Russians point fingers after deadliest Ukraine attack – Newstrends
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Russians point fingers after deadliest Ukraine attack

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2 years ago

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Local military commander's wife Yekaterina Kolotovkina was among mourners in the centre of Samara

The deaths of dozens of Russian soldiers in a new year missile strike on a building in occupied eastern Ukraine have prompted recriminations among critics of the Russian military.

Russia’s defence ministry has so far conceded that 63 people were killed in the Ukrainian attack on Makiivka at around midnight on New Year’s Eve.

One commander’s wife accused the West of trying to destroy Russia.

But elsewhere military leaders were accused of incompetence.

Ukraine says as many as 400 people were killed or wounded at Makiivka, and numbers into the hundreds have been given by Russian nationalists on social media.

However, there is no way of verifying how many soldiers were killed when US-made Himars missiles hit a vocational college packed with conscripts. Ammunition was also being stored close to the site, which was reduced to rubble.

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Whatever the number, this is the highest number of deaths acknowledged by Russia since it invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Rallies were held in several cities in Russia’s south-western region of Samara, where governor Dmitry Azarov said many of the conscripts had lived.

The biggest commemoration took place in the city of Samara itself, with at least 200 people taking part. Other official events were held in the industrial city of Tolyatti and in Syzran and Novokuybyshevsk.

No criticism was reported at the Samara rally, where the main remarks came from Yekaterina Kolotovkina, who said “neither we nor our husbands wanted war; the entire West united against us to eliminate us and our children”.

Hers was very much an official voice as her husband, Lt Gen Andrei Kolotovkin, commands the 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army based in Samara.

The commander’s wife remarks prompted anger on social media with independent journalist Dmitry Kolezev pointing out that her husband did not die in Makiivka.

“Could we have at least some evidence?” he asked, in response to her claim that the West intended to kill Samara’s children. Another blogger condemned her comments as a “pack of lies”.

The governor of Samara met defence ministry officials in Moscow on Tuesday and was expected to visit some of the wounded in hospital in the city of Rostov-on-Don the next day.

President Vladimir Putin has so far said nothing about the attack, but did sign a decree on Tuesday for families of National Guard soldiers killed in Ukraine to be paid 5m roubles (£57,000; $£69,000).

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The soldiers sent to Makiivka were among an estimated 300,000 men signed up by Russia’s military as part of the president’s “partial mobilisation” announced last September in the face of a string of setbacks in Ukraine.

A number of voices have been highly critical of the military in the aftermath of the attack on Makiivka, a city adjacent to the main city of Donetsk and some distance from the front line.

Pavel Gubarev, a former leading official in Russia’s proxy authority in Donetsk, condemned the decision to place a large number of soldiers in one building as “criminal negligence”.

Such mistakes were being made early in the war, he complained, and even if the conscripts did not realise the risk, the authorities should have.

“If no-one is punished for this, then it’ll only get worse,” he warned.

One theory promoted by local security officials was that Ukrainian forces had been able to detect the use of Russian mobile phones by servicemen arriving at the vocational college on New Year’s Eve.

The deputy speaker of Moscow’s local parliament, Andrei Medvedev, said it was predictable that the soldiers would be blamed – instead of the commander who made the original decision to position so many soldiers in one place.

“History will certainly preserve the names of those who tried to keep silent about the trouble, and those who tried to blame the dead soldier for everything,” he wrote on Telegram.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s armed forces said they killed 500 Russian troops in another attack on New Year’s Eve, on a village in the occupied southern region of Kherson.

There was no independent verification of the attack at Chulakivka, some 20km south of the River Dnipro.

Russian forces retreated across the Dnipro in November and Ukrainian officials have posted video of a flag being hoisted on an island between the eastern and western banks of the river.

Ukraine’s southern military command has warned that it is too early to talk of Velyky Potyomkinsky island being completely liberated.

Commander in chief Valerii Zaluzhny said on Monday that Ukraine had liberated 40% of the territories seized by Russia since last February, and 28% of all territories occupied by Russia since 2014.

BBC

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International

UK introduces new visa for senior, specialist workers in multinational companies

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2 hours ago

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November 17, 2024

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UK introduces new visa for senior, specialist workers in multinational companies

The UK government has introduced a new visa option for senior managers and specialists within multinational companies wishing to work in the UK.

The Senior or Specialist Worker visa, under the Global Business Mobility (GBM) route, enables workers to transfer to the UK and contribute their expertise to a UK branch of their employer.

This visa replaces the previous Intra-company Transfer (ICT) visa, offering a more streamlined process for skilled workers coming to the UK.

According to GOV.UK, this new visa allows qualified individuals to stay and work in the UK for a limited time, provided they meet specific eligibility criteria.

Who is eligible for the senior or specialist worker visa? 

To qualify for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, applicants must meet several requirements. First,

  • They must be an employee of a company that is a registered sponsor with the UK Home Office and must have a certificate of sponsorship from their employer.
  • The role must appear on the list of eligible occupations, and the applicant must earn at least £48,500 per year.

This visa is designed for senior managers, specialists, and other skilled workers within multinational companies. Those already in the UK on an Intra-company Transfer or Tier 2 (ICT) visa can switch to the Senior or Specialist Worker visa without having to leave the country.

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For those on a Graduate Trainee programme, a separate Graduate Trainee visa is required. More details on eligibility can be found on the GOV.UK eligibility page (https://www.gov.uk/senior-specialist-worker-visa/eligibility

Duration and extensions of stay 

The length of stay under the Senior or Specialist Worker visa depends on the details in the certificate of sponsorship, but it cannot exceed five years.

  • If the applicant earns less than £73,900 annually, they can stay for up to five years, while those earning £73,900 or more can stay for up to nine years.
  • If applicants are already in the UK on an Intra-company Transfer visa, they can apply to extend their stay under the Senior or Specialist Worker visa.

However, the total time spent in the UK on related visas will count toward the maximum allowed stay. For instance, someone earning less than £73,900 annually who has worked in the UK for three years can stay for a further two years before needing to leave the UK for six months to become eligible again.

You can learn more about how long you can stay on the GOV.UK visa duration page 

How to apply and what it costs 

To apply for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, applicants must submit their application online. The cost of the visa includes an application fee, a healthcare surcharge, and proof of sufficient personal savings.

Applicants can apply up to three months before their intended start date in the UK. Processing times vary: applicants outside the UK can expect a decision within three weeks, while those applying from within the UK typically receive a decision within eight weeks.

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The application process depends on whether you are:

  • Outside the UK and planning to move to the UK
  • In the UK and wish to extend your stay as a Senior or Specialist Worker.
  • In the UK and switching from a different visa.

Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as dependants, if eligible. For more details, visit the application page.

What can and cannot be done with the senior or specialist worker visa 

Holders of the Senior or Specialist Worker visa can:

  • Work for their sponsor in the job listed on their certificate of sponsorship
  • Study in the UK
  • Bring eligible dependants with them
  • Travel in and out of the UK
  • Do voluntary work

However, there are restrictions. Visa holders cannot:

  • Claim most public benefits or the State Pension
  • Change jobs unless the new job is eligible and the visa is updated
  • Take on a second job (unless they held an Intra-company Transfer or Tier 2 (ICT) visa previously)
  • Apply for permanent residency (Indefinite Leave to Remain) unless they meet additional requirements.

Visa holders should refer to the GOV.UK Senior or Specialist Worker visa page for a detailed list of what they can and cannot do.

Certificate of sponsorship and salary requirements

A valid certificate of sponsorship from the employer is required for the visa application. The certificate provides information about the role and confirms that the employer is registered with the UK Home Office as a sponsor.

  • If the applicant is earning less than £73,900 annually, they must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months outside the UK. Those earning £73,900 or more have no such time requirement.
  • Applicants must also meet the minimum salary requirements, which are set at £48,500 or the “going rate” for the occupation.

For those who previously held an Intra-company Transfer visa or a Tier 2 (ICT) Long-term Staff visa before April 6, 2011, the salary requirement is waived. However, they must still be paid the going rate for their job.

 

UK introduces new visa for senior, specialist workers in multinational companies

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International

American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel

Published

3 days ago

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November 14, 2024

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American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel

A 30 year old American man whose name was not given by security officials, has been arrested for beating up a 60 year old tourist to death at the Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Laois, Ireland.

The Irish police force commonly known as ‘Garda Síochána’ announced that the incident occurred in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12.

Ballyfin Demesne hotel, is a popular luxury five-star hotel located in Laois, Ireland and special guests such as Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, George Clooney e.t.c had made use of the hotel in times past.

The victim was discovered unconscious in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12 and was then rushed to the hospital were he died due to severe beating inflicted on him by the culprit.

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Independent local councilor James Kelly stated that nearby communities were ‘stunned’ upon learning about the incident at the renowned hotel.

He said, “There would be a lot of staff from the area and they’re totally shocked by what has happened here.

“It’s something we didn’t think we’d be waking up to this morning.”

The police also noted that a senior officer has been assigned to lead the investigation and an incident room has been set up at Portlaoise Garda Station, Ireland.

Furthermore, a family liaison officer will  be designated to assist the family of the deceased.

 

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International

FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win

Published

3 days ago

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November 14, 2024

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FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win

The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday carried out a raid at the home of Shayne Coplan, CEO of cryptocurrency prediction outlet Polymarket.

Authorities seized Mr Coplan’s phone during the raid, according to New York Post which first reported the incident.

Mr Coplan, 26, has been running the famous platform for bets throughout the 2024 presidential election in the United States.

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It wasn’t immediately clear why the search was conducted, but Polymarket promptly said it might be due to its activities during the election. Users on the platform had correctly predicted Donald Trump was going to defeat Kamala Harris. The company paid out a substantial amount to winners following the election.

“This is obvious political retribution by the outgoing administration against Polymarket for providing a market that correctly called the 2024 presidential election,” a spokesperson for Polymarket said in a statement from its headquarters in New York.  “Polymarket is a fully transparent prediction market that helps everyday people better understand the events that matter most to them, including elections.”

It was unclear whether or not the FBI would be filing charges after the raid.

 

FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win

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