‘They will hang me’: Putin reportedly fears ending Ukraine war without victory

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly expressed concern that ending the Ukraine war without securing a significant victory in the Donbas could threaten his political future.

According to a report by The Economist, cited in subsequent media reports, sources close to the Russian president claimed that Putin had told members of his inner circle, “They will hang me,” while discussing the possible consequences of ending the conflict without achieving Russia’s objectives.

The alleged remark has not been independently verified, and the Kremlin has not publicly confirmed that Putin made the statement. The report also did not identify the people who allegedly heard the comment or establish precisely when it was made.

The account comes as the Russia-Ukraine war enters another prolonged phase, with the Donbas remaining at the centre of Moscow’s military objectives.

The Donbas primarily comprises Donetsk and Luhansk, two eastern Ukrainian regions that Russia has claimed as its territory despite not having full control over them.

Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has captured large areas of the Donbas but has continued to face resistance in Ukrainian-held parts of Donetsk.

The remaining Ukrainian-controlled territory includes a heavily fortified defensive line often referred to as the “Fortress Belt”, encompassing strategically important cities such as Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

Control of the area would give Russia greater territorial continuity across much of Donetsk and strengthen Moscow’s position in any future negotiations.

Recent battlefield assessments have indicated that Russian forces have continued to apply pressure around the Fortress Belt, while Ukrainian forces have reinforced their defensive positions and sought to slow Russian advances.

The battle for the region has consequently become one of the most important military contests of the conflict.

The Economist report suggested that some figures close to the Russian leadership believe the war has become increasingly costly and politically difficult, particularly because Russia failed to achieve the rapid victory many initially expected when the invasion began.

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Russia has suffered substantial military losses and economic costs during the conflict, while Western sanctions have continued to restrict parts of the Russian economy.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has increasingly relied on long-range drone attacks against Russian military, energy and logistics infrastructure.

Ukrainian strikes have targeted oil facilities and other infrastructure considered important to Russia’s war effort, while Moscow has continued its own missile and drone campaign against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.

The continuing attacks have added pressure to both countries as the war enters another year without a comprehensive peace agreement.

For Putin, the political challenge could extend beyond the battlefield.

An agreement that does not deliver substantial territorial gains could expose the Russian leadership to criticism over the enormous human, financial and political costs of the war.

This is reportedly why the Kremlin continues to attach significant importance to the capture of the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donetsk.

Russia has repeatedly maintained that it is prepared to continue fighting until its stated objectives are achieved.

Ukraine, however, has rejected demands for territorial concessions and continues to insist on respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also warned that Russia could intensify its military campaign if it believes negotiations are not producing the concessions Moscow wants.

Against this backdrop, international diplomatic efforts to end the war have continued.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Putin to work towards peace, stressing that continued warfare harms humanity and that progress towards a negotiated settlement would offer renewed hope.

During a recent meeting with Putin, Modi said that every day of war sets humanity back, while every step towards peace creates hope.

Putin, in response, said Russia was moving towards resolving the conflict, although Moscow has continued its military operations and maintained its demands regarding territory and security.

India has maintained close relations with Russia throughout the conflict while also calling for dialogue and diplomacy.

The diplomatic push comes as disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv remain substantial, particularly over the future of territories occupied by Russia and the security arrangements that would follow any peace agreement.

The reported comments attributed to Putin therefore come at a critical point in the conflict.

If Russian forces succeed in taking the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donetsk, Moscow could portray the achievement as a major strategic victory after years of fighting.

But if Russia fails to achieve that objective and eventually accepts a settlement without full control of the Donbas, Putin could face difficult questions over whether the war delivered the results promised by the Kremlin.

The alleged “they will hang me” statement appears to reflect that concern, but it remains a reported private remark rather than an established fact.

There is currently no public evidence that Putin faces an actual threat of being executed if the war ends without a Russian victory.

Nevertheless, the report highlights the potentially high political stakes surrounding any decision by the Russian leadership to end the conflict.

With Russian forces continuing their offensive and Ukraine maintaining its defences, the Donbas remains a crucial factor in determining how the war could eventually end.

The outcome of the fighting in the region could influence not only the battlefield balance but also Russia’s negotiating position and the political narrative Putin uses to justify the war to the Russian public.

For now, Moscow shows no sign of abandoning its territorial ambitions, while Kyiv continues to resist Russian advances and calls for international support.

The future of the Russia-Ukraine war therefore remains uncertain, with the battle for the Donbas likely to remain central to both military operations and any serious negotiations over a potential peace settlement.

‘They will hang me’: Putin reportedly fears ending Ukraine war without victory

US strikes Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island as war enters sixth month

CENTCOM confirms “limited and precise” strikes on IRGC targets as Iran warns of retaliation and diplomatic efforts stall

The United States conducted military strikes against Iranian targets on Sunday, August 30, marking its first direct attacks on Iran since late July. US forces targeted two rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Bandar Abbas. According to a US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesman, the strikes were carried out after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces were observed preparing to launch rockets equipped with sea mines into the strategic waterway. The US described the operation as “limited and precise,” aimed at neutralizing an “imminent threat” to civilian mariners and commercial shipping in the strait. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesman, confirmed that the strikes came shortly after the US completed clearing sea mines from the strait’s international shipping routes last week. “US forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway,” he said.

The strikes occurred as the US-Iran war reached its six-month mark on Friday, August 28. President Donald Trump, who had initially promised Americans that the conflict would be a “little excursion” lasting only weeks, now finds himself presiding over a prolonged war that has cost the United States more than $37.5 billion. Despite the president’s early assurances, the conflict has dragged on with no clear end in sight, and the administration has shifted its focus from military strikes to “economic warfare” against Tehran. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the new strategy as “Operation Economic Outcast,” aimed at destroying Iran’s economy through expanded secondary sanctions. The administration has emphasised that it is “not in a hurry” to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, preferring to maintain maximum pressure on the Iranian regime.

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Iran’s state media reported that the US attack killed and wounded several soldiers and civilians on Larak Island, though the exact numbers remain unconfirmed. Iranian news agency Tasnim reported at least two deaths and two injuries. The IRGC condemned the strikes as “aggression and crime,” vowing that the “invaders will certainly be punished.” Iranian officials have warned that the attack will be met with a “response and punishment” from Tehran. The IRGC has a history of retaliatory strikes, and regional observers are bracing for potential Iranian responses targeting US assets or allies in the region.

Despite months of mediation efforts spearheaded by Pakistan, Qatar, and Oman, diplomatic progress has remained elusive. While a ceasefire was agreed in April and a 14-point memorandum of understanding toward a final peace deal was signed in June, no agreement has been forthcoming. Iran and Oman have discussed a “phased framework” for a temporary navigational corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran has made it clear that the waterway will not be reopened unless the US ends the war. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned that no military vessels will be allowed to pass through the strait, calling US claims of mine-clearing “propaganda deception.” The strait, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, has remained largely blocked since July, disrupting global energy markets and contributing to rising fuel prices worldwide.

On the six-month anniversary of the conflict, US Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a scathing statement criticising President Trump’s handling of the war. In his statement, Reed said, “President Trump has entangled the United States in a foreign policy failure of historic consequence. When he unilaterally launched this war, Trump promised he would destroy Iran’s nuclear program, eliminate its missile and drone arsenal, dismantle its defence industrial base, wipe out its proxy networks, and topple the regime in a matter of weeks. Six months later, not a single objective has been achieved. Indeed, he has weakened our position in the Middle East and the world significantly.” Reed also noted that 18 US servicemembers have lost their lives and more than 700 have been wounded in the conflict, while gas prices and everyday costs remain dramatically higher than before the war. He warned that the US has “burned through a dangerous share of our munitions inventory,” leaving the Pacific without an aircraft carrier for the first time in decades.

The path forward remains uncertain as the conflict enters its seventh month. Iran continues to demand that the US end the war, lift its naval blockade, and resolve the situation in Yemen before any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz can occur. Meanwhile, the Trump administration appears determined to maintain economic pressure on Tehran, even as concerns grow over US military readiness and the sustainability of the prolonged campaign. Efforts to revive diplomatic negotiations continue, with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Qatar’s Emir pushing for a return to the Islamabad MoU framework. However, with both sides locked in a cycle of strikes and counter-strikes, a lasting peace remains as distant as ever. The international community continues to watch closely, hoping for a breakthrough that would end the conflict and restore stability to the region and global energy markets.

US strikes Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island as war enters sixth month

US Court Sentences Nigerian to 8 Years in Prison Over $7.5m Charity Fraud

Olusegun Adejorin convicted of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft for sophisticated business email compromise scheme targeting two charitable organisations

A United States federal court has sentenced a 32-year-old Nigerian national, Olusegun Adejorin, to eight years in prison for orchestrating a sophisticated business email compromise scheme that defrauded two charitable organisations of more than $7.5 million. The sentence, handed down on August 28, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, also includes three years of supervised release following his prison term.

Adejorin was extradited from Ghana to the United States by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in August 2024 to face prosecution. Following a six-day trial in December 2025, a federal jury found him guilty on all charges, including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorised access to a protected computer to obtain information. The sentence was announced by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Jimmy Paul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office.

According to evidence presented at trial, Adejorin carried out the fraud scheme between June and August 2020, targeting two charitable organisations—one based in Maryland and another in New York. The Maryland-based organisation provided investment services to other organisations, while the New York-based charity ultimately lost more than $7.5 million through the fraudulent transactions.

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Prosecutors said Adejorin gained unauthorised access to employees’ email accounts and used the compromised accounts to impersonate staff and facilitate financial transfers. As part of the scheme, he registered spoofed domain names resembling those belonging to employees of the New York charity and used them to send requests to the Maryland organisation seeking withdrawals of funds belonging to the New York charity. He also fraudulently obtained access to email accounts of the Maryland organisation’s employees and used them to send messages falsely confirming the withdrawal requests.

The fraudulent communications ultimately led to more than $7.5 million being transferred from the Maryland organisation into bank accounts that were not associated with the intended recipient. Investigators also revealed that Adejorin had purchased a credential harvesting tool designed to steal email login credentials and had concealed fraudulent emails from a legitimate employee by moving them to an inconspicuous location within the employee’s mailbox. This sophisticated approach allowed the scheme to remain undetected for a significant period while the fraudulent transactions were processed.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office credited the FBI Baltimore Field Office with investigating the case and acknowledged the assistance of several Ghanaian agencies in locating and extraditing Adejorin. Among the Ghanaian authorities involved were the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Police Service–INTERPOL, and the National Intelligence Bureau. The FBI Legal Attaché in Accra also assisted with the investigation, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with Ghanaian authorities to secure Adejorin’s extradition. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Darren Gardner prosecuted the case.

The conviction highlights the use of compromised email accounts, impersonation and spoofed internet domains in business email compromise schemes—a form of fraud that can be used to divert large sums of money through seemingly legitimate financial instructions. Business email compromise has become one of the most financially damaging forms of cybercrime, with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reporting losses exceeding $2.9 billion in 2023 alone. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide DOJ initiative focused on immigration enforcement, organised crime, and violent crime.

US Court Sentences Nigerian to 8 Years in Prison Over $7.5m Charity Fraud