caifanes tour 2022 merchandise

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Caifanes tour dates 2024

Caifanes is currently touring across 3 countries and has 22 upcoming concerts.

Their next tour date is at Bakkt Theater, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, after that they'll be at Acrisure Arena at Greater Palm Springs in Palm Desert.

Currently touring across

Upcoming concerts (22) See nearest concert

Bakkt Theater, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino

Acrisure Arena at Greater Palm Springs

Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

Maverik Center

Levitt Pavilion

Isleta Amphitheater

El Paso County Coliseum

Sames Auto Arena

Bert Ogden Arena

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Dos Equis Pavilion

Capital One City Parks Foundation Summerstage

Budweiser Stage

Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park

Parque Las Maravillas

Auditorio Citibanamex

San Jose Civic

Teatro Griego

Explanada del Recinto Ferial

Palacio de los Deportes

Past concerts

Hollywood Bowl

Auditorio Nacional

View all past concerts

Recent tour reviews

Excellent concert, two hours of timeless hits, clean all ages, respectful, no nonsense or liberal agenda entertainment, they just put up a great show! Venue was clean and presentable, the energy Caifanes displayed was awesome!

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Well Caifanes are my Gods their concerts are rituals where I can fly and feel free!! I never miss their ritual. So the only think that I can say is. It was amazing like always

The Concert was AWESOME, the only bad thing was the securities smell like marihuana. At the end of the show the securities were rude with ppl demamding to get out, and they had actitud.

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All Setlists

• All setlist songs  ( 431 )

Years on tour

• 2024  ( 21 )
• 2023  ( 61 )
• 2022  ( 51 )
• 2021  ( 18 )
• 2020  ( 7 )
• 2019  ( 27 )
• 2018  ( 21 )
• 2017  ( 28 )
• 2016  ( 16 )
• 2015  ( 9 )
• 2014  ( 12 )
• 2013  ( 20 )
• 2012  ( 25 )
• 2011  ( 31 )
• 1995  ( 15 )
• 1994  ( 25 )
• 1993  ( 15 )
• 1992  ( 5 )
• 1991  ( 6 )
• 1990  ( 5 )
• 1989  ( 3 )
• 1988  ( 3 )
• 1987  ( 7 )

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• 30 Años  ( 24 )
• Caifanes 2011  ( 31 )
• Caifanes 2012  ( 25 )
• Caifanes 2013  ( 19 )
• Caifanes 2023  ( 60 )
• Caifanes 2024  ( 18 )
• Caifanes Tour 2019  ( 1 )
• El Nervio del Volcán Tour  ( 5 )
• North America Tour 2024  ( 3 )
• Nuestro Rock  ( 2 )
• Avg Setlist
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Average setlist for year: 2022

Note: only considered 36 of 51 setlists (ignored empty and strikingly short setlists)

• Los dioses ocultos Play Video
• Nubes Play Video
• Para que no digas que no pienso en ti Play Video
• Amanece Play Video
• Miedo Play Video
• Nunca me voy a transformar en ti Play Video
• Detrás de los cerros ( Jaguares  cover) Play Video
• Sólo eres tú Play Video
• Ayer me dijo un ave Play Video
• Viento Play Video
• Cuéntame tu vida Play Video
• Mátenme porque me muero Play Video
• De noche todos los gatos son pardos Play Video
• Antes de que nos olviden Play Video
• Aviéntame Play Video
• Afuera Play Video
• Aquí no es así Play Video
• Nos vamos juntos Play Video
• No dejes que... Play Video
• Hasta morir Play Video
• Te lo pido por favor ( Juan Gabriel  cover) Play Video
• La célula que explota Play Video
• La negra Tomasa ( Guillermo Rodríguez Fiffe  cover) Play Video

Show Openers

Main set closers, show closers, encores played.

This feature is not that experimental anymore. Nevertheless, please give feedback if the results don't make any sense to you.

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Leonid & Friends

Passion. Persistence. Perfection. By Scott Schwebke

With multiple sold-out U.S. tours under its belt and hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, Leonid & Friends continues to astound its global audience with its unique ability in capturing the spirit, musicality, and fire of American supergroup Chicago. And what is even more stunning is that Leonid & Friends, comprised of 11 of the finest musicians in Russia, haven't seen Chicago perform live until recently, yet replicates the band’s complex arrangements amazingly note for note. Chicago has never been in Russia, and none of us have attended their concerts until just recently in the United States," said Leonid Vorobyev, a multi-instrumentalist who is the band’s leader. "We have only recordings and videos (to help us learn Chicago songs)."

Ironically, Vorobyev wasn’t always a fan of horn bands, and as a teenager gravitated to the hard-driving guitar-based sounds of the Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Deep Purple, and Grand Funk Railroad. "In the early 1970s in the USSR, electric guitars, amplifiers, and drums were rare to find so at school we were playing self-made instruments," Vorobyev explained. "We were allowed to rehearse in the same room with a horns band. Those musicians almost always were drunk and quite often tried to play with us our rock songs. It was a nightmare, and I hated them all!" But that all changed when Vorobyev heard Chicago. He became an instant fan. "I loved so much the brilliant mixture of rock guitars, drums, and jazz horns with bright vocal harmonies," he said. In 2014, Vorobyev decided to indulge his love for the band by gathering a few fellow musicians in a studio to record a video of them playing his favorite Chicago tune, Brand New Love Affair. No charts or scores of the song existed so Vorobyev transcribed the tune by ear. The result was a YouTube video that quickly went viral. Since then Leonid & Friends has recorded videos of other Chicago hits including Make Me Smile , 25 or 6 to 4 , and Saturday In The Park . All total the videos have received more than 50 million views. Also, Leonid & Friends has recorded two albums showcasing its tribute to Chicago. The process of getting each tune just right is a painstaking labor of love. In addition to scoring and arranging, Vorobyev oversees mixing and mastering of each song. However, he credits his highly skilled bandmates for making each tune sing. "All of my musician friends are highly professional," he said. However, Leonid & Friends hasn’t been satisfied with merely connecting with fans through videos and recordings. In early 2019, the band embarked on its first tour outside of Russia that had fans dancing in the aisles at sold-out shows in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Florida. Two other scorching coast-to-coast U.S. tours followed that same year. “The fans were so eager to see us that some traveled from as far as Hawaii and the Philippines not mentioning flying across the U.S .and driving for hours to attend our shows,” Vorobyev said. “I was expecting a warm greeting but I didn't expect such a warm reception and with so much love and gratitude for us.” In Los Angeles, the band met its musical heroes, founding members of Chicago, keyboardist Robert Lamm, and drummer Danny Seraphine as well as Michelle Kath Sinclair, daughter of late, great Chicago guitarist Terry Kath. “We were so thrilled that Robert, Danny, and Michelle took the time to visit with us,” Vorobyev said. “It was an experience that we will cherish and remember forever.” When Leonid & Friends isn’t touring, band members are in the studio in Moscow immersing themselves in Chicago’s storied catalog of hits and deep tracks while preparing for the next tour. In September of 2018, the band recorded its first song from legendary supergroup Earth, Wind, & Fire and also paid tribute to the band Blood, Sweat & Tears as well. Borrowing a line from one of Chicago's biggest hits, "it's only the beginning" of great things from Leonid & Friends.

Scott Schwebke has been a journalist for more than 30 years and a longtime fan of Chicago dating back to its incarnation as CTA. His work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Denver Post, Orange County Register and various publications across the U.S.

Learn more about Leonid and his Friends.

Leonid Vorobyev

Musical director and founder of Leonid & Friends.

Leonid Vorobyev is the leader and founder of the band Leonid & Friends. He is the band’s producer, plays bass and piano, sings lead and backing vocals, transcribes all the musical sources, and he produces, mixes, and masters all audio and video productions. Leonid graduated from East Siberian Institute of Culture as a Choir Conductor. He had been working in various bands as a bass player and a singer when in 1989 he chose studio operations as his main interest and began a career as a record-mix engineer and sound producer. He has been working as a music producer, sound engineer, composer, and musician for about 30 years. Many Russian bands and singers have passed through his hands and ears. At the end of 2014, Leonid decided to give himself a gift to celebrate his retirement by recording a cover version of Chicago’s song Brand New Love Affair. No charts or scores of the song existed so he transcribed the musical source by ear, called upon his friends and recorded the song. What happened when the song was released surprised everyone and was the start of the new project ‘Leonid & Friends’.

Vasilii Akimov

Vocals/Guitar

A graduate of the Irkutsk College of the Arts and Institute of Contemporary Art. Vasily has won several international music competitions. He has been a member of the Russian hard rock band Monomakh, where he won praise from former Black Sabbath frontman Ronnie James Dio.

Sergey Kashirin

Vocals/Guitar (Former Member)

Sergey Kashirin was born in 1982 in Tiraspol, Transnistria, in Eastern Europe. A music enthusiast at an early age, Sergey began singing and playing guitar when he was only 8 years old. Following his musical dreams throughout his school years, he was accepted into the Tiraspol Rubinstein Musical College from which he graduated. After graduation, Sergey moved to Moscow where he quickly found work as a studio session musician playing for many Russian pop and rock stars. This led to live performance requests as well. Sergey is a founder of several musical projects, three of which are Real Bodrit, Rock Band, and Smilin’man, a multi-genre project of depth which allows him to stretch his musical and vocal talents. Many people took notice of his talents and in 2012, he began composing music for the film and television industries. Along the way, Sergey made many friends in the music industry and considered a number of them very close. In 2014, he was approached by one of those friends and asked to participate in recording a cover of a song from the American band Chicago for Leonid Vorobyev. The audio recording and subsequent video of the song Brand New Love Affair were not supposed to be anything more than a birthday gift to his friend but the rest of the world didn’t see it that way. After posting it on YouTube for their friends to view the word began to spread, and what was supposed to be a simple act of kindness for his friend, turned into the band Leonid & Friends recording many more songs which have been viewed in over 150 countries at last count. Sergey, being a founding member, performs regularly in both studio and live performances.

Serge Tiagniryadno

Serge Tiagniryadno was born and lives in Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine where he runs the popular recording studio Crystal Sound of which he founded. Serge is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass guitar, clarinet, saxophone, percussion, drums, and keyboards. He’s combined those talents with his smooth vocals as a member of numerous bands throughout the area such as Seven Seas, and Ocheretyaniy Kit. Serge’s love for music started at the age of three with the guitar, and at four years old he began formal lessons on the piano. When he turned nine he added clarinet to the mix. He later went on to study as a television and film director at the Karpenko-Kariy Kiev National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television and he also attended the Kiev Institute of Theatrical Arts. Serge’s introduction to Leonid & Friends came by way of Trent Gardner, the web manager of the band Chicago. He conducted an online contest for Leonid to find a vocal talent comparable to that of Chicago’s Peter Cetera. Serge recorded his first song with Leonid & Friends in the summer of 2015 from his own studio in Kiev but didn’t personally meet the band members until the spring of 2016. Since then he’s been featured in numerous tracks by the band and performs regularly with them on the road.

Igor Javad-Zade

Recognized as one of the best drummers in Russia, Igor has vast experience in live performances and session work. He has collaborated with musicians in Russia and from various foreign countries.

Sergey Kurmaev

Keyboards/Backing Vocals

Sergey Kurmaev was born in the city of Osh, Kyrgyzstan, in 1980, about 2000 miles southeast of Moscow. His musical journey began at the age of 5 when his parents gave him a small accordion. He started by learning well-known melodies and played them for friends and family long before learning to read music. When he was eight years old, he enrolled in the local School of Music to study the accordion. At the young age of fourteen, he earned admission to the College of Music, where he began seriously studying the accordion and piano. Sergey did so well that at 18, he was awarded admission to the Kyrgyzstan National Conservatory of Music in Bishkek to continue studying the piano, his long time dream. After graduating in 2004, he moved to Moscow, where celebrity singers began requesting his talents. Since then, Sergey has worked and performed with many top musical acts and together with his wife, an excellent singer in her own right, have organized concerts. In 2020, Sergey, his wife, their three sons, and Lucky, their dog, received an early Christmas present. They learned that Sergey was selected to play keyboards for Leonid & Friends, replacing their long time player Vlad Senchillo who left earlier in the year. During his first live streaming concert with the band, Roman Vorobyev introduced him to the fans. Sergey said, “When I saw Leonid & Friends on YouTube, I thought myself maybe one day I would play in a band like this. But now I’m here, it’s a magic, thank you my God, and I very glad to be part of Leonid & Friends. Thank you very much, thank you for trust and I want to see our friends in the future.”

Konstantin Kovachev

Lead Guitar

Konstantin Kovachev, guitarist, composer, and arranger, was born in Ulyanovsk, Russia. After his birth, his family moved to Nikolsk, in the Penza region, some 480 miles northeast of Moscow, where he lived until he was 16. At 12 years old, Konstantin began studying music. In 1990, he was accepted to The Alfred Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music, where he majored in classical guitar and studied the lute, keyboards, and the ancient harp. After graduating in 1995, Konstantin began performing with popular Russian rock bands and notable musicians, including Leonid & Friends’ drummer Igor Javad-Zade. His talents gained notoriety in the music community, and as a result, he is credited on numerous albums as a studio guitarist and arranger. In May 2005, he became the guitarist of Kalinov Most, considered the country’s first folk-rock band. Konstantin joined Leonid & Friends in 2021 as the lead guitarist.

Vlad Senchillo

Keyboards/Backing Vocals (Former Member)

Vlad is a graduate of the Ufa Institute of Arts as a choir conductor. He has also served as laureate of international jazz festivals in Russia. Vlad has worked with Russian and foreign performers, including jazz musicians from the USA who performed in Russia such as Chuck Loeb, Phil Perry, Dave Koz, Eric Marienthal, and Brian Simpson.

Vladimir Popov

Flute/Sax/Vocals (Former Member)

Vladimir is a graduate from the Ulan-Ude Musical College of Tchaikovsky and Novosibirsk State Conservatory of Glinka. He has performed with various bands throughout Russia.

Alexander Michurin

Trombone (Former Member)

Alexander is a graduate of Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin, and Moscow State University of Culture and Arts. He has worked with numerous Russian performers both in the studio and on stage.

Alexey Batychenko

Trumpet (Former Member)

Alexey is a graduate of the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin and Moscow Institute of Culture. He has worked with many of Russia’s top bands.

Konstantin Gorshkov

Saxophone (Former Member)

Konstantin graduated from the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin. He has won the Brussels Jazz Contest and has toured in Russia and abroad.

Valery Martynov

Valery Martynov was born in the city of Tolyatti in 1994. Valery’s Father, a guitarist, noticed his son had developed perfect pitch and a strong aptitude for music in general from his childhood. So when Valery first entered music school, he planned to learn to play guitar like his Father, but when he saw the trumpet for the first time, he quickly forgot everything about his guitar plans and decided to study the trumpet instead. Valery eventually heard a recording of Maynard Ferguson, and he realized that the trumpet would be his vocation. He would vow to learn how to play it exactly as the master played in that composition. At 16 years old, Valery became a student at the School of Music. Four years later, he entered the Department of Jazz Music of the Faculty of World Musical Culture at the State Classical Academy, Maimonides, where he studied jazz. Valery studied under Vadim Eilenkrig and Alexander Vishnepolsky. He later became the first trumpet of many Big Bands in Moscow and the first trumpet and accompanist of some of the best jazz orchestras. Later, he became a laureate and a winner of multiple jazz festivals. Valery also teaches the next generation of brass players the skill and accuracy of playing the instrument. He has published teaching aids for his students and enjoys sharing his love for the instrument and music. Trumpet students, both in Russia and abroad, strive to take Valery’s classes and learn the secrets of pitch from him. In addition, Valery’s musical talents and professionalism allowed him to work with numerous Russian pop stars and participate in many individual musical projects in the country. Valery began playing with Leonid & Friends in April of 2022 and is happy to welcome listeners and lovers of this amazing music.

Ksenia Buzina

Born in the Transbaikal region of Siberia, in the city of Chita, Ksenia Buzina is credited as being the first Russian singer understood by over a billion people on earth. That’s because Ksenia sings and speaks Chinese fluently and has her own Chinese album and music videos. She was featured in the Russian TV version of The Voice and has participated in numerous television and festival appearances. Now a resident of Moscow, Ksenia began singing as a child in various school events and competitions. She earned her first paycheck singing at the age of 16 accompanied by her musician Father, performing in local restaurants on the weekends. She graduated with her economics degree from the Baikal State University of Economics and Law where she specialized in “World Economy.” She said, ”I do not see myself as an economist, but I was glad to study at the institute because there I learned Chinese.” Ksenia didn’t stop there. Besides Russian and Chinese she can also speak English and can sing in English, Chinese, Italian, Armenian, Kazakh, Bulgarian and French. She joined Leonid & Friends in September 2016 with the debut of the song Wishing You Were Here and has become an integral part of the band’s vocal landscape both in the studio and live performances.

Danil Buranov

Singer and actor Danil Buranov is a talented performer with many accomplishments. A graduate of RUTI GITIS (the Russian University of Theatre Arts, founded in 1878), Danil has participated in TV shows such as "Main Stage," was a semi-finalist of the show "Voice-6" and an artist of the Hryhoriy Leps Human Rights Center. In addition, he was the winner of "The Highest Test" competition and last year, under the stage name BURANOV, represented Russia at the international competition "New Wave." BURANOV has been performing on the big stage, and his fans remember his notable duets with Russian singer-songwriter Grigory Leps and the noted Latvian singer Intars Busulis. Since 2016, Danil has released singles, shot music videos for his songs, and toured with a unique vocal and dance cover show.

Mikhail Puntov

Mikhail (Michael) Puntov was born in Krasny Sulin, Rostov Region. He began his musical career as the soloist of the group Street Magic. Their work was recognized by the Young Artist Awards, which honors the excellence of young performers in film, television, theatre, and music. They were also given the special award for Outstanding International Variety Group in 2007. Michael represented Russia at the Junior Eurovision 2008, held in Limassol, Cyprus. He became the frontman of the group Geroi in 2011 and made his Leonid & Friends debut in April of 2022.

Andrey Zyl was born in the city of Minsk, Belarus in 1992 and now lives in Moscow. His love for music was evident early in life and he began his formal studies at the age of 11. Right from the beginning, the trumpet grabbed Andrey’s attention and he’s never looked back. He also developed an appreciation for the rhythms of music which led him to play percussion instruments but in his words “Trumpet is more fun!” He is a graduate of the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music. Andrey’s musical talents have led him to work with notables such as international jazz vocalist Kevin Mahogany from Kansas City, the big bands of Igor Butman, Anatoly Kroll, and George Garanian, and numerous Russian pop stars. He’s been called upon to perform in many individual projects as well. A multi-winner of international jazz competitions, Andrey began playing with Leonid & Friends in April of 2017 in both studio and live performances.

Oleg Kudryavtsev

Oleg Kudryavtcev was born in Severodvinsk, located on the White Sea coast of the Arkhangelsk region, Russia, in 1984. His parents, a musician and kindergarten teacher, realized his affection for music early and at 9 years old his father enrolled him in a school of music and proposed that he should consider the saxophone. Although Oleg was interested in every instrument he saw, he agreed with his father and began formal studies. Everyone quickly realized how well Oleg was progressing and the decision was made to further his studies. Oleg transferred to the college of music in Arkhangelsk and then on to the Academy of music in Moscow. He remained in Moscow and began playing in various groups performing in a variety of musical styles. He never gravitated toward a single genre saying, “I have no preference in music styles. I love Pop, Funk, Soul, Jazz, Indie, electronic, anything is fine with me.” Oleg went on to work with many artists and played for years with the popular group Bravo which was established in 1983, a year before he was born. In 2017 he was excited to audition for Leonid & Friends because he’s loved the music of Chicago since childhood. He said, “My father introduced me to their creativity.” Looking back on his first USA tour with Leonid & Friends, Oleg said, “I am very grateful to my parents and teachers for helping me to become a professional musician. I love my profession and the smiles of the audiences at the concerts. It is very important for me in life.”

Maxim Likhachev

Maxim Likhachev was born and raised in Moscow where he continues to live today. His love for music began early as a student where he focused on wind instruments. He learned to play the euphonium and its variants as well as various percussion instruments, but his heart centered on the trombone of which he is known for. His talent led him to play in a children's brass band and ensemble with a choir and choreography. He entered the musical institute majoring in trombone and focusing on classical music in preparation for a spot in a symphony orchestra. While studying his musical plans abruptly changed the day he was invited to play in a rock band. He was hooked and he never looked back. Along the way Maxim was introduced to the sounds of the American band Chicago from the early albums and he developed a love for the band and their style that is with him to this day. After graduating from the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin, he played with many of Russia’s top bands and felt right at home performing studio session work as well. Since his graduation he has remained in rock music and travelled extensively performing in numerous festivals within Russia as well as many places in Europe. Maxim explains that when he got the call to join Leonid & Friends, he felt his dreams of many years had come true. “To play the music I have loved since my youth with an amazing cast of fellow musicians whom I love, and being led by an incomparable director, Leonid Vorobyev, I don’t know how things can get any better musically for me.“ His personal life is singing from the same song book as well. With his loving wife and 3 children by his side, Maxim is proof of what hard work will do for you. He began playing with Leonid & Friends nearly 3 years ago and has become a gem of the bands brass section. Many friends of the band favor Maxim and his “Magic Trombone”, and they’re sure there is plenty of magic left in his playing.

Dmitry Maximov

Bass (Former Member)

Dimitry is a graduate of the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin and has worked with many of Russia’s top bands.

Arturo Sandoval

Special Guest Trumpet

Arturo Sandoval was born in Artemisa, a small town in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, on November 6, 1949, just two years after Dizzy Gillespie became the first musician to bring Latin influences into American Jazz. Sandoval began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve, but it didn’t take him long to catch the excitement of the jazz world. He has since evolved into one of the world’s most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn, as well as a renowned classical artist, pianist and composer. He is a 10 time Grammy Award Winner, Emmy Award Recipient, 6 Time Billboard Award Winner, the 2015 Hispanic Heritage Award Recipient, the 2016 Honorary Doctorate recipient in Fine Arts from The University of Notre Dame, and the recipient of the United States of America, Presidential Medal of Freedom. "Born into poverty in Cuba and held back by his government, he risked everything to share his gifts with the world. In the decades since, this astonishing trumpeter, pianist and composer has inspired audiences in every corner of the world and awakened a new generation of great performers. He remains one of the best ever to play." –Barack Obama (presenting Arturo Sandoval The Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Arkady Shilkloper

Special Guest French Horn

Arkady Shilkloper is a multi-instrumentalist and composer. He enjoyed a career in the orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre from 1978 to 1985 and was also a member of the Moscow State Philharmonic Symphony. Shilkloper spent four years with the Vienna Art Orchestra and has over 80 album and film credits to his name. He is considered one of the best jazz performers on French Horn and Alphorn in the world.

Igor Butman

Special Guest Saxophone

Igor Butman, saxophone virtuoso, bandleader, club owner and television host is Russia's number one jazz personality. With a major in Performance and Composition from the Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts, Butman performed with noteables including Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, The Lionel Hampton Orchestra, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, Natalie Cole, Billy Cobham and Grover Washington Jr., who took Igor "under his wing." In 2009 Igor launched his own label called Butman Music and he has performed at every Olympic Games starting with Athens in 2004.

Vladimir Osinsky

Special Guest Piano

Vladimir Osinsky is a composer, arranger, sound engineer, and keyboardist who has worked with many of Russia's top bands.

Ilya Prokudin

Special Guest Flugelhorn

Ilya Prokudin is a graduate of the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin. He has worked with many of Russia’s top bands.

Ilya Vymenits

Special Guest Percussion

Ilya Vymenits is a drummer/percussionist who has worked with many of Russia’s top bands.

Daniil Dubrovsky

Special Guest Saxaphone

Daniil is a graduate of the Kurgan Musical College. He has worked with many of Russia’s top bands.

Irina Kozlova

Special Guest Vocals/Live

Irina Kozlova is a graduate of the Maimonid State Classical Academy. She has worked with “Radio and TV Orchestra” and with many Russian pop-stars. Irina is a singer-songwriter in the project with Igor Javad-Zade "Smotri I."

CHICAGOVICH Leonid & Friends debut album.

"i haven’t been this happy about an album in a very long time. leonid vorobyev and his mighty intrepid band of friends have released what is perhaps the best tribute album in the history of rock and roll. superlative perhaps. but i wouldn’t toss about such a platitude lightly. in short, if you’re a fan of chicago; you’re going to believe me when you hear this record." - phil traynor, contemporary jazz musician, composer, and recording artist., chicagovich ii, the music continues with the release of leonid & friends’ chicagovich ii. eleven more of the most requested tracks everyone loves including beginnings, questions 67 & 68, i’m a man, feelin’ stronger every day, free, if you leave me now, street player, you are on my mind, listen, hard to say i’m sorry/get away, and stay the night. the perfect complement to their debut album, chicagovich ii will keep you singing, dancing, and enjoying their tribute to one of the greatest bands in the world, chicagovich iii, chicagovich iii picks up the pace with ten new tracks. this cd showcases a beautiful mix of early and later chicago gems that are sure to delight. you’ll enjoy the song that started it all, introduction, as well as call on me, dialogue (parts 1 & 2), just you ‘n’ me, hanky panky, life saver, happy man, (i’ve been) searchin’ so long, and mongonucleosis. recreating these tunes as only leonid & friends has done make this a must-have addition to your collection., oldies but goldies part 1, it’s finally here the latest installment of from leonid and friends, featuring the timeless music of earth, wind, and fire, blood sweat and tears, steely dan, tower of power, the ides of march, chaka khan, deep purple, the brecker brothers, stevie wonder, and the black russian band. this fourth cd features the songs that you’ve waited and asked for, all meticulously arranged by the master of music, leonid vorobyev and performed by some of the top musicians from russia. this collection of songs will have you singing and dancing in no time.

Leonid & Friends perform their favorites as a tribute to the greatest bands in the world!

All music and video is edited, mixed and mastered by Leonid Vorobyev.  

All music and video is edited, mixed and mastered by Leonid Vorobyev. All songs recorded in the Osinsky Recording Studio, Moscow, Russia. Vladimir Osinsky, Proprietor.

To sample and purchase the music of Leonid & friends please select from the providers below.

Leonid & Friends Shop

Get your official leonid & friends merchandise and help support the band. with our cds, shirts, masks, cups, buttons, and more, you’ll look great, feel great, and have an excellent opportunity to introduce leonid & friends to others. these make great gifts too all items are sold by our usa trusted partner imediatv.net so you can shop with confidence. we thank you for your support..

• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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TITANIC : THE EXHIBITION

Are you ready to embark on the awe-inspiring journey of the Titanic? Immerse yourself in the stories of its passengers, see hundreds of artifacts, and discover the tale of the design, creation, launch, maiden voyage, and tragedy of the historic ship.

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A year after tearful 84, Billy Horschel ready to shed scar tissue at the Memorial

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DUBLIN, Ohio – Billy Horschel walked around Muirfield Village Golf Club on Tuesday trying to forget. He won the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday in 2022 and made lasting memories, but those joyful, triumphant thoughts weren’t the first that popped into his mind when he stepped on the first tee or walked off the 18th green.

It was one number, 84, and all the errant shots that produced it.

Horschel shot 12-over 84 in the first round of the 2023 Memorial. It was his rock bottom. He spent the early part of the year trying to implement new swing changes, but the consistency he craved was nowhere to be found. Then he shot one of the worst rounds of his career in defense of his Memorial title, his most significant win in a decade. The emotions were raw, and tears flowed in his post-round media scrum. Asked about his round and where he goes from there, Horschel paused for 20 seconds, tried to collect himself and said, “My confidence is the lowest it's been in my entire career.”

Billy Horschel’s emotional interview after Round 1 of the Memorial

The transparent, emotional interview, which dove into the darker side of professional golf, endeared Horschel to the golfing public. It was cathartic for Horschel, too. He didn’t know it then, but after a year of reflection, it was the turning point.

There’s still scar tissue at Muirfield Village that needs to be shed. He spent the practice rounds this week recalling the shots he hit, wondering how on earth he hit it so off-line. Redemption will hopefully come this week. But Horschel, recently a winner at the Corales Puntacana Championship, is far from the golfer who walked off Muirfield with his tail between his legs.

Billy Horschel wins 2024 Corales Puntacana Championship

“I believe this is the best my swing's ever been in my career,” Horschel said Tuesday.

A series of revelatory moments brought him to this point. The release of emotions at the Memorial was the first. The angst had built up for Horschel. He’s a prideful man and wanted to put up an admirable title defense. That was done away by his swing and a cut that wasn’t cutting. He made zero birdies, six bogeys and three doubles, exposed by a course with nowhere to hide. He didn’t expect to cry in front of the camera, but it was a pivotal moment.

“It’s amazing, just that impromptu off-the-cuff moment of sharing to the world how I felt– and then I wake up the next morning and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders,” Horschel said. “It was a cool moment and that's why I'm always try to tell people, if you can be open, it really does relieve some weight.”

The round prompted Horschel to get his equipment checked ahead of the U.S. Open, which revealed the next course correction. Through 3D swing analysis, Horschel found the lie angle of his irons were 2-3 degrees too upright, causing his iron shots to miss left. Suddenly, it all made sense. Horschel and his coach Todd Anderson had poured through swing videos all spring. They loved where Horschel’s swing was but were perplexed as to why it wasn’t yielding the desired ball flight. With his irons correct, Horschel made the cut at the U.S. Open, carded a T13 at the 3M Open and finished fourth at the Wyndham Championship. He rattled off three straight top-20s on the DP World Tour in the fall. The swing was in a good place, but his mind still wasn’t right. He was guarding against all the mistakes that pushed him into a downward spiral. He missed the cut at THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, a home course where he’s played hundreds of times.

Billy Horschel returns to form

He stuck around the event on the weekend. With the leaders entering the back nine on Saturday, Horschel was a few hundred yards away on the range with Anderson and his team. They spent an hour discussing what they needed to do differently to get the desired results.

“I just said, guys, it's on me, I need to just let it go. I'm still holding on. I'm still protecting from hitting those crazy wild golf shots and not giving myself a chance of hitting a high-quality golf shot,’” Horschel said, “and if I focus on trying to hit the great golf shot, do something special, I'm better off. There's less chance of me hitting a bad golf shot versus me trying to protect or miss it somewhere. So that was, that's just all mental. We went to Tampa the next week and we we had this motto of ‘play fearlessly, swing fearlessly.’”

Horschel finished T12 at the Valspar Championship, then notched his best result of the season, a T7 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. He could feel a win was coming, and a few weeks later, he shot a final-round 63 to win Corales, his eighth TOUR victory. It won’t go down as the best win of his career, but Horschel hopes it will be the one that kickstarted the best run of his career, filled with more wins and a major championship. Less than a month later, he finished T8 at the PGA Championship, his best result in a major since the 2013 U.S. Open. At 37 years old, Horschel believes his best golf is ahead of him.

The final hurdle is this week. He’s remedied most of the scar tissue from last year. The last demon to conquer is Muirfield Village with the same motto: play fearlessly, swing fearlessly. That’s easier said than done at Jack’s Place, which is considered one of the hardest annual stops on TOUR. It can tear a pro apart if they don’t have their game. Horschel knows the feeling intimately. He’s sure it won’t happen again. He’s better prepared to adjust his swing mid-round and confident the solutions are there. All that is left is to do it.

“I need to get redemption,” said Horschel, “which is weird because I won here in 2022 ... but it's a course that requires a lot of control of the golf ball, especially into greens and iron play, and the fairways are pretty generous, but if you miss a fairway, it's a challenge. So it's just nice that I feel better with my game.”

Ukraine-Russia war – latest: Moscow ready to strike French troops as UK sends Kyiv 1,000 drones

LIVE – Updated at 10:48

Russia is ready to strike French troops if they are sent to to Ukraine to help train Kyiv ’s soldiers, the Kremlin has suggested.

Ukraine’s top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said French trainers would come to Ukraine “soon” last week, which was downplayed by both Paris and Kyiv .

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “No instructor involved in training the Ukrainian military has immunity. It doesn’t matter whether they’re French or not .”

In February, French president Emmanuel Macron said the situation in Ukraine was “dynamic” and nothing could be ruled out.

It comes as Britain is seeking to send 1,000 first-person view drones to Ukraine as part of an international support coalition.

The appeal, worth £300,000, calls for the procurement of up to 15 batches of 20 “first-person view racing quadcopter style drones”.

Meanwhile, Russian sources claimed that Ukraine fired American weapons at Belgorod for the first time after Washington lifted a ban on Kyiv using its weapons inside Russia.

The Ukrainians reportedly fired the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, at bordering Belgorod city, Russia’s defence ministry and military bloggers said.

Russia prepared to strike French troops in Ukraine, Kremlin suggests

• Russia warns US against 'fatal' miscalculation in Ukraine

Britain seeking to send 1,000 first-person drones to Ukraine

Russian soldiers’ wives demand putin return their men from war.

• Zelensky says China pressuring other countries to not attend peace talks

Investigation claims Russian Orthodox Church ‘Russifying’ abducted Ukrainian children

An investigation has found the Kremlin-backed Russian Orthodox Church has played a role in “Russifying” the identities of Ukrainian children.

War monitoring think-tank The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) cited the investigation by Russian opposition student journal DOXA and open-source outlet Kidmapping.

The report found that in the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, officials deported children from orphanages and boarding schools in occupied Donetsk Oblast to Russia’s Rostov Oblast.

It was here that the report claims the children were visited by senior clergyman Metropolitan Mercury who encouraged them to consider baptism into the church. 

Ukrainian children were also placed at shelters run by the church, where clergy and affiliated officials held “military-patriotic” events in an effort to encourage pro-Russian sentiment among the children and “cut the children off from their Ukrainian identities”.

Russian sociologist loses appeal against 5-year sentence for ‘justifying terrorism’

A Russian sociologist and activist had his appeal to overturn his five-year prison sentence on charges of “justifying terrorism” rejected.

Russia’s Supreme Court rejected Boris Kagarlitsky appeal on Wednesday after a petition calling for his release was signed by intellectuals and politicians from around the world including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn

Kagarlitsky, 65, is a longtime political dissident and has spoken out repeatedly against the conflict in Ukraine in a magazine he edited and on his YouTube channel.

A former teacher at the prestigious Moscow Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences, Kagarlitsky was designated a “foreign agent” by the Russian government in 2018 and was last year added to a register of “terrorists and extremists”.

A Russian court handed him a 600,000-rouble fine in December 2023 after finding him guilty of “publicly justifying terrorism” in a video commenting on a Ukrainian attack on the bridge linking Russia to annexed Crimea in October 2022.

Russia is ready to strike French troops if they are sent to to Ukraine to help train Kyiv’s soldiers, the Kremlin has suggested.

Ukraine’s top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said French trainers would come to Ukraine “soon” last week, which was downplayed by both Paris and Kyiv.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “No instructor involved in training the Ukrainian military has immunity. It doesn’t matter whether they’re French or not.”

Britain is pushing to deliver 1,000 first-person view drones to Ukraine as part of an international coalition in support of Kyiv.

According to a tender notice posted on the Government’s website, industry providers have been invited to submit bids to provide drones and equipment that can be fitted with armour-destroying munitions.

Ukraine says use of western weapons to strike inside Russia is ‘vital'

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff has said that using Western weapons to strike inside Russia was a vital step that would impact Moscow’s tactical aviation and its capability to operate in border areas.

Following pressure from Ukraine and some of its European allies, the US agreed last week to change its policy and allow Kyiv to strike inside Russia with Western weapons as part of its campaign to repel Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Kyiv said the move would help push back Russian advances and better defend territory in the northeast Kharkiv region.

“Permission to use Western weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation is a vital decision,” Andriy Yermak said on the Telegram messaging app. “This will impact the conduct of the war, planning of counteroffensive actions, and will weaken Russians’ abilities to use their forces in the border areas.”

The decision would also help to better fend off Russian aerial attacks, Mr Yermak said.

Russia has ‘robbed normal life for an entire generation of Ukrainian children’, Zelensky says

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has shared an emotional video depicting some of the children who have been killed since the start of the war.

He said: “Many little Ukrainians will never grow up because they were killed in Russian attacks.”

“Thousands have been kidnapped, transferred from Ukraine to Russia, and scattered among strangers. Most of them are unable to contact their families,” he added.

“The way Russia treats Ukraine and its people is a deliberate and calculated genocide.”

Ukraine shoots down 22 of the 27 Russian drones launched overnight

The Ukrainian air force said it downed 22 of the 27 Shahed-type drones launched over five Ukrainian regions in Russia’s overnight attacks.

One person was injured and an industrial facility was damaged in the attack in the region of Poltava, its governor, Filip Pronin, said on the Telegram messaging app.

The Ukrainian military destroyed six drones over the southern region of Mykolaiv, its governor said.Debris from one of them destroyed a private home, and damaged about 10 more, but no casualties were reported, he added.

Four drones were shot down over the southern region of Kherson and four more over the central Dnipropetrovsk region, the regions’ governors said.

The attack also targeted the northern region of Sumy, with no details of damage reported by regional authorities.

On Monday, Ukrainian forces claimed they struck inside Russian territory with Western-supplied weapons and hit a Russian S-300 missile system.

“It burns beautifully. It’s a Russian S-300. On Russian territory. The first days after permission to use Western weapons on enemy territory,” Ukrainian government minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

She posted a picture of the alleged attack on Facebook.

Russian-linked hacker group 'targeting Paris Olympics'

The Paris Olympics are being targeted by a Russian-linked disinformation campaign, according to Microsoft.

Since last summer, efforts have been under way by a hacker group named Storm-1679, according to research.

The hackers “are trying to cultivate an anticipation of violence”, said Clint Watts, the head of Microsoft’s Digital Threat Analysis Centre. “They want people to be fearful of going to the Olympics.”

US embassy in Ukraine issues warning to dual citizens

The American embassy in Ukraine has announced that US-Ukrainian dual citizens will no longer be able to leave the country.

The notification comes after the Ukrainian government reportedly removed the exception that allowed some Ukrainian males between 18 and 60 to leave the country, as long as they could prove they were resident abroad.

“Previously, dual US-Ukrainian citizens in this group could enter and then depart Ukraine if they had deregistered their Ukrainian residency and registered their US residency,” the embassy statement reads. “According to our information, this exception was revoked as of 1 June.”

The Ukrainian government also passed a bill on the mobilisation of men into the military in April as it faces a shortage of manpower amid the ongoing war with Russia.

Eight including two children injured after Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s Dnipro

A Russian missile attack on Ukraine‘s central city Dnipro injured eight people, including two children, and damaged civilian infrastructure yesterday, Ukrainian authorities said.

The Ukrainian air force said it shot down two Iskander-K cruise missiles over the region. The missile debris damaged civilian infrastructure, causing a fire and injuring residents, according to Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor.

A month-old boy and a seventeen-year-old were among those injured, in addition to six adults, based on preliminary information from the governor and the state emergency services.

The attack damaged cars and knocked windows out in residential buildings and a hospital, Lysak wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Dnipro mayor Borys Filatov added that at least 47 residences and a school were damaged.

Emergency services put out the fire caused by the attack.

Russian forces also launched four drones in the overnight attack. The Ukrainian air force said it shot down two of them over the northern region of Chernihiv.

Missile threat alert across Ukraine after aircraft intercepted

A missile threat alert was announced across the country after a MiG-31K aircraft took off overnight.

The Ukrainian Air Forces said they monitored the MiG-31K, an aircraft that can carry the Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles that are being used by Russian forces to attack Ukraine.

China pushes Beijing’s version of Ukraine peace plan after snub to Switzerland

The Chinese foreign minister has continued to push Beijing’s potential role as a mediator in Ukraine-Russia peace talks, days after China withdrew from an upcoming peace summit in Switzerland.

Wang Yi told reporters that both Russia and Ukraine have separately indicated their support for the peace plan laid out by China and Brazil last month.

Mr Wang said the two countries have “affirmed most of the content” of the plan that called for an international conference, inviting both Russia and Ukraine.

He said 26 nations have agreed or expressed interest in the plan and a total of 45 countries have given “positive feedback” to the idea.

China is seen as a close ally to Russia, a fact that puts into question its ability to serve as an independent mediator, though Ukraine has not entirely ruled out the idea.

Biden to skip Switzerland’s Ukraine peace summit

US president Joe Biden is set to skip the upcoming Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland despite the Ukrainian president’s direct appeal to his most significant ally.

The US will instead be represented by vice president Kamala Harris and Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan during the two-day event on 15 and 16 June in Lucern, the White House said in a statement.

Mr Zelensky had said that only Vladimir Putin will “applaud” Biden if he fails to show up in Switzerland.

“I believe that the peace summit needs President Biden, and other leaders need President Biden because they will look at the US’s reaction,” Mr Zelensky said at a press conference in Brussels last week.

Mr Biden’s absence “would only be met by an applause by Putin – a personal, standing applause,” he added.

China has already pulled out of the summit after it expressed concerns over Russia not being invited.

The Kremlin has pressurised its allies not to take part in the summit, claiming it lacks clear goals and that it was absurd to hold it without Russia.

As Russia’s forces edge ever closer, Kharkiv’s mayor has a defiant message for Putin

Britain to deliver 1,000 first-person view drones to Ukraine

The UK is expected to send 1,000 first-person view drones to Ukraine, according to a tender posted on the government’s website.

The government is inviting bidders to provide drones that are “capable of carrying varying payloads depending on their propeller size”, reported The Telegraph.

The notice called for 15 batches of 20 “first-person view racing quadcopter style drones” worth £300,000.

The potential delivery would be part of an international coalition launched by Britain and Latvia in February to supply unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the front lines of Ukraine.

Russia calls French military instructors in Ukraine ‘legitimate target’

Russian foreign minister Sergi Lavrov said any French military instructors in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russian armed forces amid reports Paris was considering sending trainers to Kyiv.

During his Africa tour yesterday, Mr Lavrov claimed French instructors were already on Ukrainian territory.

“As for the French instructors, I think they are already on the Ukrainian territory,” Mr Lavrov said, referring to the military instructors that France could send to train Ukrainian troops. “Regardless of their status, military officials or mercenaries represent a legitimate target for our armed forces.”

Ukraine‘s top commander said last week he had signed paperwork allowing French military instructors to access Ukrainian training centres soon.

But French president Emmanuel Macron said last week he would not comment on “rumours or decisions that could be made.”

He said he would elaborate on France’s support during the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day later this week.

Mr Macron’s office said it would not comment on Mr Lavrov’s remarks.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that “instructors who train the Kyiv regime’s troops don’t have any sort of immunity, and it doesn’t matter whether they are French or not.”

Biden to meet Zelensky during France visit

President Joe Biden will meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in Normandy during his D-Day celebration visit to France, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.

He confirmed that the US was not planning to send American military trainers to Ukraine.

“For our part, we’re not planning for a training mission in Ukraine,” Mr Sullivan said.

“They need more air defences and we are working on that and they need a continued flow of weaponry which we will supply to them.”

The US president’s remarks in Normandy, both on Thursday at the formal 80th anniversary ceremony and on Friday at the famed Pointe du Hoc cliffs, will centre around the dangers of isolationism and the need to stand up to dictators, Mr Sullivan said.

They escaped Russia’s deadly assault on Kharkiv – now these Ukrainians face another catastrophe

They escaped Russia’s deadly assault on Kharkiv – now they face another catastrophe

The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine

The war against rabies in Ukraine and the race to stop it crossing borders

The war against rabies in Ukraine and the race against time to stop it spreading

Putin’s forces killed his brother. He takes revenge using hundreds of suicide drones to blow Russian troops up

The Ukraine politician avenging his brother’s death with hi-tech ‘suicide drones’

Zelensky accuses China of helping Russia sabotage Ukraine peace summit

Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers prepare to hit Russian forces in Dontesk

UK vows action over hundreds of Ukrainians with disabilities vanished into Russia

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused China of helping Russia to disrupt an upcoming peace conference on the war in Ukraine.

Speaking at Asia’s premier security conference in Singapore, Mr Zelensky alleged Russia had been using Chinese diplomats in the wider Asian region to influence and dissuade countries from attending the peace summit, due to be held in Burgenstock Resort, central Switzerland, on 15 and 16 June.

“Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, using Chinese diplomats also, does everything to disrupt the peace summit,” said Mr Zelensky at a news conference at the Shangri-La defence forum.

“Regrettably this is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in the hands of [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin.”

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Kremlin says Swiss summit on Ukraine is waste of time without Russia

The Kremlin said it was understandable that some countries were declining to take part in a Swiss-hosted peace summit on Ukraine this month because the gathering lacked clear goals and it was absurd to hold it without Russia.

Ukraine says more than 100 countries and organisations have agreed to attend the summit on June 15-16, to which Moscow has not been invited.

“This is a completely absurd activity, this is an idle pastime,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He said it was obvious the meeting was not geared towards results, and “that’s why many countries don’t want to waste time.”

Over the past two years operating along the Ukrainian front line, Khrystyna Drahomaretska has gained a veteran’s understanding of the battle tactics employed by the invading Russian troops.

During the day, the 27-year-old explains, they will freely dispatch cheap kamikaze drones to kill anyone on sight. At night, however, the high-value drones equipped with hi-tech sensors are used more sparingly to target vehicles instead.

That was the calculation she made two weeks ago while conducting a daring night-time rescue operation a few hundred metres from the Russian positions near the city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region where Putin’s forces are currently pushing towards.

Mindful of the night vision drones, she ditched her van and crept towards her target on foot. But the enemy started firing anyway, with more than a dozen missiles launched towards her position.

Hiding behind a copse of trees, one exploded nearby sending a knuckle-sized piece of shrapnel searing straight through her leg.

Many soldiers will insist that killing their enemies is not personal. But when Stepan Barna’s suicide drone unit takes Russian soldiers’ lives, he does not disguise his feeling that every killing is a very personal payback for the death of his brother last year.

Stepan and his older brother, Oleh, were both well-known Ukrainian politicians long before Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Stepan had been the governor of the Ternopil region in the country’s west.

Oleh had been a member of the Ukrainian parliament. He gained notoriety in 2015 when he grabbed the then prime minister, Arseniy Yatseniuk, whose politics he disagreed with, while Yatseniuk was addressing the parliament, and dragged him off the podium.

Moscow could ‘attack Nato in three years’

Nato only has two to three years to prepare before Russia regains its ability to launch a conventional attack on the alliance, Norway’s top general said.

“At one point someone said it’ll take 10 years, but I think we’re back to less than 10 years because of the industrial base that is now running in Russia,” General Kristoffersen said.

“It will take some time, which gives us a window now for the next two to three years to rebuild our forces, to rebuild our stocks at the same time as we are supporting Ukraine.”

Ukraine using Western weapons to hit targets in Russia won't lead to escalation, says German chancellor

Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia will not “contribute to escalation,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said.

Germany has long opposed lifting the ban on Ukraine’s use of Western weapons to target Russia, but changed course last month.

“We are certain that it will not contribute to an escalation because, as Joe Biden has also described, it is only a matter of being able to defend a large city like Kharkiv,” Mr Scholz said.

Putin asks Xi to ‘snub’ Switzerland peace conference

Vladimir Putin reportedly asked Xi Jinping to snub an upcoming peace conference in Switzerland which Russia is not attending.

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba stated on June 3 that Russia is trying to discredit the upcoming Ukrainian peace summit by convincing other states that the summit is insignificant.

Other Ukrainian officials have recently emphasized that it is imperative for both the United States and the PRC to attend the June 2024 peace summit as their participation is “decisive” in compelling Russia to participate in the process of restoring peace and security.

Russia and China in ‘disagreement’ over gas pipeline

Moscow and Beijing are in disagreement over a planned gas pipeline connecting Russia with China despite a public show of allignment, according to reports.

China and Russia disagree about the details of the PS - 2 gas pipeline, with Beijing wanting to pay prices near Russia’s subsidised domestic gas prices and to only commit to buying a small part of the pipeline’s planned capacity, the Financial Times reported.

Gazprom boss Alexei Miller did not accompany Russian President Vladimir Putin on his recent visit to the PRC due to the disagreements over the pipeline.

Russian missile attack on Dnipro injures seven, including two children

At least seven people, including two children, were injured as a Russian missile hit the central city of Dnipro, local officials said.

The missile attack in the early hours today by Russian forces also damaged civilian infrastructure.

Ukrainian air force said it shot down two Iskander-K cruise missiles over the region. The missile debris damaged civilian infrastructure, causing a fire and injuring residents, according to Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor.

Two boys were among those injured, in addition to five adults, based on preliminary information from the governor.

The attack damaged cars and knocked windows out in residential buildings and a hospital, Lysak wrote on Telegram.

Russian forces also launched four drones in the overnight attack but the Ukrainian air force said it shot down two of them over the northern region of Chernihiv.

Nearly 1300 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine in past 24 hours

Russian forces have lost 1,290 soldiers and more than 200 pieces of military equipment in the past 24 hours, senior Ukrainian military officials said in a daily update this morning.

A total of 512,420 Russian military personnel have been killed or injured since the invasion in February 2022, the update from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.

The General Staff also reported 126 combat clashes took place on the war frontline over the past day.

“During the day, the Russian occupiers launched two missile attacks on the territory of Ukraine using six missiles and 37 air strikes using 51 UAVs, and launched 359 kamikaze drones. In addition, the occupiers fired over 2,100 times at the positions of our troops and settlements using various types of weapons,” it said.

The Russian Ministry of Defence does not comment on the casualty count of its troops shared by Kyiv.

White House says Ukraine has no stronger backer than US as Biden misses peace talks

Asked Monday if president Joe Biden was sending the wrong message globally by forgoing the peace summit to attend a glitzy California fundraiser, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said: “There hasn’t been any single leader around the world who has supported Ukraine more and more stridently than Joe Biden.”

He said vice president Kamala Harris will be attending the summit “because of our desire to be represented around that table” and her presence will help demonstrate that “Ukraine has no stronger backer than the United States”.

“No matter who represents the United States at this summit,” Kirby said during a virtual briefing with reporters, “It can’t be said that the United States has in any way walked away from supporting Ukraine.”

The US confirmed vice president Harris will represent Washington at this month’s global peace summit on the war in Ukraine. The summit, organised by Switzerland, will be led by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

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Kamala harris to represent us at swiss ‘peace summit’ for ukraine.

US vice president Kamala Harris will represent Washington at this month’s global peace summit on the war in Ukraine. The summit, organised by Switzerland, will be led by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russia has not been invited, raising questions about what purpose the summit would serve without the participation of one of the parties to the conflict. China has declined to attend for this reason.

The White House said Ms Harris would attend the meeting in Lucerne on 15 June. President Joe Biden is scheduled to be at a campaign fundraiser in Los Angeles hosted by actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

“The vice president will underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s effort to secure a just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and the principles of the UN charter, said her communications director Kirsten Allen.

She said Ms Harris will also “reaffirm support for the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against ongoing Russian aggression”. Mr Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will join Ms Harris as part of the US delegation.

Mr Zelensky has heavily boosted the summit and encouraged world leaders to attend, even as he has accused Russia of trying to undermine the meeting with China’s help.

A disease which has been largely eradicated from Europe, rabies is suddenly raising its head in Ukraine where millions of abandoned pets are now running wild.

Ahead of a film exposing the public health crisis,  Joe Shute  talks to Khrystyna Drahomaretska who caught the disease during her work inoculating feral cats and dogs roaming the streets in the wartorn country:

Nato has two to three years to prepare for confrontation with Russia, says Norway’s top general

Norway’s top military general has warned that Nato’s window of preparing against Russian aggression has dwindled from 10 years to two-three years.

“At one point someone said it’ll take 10 years but I think we’re back to less than 10 years because of the industrial base that is now running in Russia. It will take some time, which gives us a window now for the next two to three years to rebuild our forces, to rebuild our stocks at the same time as we are supporting Ukraine,” said General Eirik Kristoffersen, the head of the Norwegian Armed Forces.

He said Russia’s positions near his country’s borders have not changed significantly over the past year and this allows Oslo to strengthen defence capabilities agreed upon within Nato.

“So we can fulfil those plans and those decisions with content in the next years, but we need to speed up. We need to do it in two to three years to make sure that we are ready for whatever might happen,” the top military official told Bloomberg.

Vladimir Putin’s defence minister Andrei Belousov has been asked by a group of Russian women to return their mobilised husbands from the war frontline in Ukraine, in a rare protest against the Kremlin.

One of the woman at yesterday’s protest, who gave her name as Paulina, said a group of 18 women had gathered to appeal personally to Belousov, an economist by training whom Putin appointed to the job last month.

Paulina, who said she was 20 years old and had a husband fighting in Ukraine, said the women want Belousov to impose strict limits on how long soldiers can serve before they must rotate out of active duty.

Pictures and videos Paulina published on Telegram showed women holding signs with slogans including “Please bring Papa home”. Several had brought along their school-aged children and toddlers in pushchairs.

No ministry officials came out of the building to speak with the women, Paulina said.

The protest showcases the anger and despair that has gripped some soldiers’ families as the war in Ukraine grinds on into its third year, with no end in sight.

The women’s protests are sensitive for the authorities, given that the Kremlin presents what it calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine as having the overwhelming support of the Russian people.

For months, different groups of Russian women have organised sporadic demonstrations to exert pressure on authorities to return their husbands, sons and brothers who were mobilised after a decree by Putin in September 2022.

Poland has arrested 18 people on allegations of planning hostile acts on behalf of Russia, Belarus

Poland has arrested 18 people on allegations of pursuing hostile activities or planning sabotage on behalf of  Russia  and Belarus, including plans to assassinate Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the interior minister said Monday.

Ten of those arrested since December were directly involved in planning various forms of sabotage across Poland, Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak told a news conference.

Polish authorities have linked some recent arsons or attempted arsons to Russian-sponsored agents. Polish, Belarusian and Ukrainian nationals are among those arrested in recent months, according to the Internal Security Agency’s communiques.

Italy to send second air defence system to Ukraine for Russian ballistic missiles

Italy will send a second SAMP/T air defence system to Ukraine, its foreign minister said in a radio interview, responding to Kyiv’s pleas for greater help to fend off Russian missile attacks.

The system, also known as MAMBA, is a Franco-Italian battery that can track dozens of targets and intercept 10 at once. It is the only European-made system that can intercept ballistic missiles.

Rome and Paris jointly delivered a first system in 2023, but in recent months Ukraine has repeatedly called on partners to provide more help with air defence as it faces an increasing barrage of attacks on cities and energy infrastructure.

“It is known that we will send SAMP/T, which is an instrument of air defence, therefore of protection, that Ukraine itself asked us for,” foreign minister Antonio Tajani told state broadcaster Rai, confirming earlier media reports.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Italy has approved eight support packages to the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky. Mr Tajani said the SAMP/T will be part of a ninth package under preparation, but did not give a time frame for delivery.

Russia intercepts 20 Ukrainian drones in Kursk

Russian air defence units intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones in southern Russia’s Kursk region bordering Ukraine, regional governor Alexei Smironov said last night.

The governor claimed that the Ukrainian forces attacked four villages in his region using attack drones and helicopters, but no injuries were reported.

In Belgorod region, to the southeast, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said air defence units had downed “several airborne targets”. Roofs of some dwellings were damaged.

Zelenskyy will participate in G7 summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will participate in the G7 summit later this month his spokesman has confirmed

He will attend the summit in southern Italy either online or in person from 13 to 15 June to participate in discussions about ways to use profits from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

“Unfortunately, I cannot confirm or deny that the President will physically participate in the G7 summit, but in any case, whether online or physically, there is no doubt that he will be there,” the president’s spokesman, Sergey Nikiforov told Ukrainian television.

Unsafe to restart Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, UN official says

It will be unsafe to restart the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine as long as war rages around it, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday.

Grossi held a meeting with Russia on the issue last week after officials including President Vladimir Putin told him Moscow hopes to restart Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant, where the six reactors are now shut down as the International Atomic Energy Agency has recommended on safety grounds.

“The idea, of course, they have is to restart at some point. They are not planning to decommission this nuclear power plant. So this is what prompts the need to have a discussion about that,” Grossi told a news conference on the first day of a quarterly meeting of the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors.

Russia said after last week’s meeting it is not currently planning to reactivate the plant. Grossi said some important steps need to be taken before it can restart safely.

“In terms of what needs to happen ..., there shouldn’t be any bombing or any activity of this type,” Grossi said.

“Then there should be a more stable assurance of external power supply. This requires repairs, important repairs of existing lines, which at the moment, and because of the military activity, are very difficult to envisage.”

Energy shutdowns hit Ukraine after Russian attacks target infrastructure

Ukraine imposed emergency power shutdowns in most of the country on Sunday, a day after Russia unleashed large-scale attacks on energy infrastructure and claimed it made gains in the eastern  Donetsk  province.

The shutdowns were in place in all but three regions of Ukraine following Saturday’s drone and missile attack on energy targets that injured at least 19 people.

Ukraine’s state-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo said the shutdowns affected both industrial and household consumers.

Italy likely to send second air defence system to Ukraine, source says

Italy will likely send a second SAMP/T air defence system to Ukraine, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Monday, responding to Kyiv’s demands for greater help to fend off Russian missile attacks.

The source, who declined to be named, confirmed newspaper reports that Italy was preparing to send a SAMP/T system which is deployed in Kuwait, but is soon due to return to Italy.

However, he did not give a timeframe for any delivery.

Corriere della Sera newspaper reported on Monday that the government could green light the new supplies after a summit of leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies, which Italy will host on June 13-15.

1,270 Russian casualties in 24 hours, Ukraine claims

Ukrainian officials have claimed Russia has suffered 1,270 casualties in the past 24 hours.

If correct, this would be one of the highest daily casualty figures since the war began in 2022.

Ukraine imposed emergency power shutdowns in most of the country on Sunday, a day after Russia unleashed large-scale attacks on energy infrastructure and claimed it made gains in the eastern Donetsk province.

Germany aims to order two more frigates to bolster defences

The German government wants to buy two further frigates provided parliament approves the deal, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Monday, as part of a policy shift to bolster its defences after Russia‘s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking in the Baltic port of Wolgast at a keel-laying ceremony for the first of four F126 frigates already ordered, he said he had reached a deal with the finance ministry to present parliament with a draft budget for two additional ships.

The F126 frigates comprise a core element of Germany’s so-called “Zeitenwende” (sea change) in defence policy initiated by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Germany needs six, not just four of them, Pistorius said.

“It (the frigate) was developed to play its part in our collective defence, it is crucial for a credible deterrence, in particular for the protection of our northern flank,” Pistorious told reporters at the ceremony.

The first frigate of the new type is expected to be delivered to the German navy in 2028. It will be capable of striking targets above and under water.

The first four ships will cost some 6.2 billion euros ($6.72 billion) and be built in the ports of Wolgast, Kiel and Hamburg with Dutch shipbuilder Damen as a general contractor.

The contract includes an option for two further ships.

Ahead of a film exposing the public health crisis, Joe Shute talks to Khrystyna Drahomaretska who caught the disease during her work inoculating feral cats and dogs roaming the streets in the wartorn country:

Poland has arrested 18 people on allegations of pursuing hostile activities or planning sabotage on behalf of Russia and Belarus, including plans to assassinate Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the interior minister said Monday.

Nearly 1,000 people honor a young Ukrainian journalist and volunteer combat medic killed in action

Nearly 1,000 people attended a ceremony Sunday honoring the memory of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Tsybukh, who was killed in action while serving as a volunteer combat medic a few days before her 26th birthday.

Tsybukh was killed while on rotation in the Kharkiv area, where Russia started its offensive nearly a month ago.

She had left a note describing how she wished the ceremony to be held, asking people to sing Ukrainian songs and attend in vyshyvankas — traditional embroidered shirts — instead of black clothes.

Zelensky: Parts of Russia’s weaponry still come from other countries

Sri Lanka says 455 citizens duped into fighting for Russia in Ukraine as 16 go missing in action

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Sri Lanka and Russia are starting talks to resolve the issue of Sri Lankans fighting alongside Russians in the war against Ukraine , after at least 16 people were reported missing in action.

On Thursday, Junior Foreign Minister Tharaka Balasuriya said that the Sri Lankans, mostly retired soldiers, had been duped into traveling to Russia with promises of good salaries and privileges including Russian citizenship.

“The situation in Russia is very unfortunate,” Balasuriya told reporters, adding that he is working with the defense ministry to ascertain the number of people fighting in Russia.

Sri Lanka reports 455 men duped into fighting for Russia as 16 go missing