A CAPTURED Brit "couldn't walk" after Vladimir Putin's Russian forces tortured him for fighting alongside Ukrainian troops.
Shaun Pinner was among five Brits released last year after he was sentenced to death by a pro-Russian court in Ukraine.
Speaking to Sky News, Shaun recalled how he was given electric shocks by his captures, stating: "When I took my thermal off I was just bleeding from my leg from the electric shock, and my legs had inflated so I couldn't walk."
He went on to give a fierce warning to Putin saying: "One day, you'll be found out."
It comes as the UK's Ministry of Defence stated "heavy fighting" continues in Bakhmut where Ukrainian forces are keeping resupply routes open.
Read our Ukraine war blog below for the latest news…
- Henry Moore
Ben Wallace claims ‘conflict is coming by the end of this decade’
A year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Defence Secretary warned the world is “definitely more dangerous, more unstable and more insecure”.
“Conflict is coming by the end of this decade,” he told The Sun, “whether it is a cold war or hot, war is coming.”
“We just have to recognise that in order to deter you just have to be ready, you have to be equipped and you have to stand with your friends and your allies.”
- Henry Moore
Ukraine's health minister brands Russia a terrorist state
Viktor Liashko, Ukraine's health minister, has branded Russia a terrorist state, following a year of attacks on civilian infrastructure.
According to Liashko, 106 medical workers had been killed since Russia launched its brutal invasion last year, with 174 healthcare facilities destroyed.
“Under the Geneva Convention, medical facilities are protected by international law, and if a country doesn’t obey those rules, it is a terrorist state and should be recognised as one,” he said.
- Henry Moore
How many troops does Putin lose every day?
More than 800 of Putin‘s troops are understood to be dying a day amid accusations Putin is using mobilised troops as cannon fodder in First World War-style tactics at the frontline.
Nato intelligence meanwhile suggests Russia is losing as many as 2,000 men for every 100 yards gained in Ukraine.
Just days ago, Putin’s elite marine force of 5,000 men were obliterated like “turkeys in a shooting range” during Ukraine’s bloodiest battle in Donetsk.
- Henry Moore
Ukraine would 'like to meet with China', Zelensky says
President Zelensky has said Ukraine is open to talks with China following Chinese diplomat Wang Yi's visit to Moscow this week.
Speaking at a news briefing in Kyiv, Mr Zelensky said “We would like to meet with China.”
China has come under criticism from the west in recent days, as US officials warned the country against aiding Russia's brutal invasion.
- Henry Moore
Why does Ukraine need tanks?
The British Ministry of Defence has taken to Twitter to answer the question of why Ukraine needs tanks.
Sharing a video of the Challenger 2 tanks Britain will supply to the under-siege nation, the MoD provided three key reasons.
The MoD listed:
- Ability to destroy other tanks
- Increased protection
- Ability to support combined operations
US official warns China against aiding Russia
The US Treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, has issued a stark warning to the Chinese government regarding its support of Russia.
Yellen told journalists: "We have made clear that providing material support to Russia or assistance with any type of systemic sanctions evasion would be a very serious concern to us.
"And we will certainly continue to make clear to the Chinese government and to companies and banks in their jurisdictions what the rules are regarding our sanctions and the serious consequences that they would face in violating them."
This warning comes after Chinese diplomats met with Putin in Moscow today.
Russian attack leaves people trapped under rubble
A Russian attack on Kharkiv left several people stuck under rubble.
As of 12:30pm this afternoon, people were being retrieved by local emergency services.
The attack hit the city of Kupiansk.
Ukraine hits Russian financial sector with 50 years of sanctions
Ukraine's national bank has placed 50 years' worth of sanctions on all financial institutions within the Russian Federation.
“It is a complete block on financial institutions of the Russian Federation accessing markets and assets in Ukraine. A complete block,” Andriy Pyshnyy, governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, wrote on Facebook.
“We should weaken it with all available means. It is the financial sector which is a strategic ‘donor’ of this war.”
Putin ‘not going to stop’
The UK defence secretary, Ben Wallace, has claimed that the war in Ukraine could last another year.
Speaking to LBC, Ben Wallace said: “I think we will. I think Russia has shown a complete disregard, not only for the lives of the people of Ukraine but for its own soldiers.
“We are sitting here 12 months in and 188,000, actually more now, Russian soldiers are dead or injured as a result of this catastrophic miscalculation and aggression by President Putin.”
He added: “When someone has crossed the line and thinks it is OK to do that to your own people, running effectively a meat grinder for an army, I think he is not going to stop.”
- Louis Allwood
UK's MoD reveal latest intelligence update
As the war in Ukraine approaches its one-year anniversary, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has shared a detailed map of the situation on the ground.
The Ministry claims that Russia are continuing their focus towards Bakhmut and Lyman.
- Louis Allwood
Ex-Putin spy found dead
A Russian oligarch and a former politician in Putin's party have been found dead hours apart in the latest mystery deaths to hit Russia's elite.
The body of Vyacheslav Rovneiko, 59, who founded Russian energy giant Urals Energy with the son-in-law of Putin's predecessor Boris Yeltsin, was discovered at his house outside of Moscow at around 11pm Wednesday night.
Russian media has not given any cause of death so far.
A police report said that "no signs of a violent death were found on his body".
On Thursday, it was announced that a former politician in Putin's United Russia party on trial for bribery had died in custody.
Andrei Bralnin, an elected official in the town of Kotlas in Russia's Arkhangelsk region, was awaiting trial for allegedly taking bribes.
- Louis Allwood
Protesters paint road in Ukrainian colours outside Russian embassy
Four protesters have been arrested after they painted a Ukrainian flag on the road outside the Russian embassy in London.
The protest was organised by campaign group Led By Donkeys.
The demonstration saw people pour the blue and yellow paint on to the road.
- Louis Allwood
Biden says US will defend ‘every inch’ of NATO
Joe Biden met with leaders of the Bucharest Nine (B9) and NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg yesterday.
At the meeting, Biden said it is “absolutely clear” that the US will defend “literally every inch of Nato”.
The US President said leaders of the B9 countries were “frontlines” of NATO’s resistance to Russian aggression and “the freedom of democracies through Europe and around the world”.
- Louis Allwood
Putin thought he would defeat Ukraine in 3 DAYS
Vladimir Putin expected to defeat Ukraine in three days as his spies told him thousands would rise up to overthrow Volodymyr Zelensky.
Leaked documents show the FSB security service was feeding duff intelligence to the Russian tyrant – feeding his deranged ego.
Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine a year ago in the belief he could secure a lightning victory by seizing the capital Kyiv and "decapitating" the leadership.
In an email written about a fortnight after the invasion, as Russia dead began to mount, the source reveals how the FSB spies had been reporting that before the invasion, Ukrainians were ready to rise up.
“We issued reports that at minimum about 2,000 trained civilians in every major city in Ukraine were ready to overthrow Zelensky.
“And that at least 5,000 civilians were prepared to come out with flags against Zelensky on the beck-and-call of Russia."
- Louis Allwood
Rishi Sunak to lead moment of reflection tomorrow
Friday will mark the one year anniversary since Vladimir Putin ordered his illegal invasion of Ukraine.
At 11am tomorrow Brits will fall silent to mark one year since the deranged tyrant ordered tanks into Ukraine.
Rishi Sunak will lead the moment of reflection from outside Downing Street.
- Louis Allwood
Putin's losses approach 146,000
Vladimir Putin's forces are fast approaching 146,000 losses.
Ukraine's armed forces claimed that Russia lost a further 790 soldiers within the past 24 hours.
Ukraine also claimed they destroyed 16 tanks and seven artillery systems.
- Louis Allwood
Ben Wallace slams Putin
On the morning before the first anniversary of Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine, the Defence Secretary also admitted war in the region could last another 12 months.
He slammed Mad Vlad Putin for having no regard for human lives – whether Ukrainian or Russian.
"I think Russia has shown a complete disregard, not only for the lives of the people of Ukraine, but for its own soldiers," Mr Wallace said.
"We are sitting here 12 months in and 188,000, actually more now, Russian soldiers are dead or injured as a result of this catastrophic miscalculation and aggression by President Putin.
"When someone has crossed the line and thinks it is ok to do that to your own people, running effectively a meat grinder for an army, I think he is not going to stop."
- Louis Allwood
Pictured: Putin marks Russia's Defender of the Fatherland day
Vladimir Putin has been marking Russia's Defender of the Fatherland day this morning.
The tyrant was accompanied by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
The pair attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Eternal Flame and the Unknown Soldier's Grave in Alexander Garden.
Credit: AFP Credit: AFP - Louis Allwood
Putin warned ‘step back from brink’ of WW3
Putin has vowed to deploy his hypersonic Satan-2 missile and bolster his "nuclear triad" in a chilling threat to the West.
In remarks issued by the Kremlin on Thursday, Putin said Russia "will pay increased attention to strengthening the nuclear triad" – referring to nukes based on land, sea and in the air.
Speaking in a video address, mad Vlad said: "We will continue to supply advanced equipment to our troops, including new strike systems, reconnaissance and communications equipment, drones and artillery systems."
A senior Russian defence official insisted Moscow would stick to agreed limits on nuclear missiles and keep informing the US about changes in its deployments.
UN chief Antonio Guterres slammed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and called out Putin's nuclear threats.
"We have heard implicit threats to use nuclear weapons.," he said.
"The so-called tactical use of nuclear weapons is utterly unacceptable. It is high time to step back from the brink."
- Louis Allwood
NATO secretary-general raises supply concerns
Nato's secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg has claimed supply of ammunition to Ukraine is "not sustainable" at its current level.
He added that this was due to the "consumption being much higher".
Jens Stoltenberg told Sky News: "The only way to sustain our support of Ukraine is to do what we have stared to do now, and that is to engage with the defence industry to make sure that allies are signing long term contracts."
- Louis Allwood
US treasury secretary says they expect to offer $10 billion in economic support to Ukraine
Speaking ahead of a news conference Janet Yellen claimed the US is looking to offer more financial aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
The Treasury Secretary said: "As President Biden has said, we will stand with Ukraine in its fight – for as long as it takes. Continued, robust support for Ukraine will be a major topic of discussion during my time here in India."
Yellen added: "Our economic assistance is making Ukraine’s resistance possible by supporting the home front: funding critical public services and helping keep the government running.
"In the coming months, we expect to provide around $10 billion in additional economic support for Ukraine."
- Louis Allwood
Putin's war failures
Vladimir Putin's barbaric war in Ukraine is fast approaching it's one year anniversary, but has the illegal invasion been a success?
The simple answer to this is no. Vladimir Putin set out clear goals prior to the invasion, claiming Russia will take Ukraine in a matter of months.
However, within one week of the war Russian forces faced heavy losses including the blitz of the tyrant's 40 mile convoy in February 2022.
- Louis Allwood
Ukrainians face 'grim anniversary' tomorrow
The editor-in-chief of Kyiv Independent, has revealedthat no one in Ukraine will "ever feel calm" on February 24.
Speaking to Sky News, the editor said the war in Ukraine has been an "absolutely traumatic experience – life changing one".
Olga Kurylenko added: "It's a grim anniversary… this time last year this was the last normal day for us," she said.
"None of us in Ukraine will ever feel calm on February 24 ever again."
- Louis Allwood
Ben Wallace claims 'conflict is coming by the end of this decade'
A year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Defence Secretary warned the world is “definitely more dangerous, more unstable and more insecure”.
“Conflict is coming by the end of this decade,” he told The Sun, “whether it is a cold war or hot, war is coming.”
“We just have to recognise that in order to deter you just have to be ready, you have to be equipped and you have to stand with your friends and your allies.”
- Louis Allwood
Putin 'not going to stop'
The UK defence secretary, Ben Wallace, has claimed that the war in Ukraine could last another year.
Speaking to LBC, Ben Wallace said: "I think we will. I think Russia has shown a complete disregard, not only for the lives of the people of Ukraine but for its own soldiers.
"We are sitting here 12 months in and 188,000, actually more now, Russian soldiers are dead or injured as a result of this catastrophic miscalculation and aggression by President Putin."
He added: "When someone has crossed the line and thinks it is OK to do that to your own people, running effectively a meat grinder for an army, I think he is not going to stop."
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