way to retreat is one of the strategies, but it is almost unrealistic,” he told The New Voice of Ukraine when asked if Putin would survive the war.

“He is a war criminal for the whole world. This is his end, he drove himself into a dead end. Don’t worry, Ukraine will win.”

The Head of the Chief Intelligence Directorate would not be drawn on how the despot would be ousted or assassinated, but did predict that the future of Russia could unfold in one of two ways.

He said that Russia could be divided into multiple parts following its failure in the invasion, or it could be kept whole, but under new leadership.

Major-General Budanov went on to suggest that Russia was less than a week away from mass mobilisation, which would see its non-military citizens required to have a direct involvement in the war.

“Russia has already been enacting covert mobilisation and is preparing to announce a mass mobilisation in the near future,” he told NV.

Despite rumours he would make a major announcement his speech stuck largely to defending Russia’s invasion.

He tied the war in Ukraine to victory in 1945, blaming the West and Nato for rejecting security demands.

Almost 10 weeks into the invasion, civilian casualties continue to mount.

Some 60 civilians are feared dead in the eastern town of Bilohorivka, after a Russian attack on a school where people were trying to escape bombardment.

Flanked by military top brass, Russia’s leader spoke of Ukrainians as fascists, repeating his false claim that the democratic government in Kyiv was run by neo-Nazis.

Defending the motherland had always been sacred, he said, referring to the eastern region which is now the main focus of Russia’s assault: “Today you are fighting for our people in Donbas, for the security of Russia, our homeland.”

He also made unfounded allegations against Nato and Ukraine:, saying: “They were preparing a punishing operation in Donbas to intrude on our historic lands. In Kyiv they were saying they might get nuclear weapons and Nato started exploring the lands close to us, and that became an obvious threat to us and our borders.”

Ending his 11-minute address, the Russian president said: “Glory to our armed forces – for Russia, for victory, hoorah”, at which the assembled forces responded with a big cheer.

Russian news agencies said 11,000 troops and 131 armoured vehicles took part in the event, including Russia’s widely feted Armata tanks, which have not been considered combat-ready for the war in Ukraine. Smaller parades were planned to mark the day in cities across Russia.

Not everything went according to plan. A flypast by the air force had to be cancelled shortly before the parade because of “weather conditions”, according to the Kremlin.

Ahead of Victory Day, warplanes had rehearsed over Red Square in a Z-formation, the motif used by the Russian state during its war in Ukraine. There were no obvious adverse weather conditions in Moscow on Monday, with plenty of sunshine through the clouds.

Russia was able to claim limited success on Monday in Kherson, the one Ukrainian city it can claim to have fully occupied.

State-run news agency Ria Novosti showed footage of a Victory Day march in memory of those who died in the war.

It was led by Volodymyr Saldo, a pro-Russian local official who has been named Kherson governor and is now being investigated for treason by Ukraine.

What was then the Soviet Union lost 27 million lives during World War Two, with Ukraine accounting for eight million of them.

In a separate message marking 9 May, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Nazis had been expelled in 1945 and Ukraine would not allow anyone to “annex this victory”. Very soon, he said, Ukraine would have two victory days to celebrate.

The sanctions imposed by the EU and others are designed to punish those closest to Mr Putin – the oligarchs, politicians and other officials said to have benefited from their proximity to the president.

Last month, the US and UK imposed sanctions on his daughters Maria Vorontsova, 36, and Katerina Tikhonova, 35.

They are his children with ex-wife Lyudmila.

Until now, Ms Kabaeva has escaped, despite her reported status. She might have felt something was coming: an online petition in March demanded her expulsion from her residence in Switzerland.

Sources have confirmed to the BBC that she is on the latest list of individuals to be sanctioned by the EU. According to AFP, she will be targeted for her part in disseminating Kremlin propaganda and for being “closely associated” with the 69-year-old President Putin.

The draft document does not name her as his partner, and the EU is yet to officially sign off on the proposal.

Russia’s leader has always been intensely private. When asked about his private life, he has tended to brush off the question.

He has, though, explicitly denied a relationship with Ms Kabaeva.

In 2008, the Moskovsky Korrespondent newspaper reported that he was planning to divorce his wife Lyudmila and marry Ms Kabaeva. Both rejected the story. Soon after, the authorities shut the newspaper down. Mr Putin and Lyudmila would announce their split five years later.

At the time the Russian president was denying he was involved with Ms Kabaeva, she was transitioning from a successful sporting career to one in politics.

Her chosen discipline was rhythmic gymnastics, where competitors perform routines with the aid of equipment like ribbons and balls.

Ms Kabaeva, at her peak, has claims to have been the best in the world. She had a move named after her and was a leading performer in the team that dominated the sport. Russia won every Olympic gold medal available from 2000-2016.

Born in 1983, she started rhythmic gymnastics as a four-year-old. Her coach, Irina Viner, said: “I could not believe my eyes when I first saw her. The girl has the rare combination of two qualities crucial in rhythmic gymnastics – flexibility and agility.”

Ms Kabaeva would become known as “Russia’s most flexible woman”.

She made her international debut in 1996 and was a surprise winner at the 1998 European Championships.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, an uncharacteristic error with the hoop cost her dearly (she let it roll off the floor) and she could only manage bronze in the all-round event. Four years later, in Athens, she went better, taking home gold.

By the time of her retirement, she had won 18 World Championship medals and 25 European Championship medals on top of her Olympic prizes.

Like other Russian athletes, she has not escaped the taint of doping, losing her medals at an event in 2001 after testing positive for a banned substance.

She moved into politics, holding a seat in Russia’s lower house of parliament from 2007 to 2014 with the ruling United Russia party.

In 2014 she became chair of the National Media Group, which has large stakes in almost all major Russian state media outlets.

Such outlets have been pumping out a relentlessly pro-Kremlin message on the war in Ukraine, accusing Ukrainians of shelling their own cities and presenting Russian troops as liberators.

Her position has reportedly made her a wealthy woman, with leaked documents suggesting she earns about $12m (£9.7m) a year.

It is not known when she and Mr Putin first met, but it is not unusual for a leading Olympian to meet a country’s president. There’s a photo of the pair as far back as in 2001 when Mr Putin awarded her an Order of Friendship – a top state honour.

There are rumours that they have children together, although reports vary on how many.

A Swiss newspaper reported that Ms Kabaeva had a boy in 2015 at an exclusive clinic near Lake Lugano, and another boy at the same place in 2019. But The Sunday Times and Wall Street Journal said she had twins in 2019 in Moscow although they disagree on how many children she has had.

The Kremlin denies such reports. Back in 2015, Mr Putin’s spokesman said “information about the birth of a baby fathered by Vladimir Putin does not correspond to reality”.

Such is Mr Putin’s guarded nature – in public, he’s never mentioned the names of the children he has with Lyudmila, other than to say he has two adult daughters – that the speculation is likely to continue.

Ms Kabaeva has been in and out of the spotlight since reports of her relationship with Mr Putin emerged.

There was a Vogue cover in 2011, where she wore a pricey gold dress from French fashion house Balmain. She was also a torch bearer at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

More recently, in April she appeared at a junior gymnastics festival in Moscow, quashing suggestions she was in hiding. There, she praised Russia’s war effort. Some outlets noted she wore a wedding band

Since the Ukraine war began, there have been calls for her to face sanctions.

The Wall Street Journal has suggested that the US is reluctant to sanction Ms Kabaeva, for fear it may be deemed “so personal a blow” to Mr Putin that it may escalate tensions further.

It might not be off the table altogether, though. When the White House was asked in April why she was not on their latest list, the press secretary replied “no-one is safe”.

Former gymnast Alina Kabaeva is believed to be holed up in a luxury mountain mansion in Switzerland as calls mount for her to be expelled.

The 38-year-old, who is rumoured to have four children with the Russian President, is not among the figures close to Putin who are facing sanctions.

Pals are said to be hopeful that Kabaeva can persuade him to bring the bloodshed to an end.

A source told Page Six: “Alina’s female friends are begging her to fly to Putin and persuade him to end the war.

“He doesn’t seem to be listening to anybody, but perhaps he might listen to her.”

But the insider claimed Kabaeva is fearful about how Putin will react if she voices any opposition to the conflict.

They said that the president is “surrounded by rings and rings of security”, adding: “Alina says she doesn’t know if she can get to him – and even if she does – she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to get out again to be with their kids.”

The West has so far not sanctioned Kabaeva – although as well as being Putin’s rumoured secret partner, she is also chairman of the board of directors at National Media Group, a major Kremlin-obedient TV and newspaper behemoth, at a salary of almost £8 million a year.

A petition signed by nearly 60,000 people likens her with Eva Braun, Hitler’s mistress.

It says: “It’s time you reunite Eva Braun with her Führer.”

And it continues: “Despite the current war, Switzerland continues to host an accomplice of Putin’s regime.

“The public has just learned that the Russian political and media figure, and former [rhythmic gymnast], Alina Kabaeva, is hiding the consequences of the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation in your country.

“She is the favourite wife of [the] delusional dictator and war criminal who has been treacherously attacking Ukraine over the past weeks.

“As she is supportive of social activities in Russia, she has been attempting to get Russian citizens accustomed to the reality of sanctions after 2014, and personally proclaimed: ‘The worse it gets, the better for us!’”

The signatories question why “given the volume of sanctions placed on Russia” the authorities continue to host her and her family at a time when Putin “is destroying the lives of millions”.

The petition continues: “For the first time in modern history, your country has violated its neutrality, which it did not even do vis-à-vis Nazi Germany in the 20th century, and joined the sanctions against Putin and his surroundings.

“And now you are allowing his favourite mistress and her children to hide within the borders of your state.”

Lieutenant Colonel Maxim Krishtop became a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down during a bombing raid last Sunday.

But in a humiliating show for his leader, Krishtop begged Ukrainians for forgiveness, admitting he had committed “terrible crimes” by fighting in Putin’s war.

Instead, he described the Russian mission to capture Kyiv as “pointless” and urged his comrades to stop fighting.

Lt Col Krishtop said: “The invasion of such a huge city as Kyiv is pointless – it will lead to huge losses of life on both sides and huge destruction.

“I urge you stop following criminal orders, stop fighting, and stop killing civilians – you can see we have already lost this war.”

But the conflict continues to be unrelenting with Russian troops now said to be driving west after wreaking havoc in the east.

Satellite ‘before and after images of the port city of Mariupol show its luscious trees and “beautiful” buildings flattened to a barren wasteland.

Russian troops have been trying to seize it as a tactical move since the start of the conflict, in a bid to strangle the Ukraine economy by controlling key exports.

The eastern city of Mykovail has also been encircled as Putin’s forces are now said to be heading towards Odessa in the west.

President Zelensky urged Russian forces to comply with an agreed ceasefire so refugees could safely evacuate.

But the Ukraine intelligence service claimed that these pleas were being ignored as it issued a statement that Russians had shot women and children fleeing for their lives.

It said: “Russians shot a column of women and children while trying to evacuate from the village of Peremoha in the Kyiv region along an agreed ‘green’ corridor.

“After the attack, the occupiers forced the remnants of the column to turn back to Peremoha and are not letting them out of the village.”

Instead, Russia has been using the opportunity to send in new troops, Ukraine claims.

French President, Emmanuel Macron, said that President Putin was “not willing” to make peace.

The claims followed a futile 75-minute phone call on Saturday (March 12) between France, Germany’s Olaf Scholz and the Russian aggressor, to “find a way out of the war”.

Western leaders have this week expressed growing fears that Putin will unleash devastating chemical weapons in his bid for power.

Speaking at a Russian security council meeting, he said those who wanted to volunteer to fight with Russia-backed forces should be allowed to.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said there were 16,000 volunteers in the Middle East ready to fight alongside Russia-backed forces.

US officials said these could include Syrians skilled in urban combat.

Moscow is a long-standing ally of Syria and Mr Putin has been a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country’s civil war.

“If you see that there are these people who want of their own accord, not for money, to come to help the people living in Donbas, then we need to give them what they want and help them get to the conflict zone,” Mr Putin told his defence minister.

Mr Shoigu also proposed handing over captured Western anti-tank missile systems to Russian-backed rebel fighters in the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk in the Donbas region.

“Please do this,” Mr Putin said.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu proposed handing over American made anti-tank systems such as Javelin and Stinger to fighters from the rebel regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Putin, speaking at a Russian security council meeting, said he supported such an idea.

He also said that those who wanted to volunteer to fight with Russian-backed forces should be allowed to.

Shoigu said there were 16,000 volunteers in the Middle East who were ready to come to fight with Russian-backed forces.

MORE:

• Shakhtar Donetsk coach killed in Ukraine during fight against Russia invasion

• Minister sends strong message to Ghanaian youth over joining Ukraine in its fight against Russia [Audio]

• Bulldog reacts to claims that Shatta Wale’s mother has been evicted [Video]

The decision, announced in a brief statement, comes after Putin, a black belt who has co-authored the book titled “Judo: History, Theory, Practice”, was suspended as IJF honorary president last week.

“The International Judo Federation announces that Mr Vladimir Putin and Mr Arkady Rotenberg have been removed from all positions held in the International Judo Federation,” it said.

Billionaire businessman Arkady Rotenberg had been on the IJF executive committee as a development manager since 2013.

The federation did not mention Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but it said on February 27 it was suspending Putin as honorary IJF president “in light of the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine”.

Putin was also stripped of his honorary taekwondo black belt conferred in 2013 by World Taekwondo and a FINA Order, awarded to him in 2014 by swimming’s global body.

Since the beginning of what Putin has called “a special military operation” in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian teams and athletes have found themselves frozen out from international competitions across sports. Belarus has been a key staging area for Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.

READ ALSO

• Shakhtar Donetsk coach killed in Ukraine during fight against Russia invasion

• Winter Paralympics 2022: Russia and Belarus athletes unable to compete at…

The German manager addressed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which began in the early hours of Thursday morning following the Reds’ Carabao Cup final epic victory.

Per reports from the Ukraine’s Ministry of Interior, 1,684 people including 116 children have been injured.

Ukraine’s health ministry also said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed since the beginning of Russia’s invasion.

The actions of Russia’s Putin has filtered down to football, having been stripped of hosting the 2022 Champions League final while a number of countries have reportedly refused to play against them.

Addressing the issue, the 54-year-old noted that the current situation in Ukraine was beyond his understanding.

“I am 54, nearly 55, and it is beyond my understanding how one adult can put the whole world in such a situation especially the people in Ukraine.” he told Viaplay Football.

“I know so many Ukrainian people and Russian people as well. It’s obviously not about the people, it is the war of one really bad man.

“We have to show solidarity. How it always is in dark times, you need moments where you can think about something.

READ ALSO:

• Man United star Cristiano Ronaldo calls for peace in Ukraine

• Ex-boxing champion joins Ukrainian Army to fight against Russian invasion

“It is a really tough one to take. Three days ago, or whenever it started, we are all constantly on the phone.

“Former players of mine are probably now in the war, I don’t know exactly if they went back directly to their home country.

“We have to show solidarity and it looks like we do that. It looks like we can’t stop him [Putin], but at least we can cause him more problems than he may have expected. Maybe that helps the people in Ukraine.”

The Ukraine International posted a photo of Putin on his Instagram story with the caption, ‘I hope you die the most painful suffering death, creature.’

According to media reports, the story post has since been taken down and the player claims that Instagram has deleted his post in seemingly a move of censorship of the Ukraine international. 

The 25-year-old on Tuesday said, he ‘can’t stand back’ whilst ‘the whole civilized world is concerned about my country’ and has again taken to social media on Thursday morning. 

Per reports from media sources, hundreds of Ukrainian troops have lost their lives in early clashes with Russia at the fronts.

Russia has launched a military assault on Ukraine, with reports of missile strikes in major cities. 

This came after Putin gave an extraordinary early-morning address to the Russian nation in which he declared a special military operation to ‘de-militarise’ and ‘de-Nazify’ Ukraine.

He also issued a chilling warning to any country thinking of coming to Ukraine’s aid, claiming ‘consequences greater than you have faced in history.’

The Grammy-winning hip-hop superstar, who recently referred to himself “Young Putin,” is reportedly planning to travel to Russia to meet his highest idol.

According to Billboard, West’s confidant and strategic adviser, Ameer Sudan, is planning the jaunt, which include the gospel-themed Sunday service concert, where President Vladimir Putin will be invited as a special guest.

“Russia is going to be ‘a second home’ for Ye,” Sudan said. “He will be spending a lot of time out there.”

The appearance will be West’s first performances in the former Soviet Union.

Aside from performing, the rapper will explore business and musical opportunities in the country with billionaire real estate developer Aras Agalarov (known as the “Trump of Russia”), and Agalarov’s musician son, Emin.

MORE:

• Popular Ghanaian rapper passes on

• Jackie Appiah’s plush mansion leaves fans in awe [Video]

• My life is in danger – Akua Donkor reacts after thieves raided her property again

Agalarov is the oligarch credited with setting up Donald Trump Jr.’s infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya to dig up dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Sudan is working with attorney Scott Balber to coordinate the arrangements. Agalarov’s son is reportedly represented by the managing partner of Herbert Smith Freehills’ New York office.

A Level 4 “Do Not Travel” U.S. advisory to the country over terroristic threats, harassment allegations against Russian government security officials and the arbitrary enforcement of local law, won’t stop the failed U.S. presidential candidate, who is also now legally recognized as Ye.

After all, Kim Kardashian’s estranged husband has proclaimed himself as the “greatest artist God ever created.”

“This is Ye, Ye is going to get there regardless. What are they going to say?” Sudan told the outlet. “Kanye knows what’s going on more than the average human being, he’s well aware of things. And it’s nothing against the United States or to cause conflicts, but Ye is Ye—he can’t be controlled.”