International

Splintered Ukrainian city braces for new battle with Russia

Published

4 years ago

July 3, 2022

SLOVYANSK, Ukraine (AP) — A group of young off-duty Ukrainian soldiers gathered at a military distribution center to enjoy a rare respite from the fighting that has again engulfed their fractured home in eastern Ukraine.

As they shared jokes and a pizza, artillery explosions could be heard a few kilometers away — a reminder of the looming battle that threatens to unfold here in the city of Slovyansk, which was occupied by Russian proxy fighters in 2014.

“Everyone knows that there will be a huge battle in Slovyansk,” said one of the soldiers, who could not be named for security reasons.

Now, eight years after their city was last occupied, the war has returned. Slovyansk could become the next major target in Russia’s campaign to take the Donbas region, Ukraine’s predominantly Russian-speaking industrial heartland, if Moscow captures Lysychansk — the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Luhansk province, 70 kilometers (43 miles) to the east.

Another soldier, a 23-year-old accountant who joined up when the invasion began, said Ukrainian forces simply do not have the weapons to fight off the superior arsenal of the approaching Russian army.

“We know what’s coming” he said with a sad smile.

These soldiers were still teenagers when pro-Russian separatists captured and held the town for three months. The brief occupation in 2014 terrorized Slovyansk, where dozens of officials and journalists were taken hostage, and several killings took place.

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Fierce fighting and shelling broke out when the Ukrainian army laid siege to the city to recapture it.

“Actually, the war never left Slovyansk. It didn’t leave people’s heads” said Tetiana Khimion, a 43-year-old dance choreographer who converted a fishing store into a hub for local military units.

“On the one hand, it is easier for us because we know what it’s like. On the other hand, it is more difficult for us since we’ve been living like this for eight years in a suspended condition.”

Slovyansk is a city of splintered loyalties. With a large retired population, it is not uncommon to hear older residents express sympathy towards Russia or nostalgia for their Soviet past. There is also distrust of the Ukrainian army and government.

After a recent shelling of his apartment block, one resident named Sergei said he believed that the strike was launched by Ukraine.

“I’m not pro-Russian, I’m not pro-Ukrainian. I am somewhere in between” he said. “Both Russians and Ukrainians kill civilians — everyone should understand that.”

On Thursday, a group of elderly residents couldn’t hide their frustration after a bomb blast slashed open their roofs and shattered their windows.

Ukraine “says they are protecting us, but what kind of protection is this?” asked one man, who did not provide his name.

“They kneel to that Biden — may he die!” exclaimed his neighbor, Tatyana, referring to U.S. President Joe Biden.

After 2014, Khimion said, it became easier to know “who is who” in Slovyansk. “Now you can easily see: These people are for Ukraine, and these people are for Russia.”

She said not enough was done after 2014 to punish people who collaborated with Russian proxies to prevent a repeat of the situation.

“That is why we cannot negotiate, we need to win. Otherwise it will be a never-ending process. It will keep repeating” she said.

The mayor of Slovyansk, Vadim Lyakh, reflects the city’s new trajectory. Taking his cues from Ukraine’s wartime leader, President Volodymyr Zelensky, the mayor has decorated his office with Ukrainian flags, anti-Russian symbols, portraits of national poets — even a biography of Winston Churchill.

But before 2014, he was part of a political party that sought closer ties with Russia. Lyakh said that while pro-Moscow sentiment in the city has faded in past years — in part because of the horrors witnessed in 2014 — there are still “people who are waiting for the return of the Russian troops.”

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As the front line creeps ever closer, attacks on the city intensify. Three-quarters of Slovyansk’s pre-war population has fled, but the mayor said there are still too many people here, including many children. He encourages them to evacuate. He spends his days coordinating humanitarian aid and strengthening the city’s defenses.

More and more, he is among the first responders at the scene of bombardments. The Associated Press followed Lyakh and recently witnessed what authorities described as a cluster bomb attack on a residential area. One person was killed and several others wounded.

The mayor says that shelling now occurs at least four or five times a day, and the use of cluster munitions has increased in the last week. Although he remains optimistic that Ukrainian forces can keep the enemy at bay, he is also clear-sighted about his options.

“Nobody wants to be captured. When there is an imminent danger of the enemy troops entering the city, I will have to go” he said.

Lyakh said he cannot allow himself to relax, even for a few minutes.

“It is emotionally difficult. You see how people are dying and being harmed. But nevertheless, I understand that this is my job and that nobody but myself and the people around me can do” it.

One morning last week, Lyakh paid a visit to an apartment block that had been shelled overnight. Most of the windows in the building were blown out, doors were broken wide open and a power line severed.

The same building was bombed in 2014, when the shell left a gaping hole on the sixth floor, and many residents suffered broken bones.

Andrey, a 37-year-old factory worker who has lived in the building for 20 years, recalls the bombing and occupation. He said separatist forces “did and took what they liked.”

People in his circle have different opinions about Russia.

“Those who have suffered understand what this ‘Russia world’ means: It means broken houses, stolen cars and violence” he explains. “There are those who miss the Soviet Union, who think we are all one people, and they do not accept what they see with their own eyes.”

In the eight years since the separatists retreated, he said, life has markedly improved in Slovyansk.

The statue of Vladimir Lenin that once stood in the central square has been removed. Water and power supplies were renovated. New parks, squares and medical facilities were built.

“Civilization was returned to us” Andrey said.

At the military distribution hub, the young soldiers talk wistfully about their lives before the invasion.

“I had a great car, a good job. I was able to travel abroad three times a year,” said the former accountant, who plans to stay in Slovyansk with the others to defend the city. “How can we let someone just come and take our lives away from us?”

Khimion’s husband is on the front lines, and she put her teenage daughter on a train to Switzerland as soon as the invasion began.

“I have been deprived of everything — a home, husband, child — what should I do now?” she asks. “We are doing everything we can to stop (the offensive), to keep it to a minimum … But to be afraid is to abandon this place.”

At the entrance to the city, a monument bearing Slovyansk’s name is riddled with bullet holes from 2014. It has been painted over several times. It now bears the national colors of Ukraine, and a local artist has painted red flowers around each perforation.

Residents of Slovyansk wonder — some with hope, many in fear — if the sign will soon be painted yet again, in the red, white and blue of the Russia flag.

International

US Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran After Apache Helicopter Downing

Published

8 hours ago

June 10, 2026

Trends Admin

US Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran After Apache Helicopter Downing

The United States on Tuesday launched a new wave of military strikes against Iran, describing the operation as a response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter off the coast of Oman a day earlier. In a post on social media, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) and were carried out as “self-defense strikes.” According to the command, the attacks were a “proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” A US official told CNN that the latest operation was intended to serve as a warning to Iran and that Washington does not believe the strikes will derail ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict. Sources familiar with the operation told CNN that the initial strikes targeted Iranian air defense and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway critical to global energy supplies. One of the sources said additional strikes were expected. According to CBS News, two unnamed US officials confirmed that among the targets of the airstrike “were Iranian military radar stations.”

The military action follows the downing of a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter on Monday, June 8, 2026. According to a source familiar with the incident, the aircraft was struck by an Iranian Shahed drone. However, a US official said it remains unclear whether the drone deliberately targeted the helicopter or whether the strike was accidental. CBS News, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter, reported that the AH-64 helicopter crashed because it “collided with an Iranian military Shahed-136 suicide drone.” The source did not specify whether the collision was a random incident or had other causes. US President Donald Trump confirmed the incident on Truth Social, stating: “I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.” The Apache helicopter has played a significant role in the conflict, particularly in efforts to intercept and destroy Iranian drones. Used by the United States and regional allies including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the aircraft is equipped with a 30-millimeter chain gun and rockets that military analysts regard as a cost-effective tool against drone threats. This marks the first loss of such equipment since the start of the war with Iran.

In a first-of-its-kind operation, the two crew members of the downed Apache were rescued by an uncrewed surface drone (USV) operated by US Naval Forces Central Command. The military noted that the rescue operation involved a US Navy Corsair-class unmanned surface vessel, which entered service in late March 2026. The vessel transported the pilots to another location on the water, where they were picked up by a helicopter. According to CENTCOM, both soldiers were rescued in stable condition.

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In response to the downing, CENTCOM announced that US fighter jets from the Air Force and Navy struck multiple Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz. According to Axios, citing a US official, the targets included Iranian air defense systems, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites in the south of the country. Explosions were reported across several locations along Iran’s southern coast, including Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Jask, and Kouh-e Mobarak. US House Speaker Mike Johnson described the strikes as “proportional and limited” and noted that he was at the White House with President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth when the decision was made to resume attacks on Iran. “We lament that it became necessary,” Johnson said. The strikes were “completed” after more than three hours of military action, with CENTCOM adding that the US remained ready to defend against “unjustified Iranian aggression.”

Soon after the US strikes, Iran launched broad retaliatory attacks against American targets across the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it had launched a missile attack at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan — a facility known to host US F-35 fighter jets and other aircraft — as well as targeting sites in Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwait’s military said its air defense systems were engaging what it described as “hostile aerial targets,” and both Kuwait and Bahrain activated emergency alerts and reported that air defenses were active in repelling attacks. Jordan’s armed forces said they intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran toward the al-Azraq area in Jordan. The military stated that debris from the interception operation fell on Jordanian territory but caused no injuries or material damage. Officials added that explosives experts were examining debris recovered from the intercepted missiles.

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a stern warning to the United States in the aftermath of the renewed attacks, stating that “no attack will go unanswered.” In a post on X, Araghchi wrote: “Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe.” Earlier, Araghchi had warned that foreign military forces near Iran’s territory “are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents or potentially being caught in crossfire,” adding that “to reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave. We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too.” Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also struck a defiant tone on social media, posting: “We prefer the language of diplomacy, but we speak other languages far more fluently. Break your commitments, and we’ll switch to what we speak best.”

The IRGC stated that US strikes had damaged a telecommunications tower and two water tanks in Iran. Iranian state media reported that two water storage tanks in Sirik’s Bamani district were damaged, disrupting local drinking water supplies. Iran acknowledged strikes around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island but provided no further details on military damage. US officials have yet to comment on reports of attacks on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, and it remains unclear if there has been any damage or casualties from the Iranian retaliation.

The latest strikes mark another escalation in the conflict between Washington and Tehran, even as diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and broader peace agreement continue. Notably, the exchange of fire came despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. Earlier this week, US Vice President JD Vance disclosed that Washington and Tehran were close to agreeing on a deal to extend their ceasefire, but the potential breakthrough still hung on President Trump’s approval. President Trump has reportedly told aides that an agreement with Iran remains achievable. According to Politico, a senior White House official stated that “nothing changes where the deal stands right now” and that Trump believes an Iran deal is “still close” despite the retaliatory strikes. Trump himself had predicted on Monday that the US would achieve “total victory” over Iran within two weeks, expressing confidence that negotiations would ultimately produce a breakthrough. However, the downing of the Apache and subsequent strikes have further strained a fragile ceasefire that had been in place since April, threatening to unravel diplomatic progress. The conflict, now in its fourth month, began when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026.

US Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran After Apache Helicopter Downing

International

30 Nigerians on US Deportation Portal Linked to N87bn Fraud

Published

2 days ago

June 9, 2026

Trends Admin

30 Nigerians on US Deportation Portal Linked to N87bn Fraud

At least 30 Nigerian nationals listed on the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “Worst of the Worst” deportation portal have been linked to more than N86.8 billion ($62 million) in confirmed fraud losses, restitution orders, and intended losses, according to U.S. Department of Justice publications analyzed by THE WHISTLER.

The 30 individuals are part of a larger group of 124 Nigerians currently featured on the DHS portal at wow.dhs.gov – a public database of foreign nationals flagged for deportation. Financial crimes account for 77 of the 124 entries, representing 62% of all charges against Nigerians on the list. New court records and enforcement actions from the first half of 2026 have since added more cases, pushing the total fraud exposure linked to this group well beyond the original $62 million estimate.

Top Fraud Cases on the DHS Portal

Richard Ugbah was sentenced to 12 years in November 2017 for a romance fraud and business email compromise (BEC) scheme, with intended losses of $12.9 million. The presiding judge noted the figure was likely understated. Ugbah was arrested at Joint Base MDL in New Jersey.

Obinwanne Okeke received a 10-year sentence for an $11 million BEC scheme and is held at Oakdale FCI in Louisiana. His case remains one of the largest single cyber fraud convictions involving a Nigerian national.

Alex Ogunshakin was extradited from Nigeria and sentenced in October 2024 after spending more than three years on the FBI Cyber Most Wanted list. Federal prosecutors documented $6 million in confirmed losses and over $30 million in attempted fraud. These three cases alone account for nearly **$30 million** of the confirmed $62 million fraud total.

Other Significant Convictions

Uche Diuno was convicted in May 2024 for a $5.7 million advance-fee fraud scheme and described himself as the “chairman” of a fraud ring that operated across more than 20 countries over four years. He was sentenced to 60 months.

Oludayo Adeagbo was jailed for seven years for a business email compromise scheme causing more than $5 million in losses.

Olaniyi Ojikutu opened approximately 25 bank accounts through which $3.4 million in romance scam proceeds were laundered. He fled to Canada after indictment, was apprehended seven months later, extradited, and is now serving 88 months.

Chibundu Anuebunwa was sentenced to 66 months for a $2.5 million **BEC scheme**, while **Benjamin Ifebajo** received 10 years for $2.1 million in email fraud. Sakiru Ambali received 42 months after $2.4 million passed through his accounts.

Yusuf Bakare and Quazeem Adeyinka were convicted in a COVID-19 unemployment insurance fraud conspiracy after obtaining $2.27 million. Bakare was sentenced to four years and nine months, while Adeyinka received 26 months.

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Oluwole Odunowo was sentenced to 54 months as part of an IRS fraud scheme that caused $11.6 million in total losses, with his individual restitution order set at $402,846.

Toluwani Adebakin was a collegiate track and field athlete at William Carey University in Mississippi when he and a teammate were convicted of laundering proceeds from romance, military, and money scams. More than 100 victims sent over $820,000 to the athletes, who transferred the funds to fraudsters in Nigeria. He was sentenced to 36 months in April 2024.

Bameyi Omale is serving 135 months for his role in a romance and investment fraud laundering ring in the Western District of Texas, the longest confirmed sentence among the money laundering entries on the list.

Okechukwu Amadi, serving 11 years and three months, was convicted in connection with the Black Axe criminal organization and ordered to forfeit $833,625 in laundered proceeds and pay $1.35 million in restitution. Oriyomi Aloba was sentenced to 145 months after hacking into the Los Angeles Superior Court computer system and using it to send approximately two million malicious phishing emails, with a restitution order of $47,479.

New Developments: March – June 2026

In April 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice convicted 25 defendants in an international email hacking and fraud scheme that caused over $215 million in losses to more than 1,000 victims. Several Nigerians were among those who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges in this separate but significant case.

Under the DHS West Africa Operations Watch initiative launched in June 2026, an additional 110 Nigerians were added to the removal queue as part of a 355-person regional enforcement action. Nigeria topped the West Africa breakdown, ahead of Liberia with 94, Ghana with 30, and Senegal with 19.

Fresh extraditions and indictments emerged in May 2026. Samuel Ugberaese was extradited from Nigeria to face charges in North Carolina for wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy related to cross-border romance scams. Meanwhile, Oluwadamilare Kolaogunbule, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was indicted alongside Ugberaese for allegedly using his network of bank accounts to launder illicit proceeds from romance fraud schemes.

Recent sentences from March to April 2026 include Saheed Sunday Owolabi, who was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for defrauding victims and laundering over $1.5 million to Nigeria, with the DOJ noting that Owolabi used a female identity to build online relationships with male victims. **Ayobami Omoniyi** was sentenced to 32 months for a $202,000 money laundering scheme linked to business email compromise scams and is scheduled for deportation upon completion of his sentence.

Common Charges and Criminal Methods

Analysis of court records shows that wire fraud was the most common single offense, appearing in 27 charge entries. Money laundering appeared 18 times, identity theft 13 times, forgery or counterfeiting eight times, and mail fraud seven times. Wire fraud and money laundering frequently appeared together, consistent with organized financial crime where proceeds from fraudulent transfers are moved through layered transactions to obscure their origin.

The primary fraud schemes identified include Business Email Compromise (BEC) , where hackers compromise legitimate business email accounts to send fraudulent payment requests; romance scams, where fake online identities are used to manipulate victims into sending money; advance-fee fraud, where victims pay upfront fees for promised goods, services, or inheritances that never materialize; and COVID-19 relief fraud, involving fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance and pandemic relief funds.

Beyond Financial Crimes: Other Charges on the Portal

While financial crimes dominate the list, 28 Nigerians face violent offense charges, including aggravated assault, robbery, and kidnapping. Donald Ehie, Adeyinka Ademokunla, and Ifeanyi Okoro each faced kidnapping charges, with Okoro also facing sexual assault and robbery charges. Olayinka A. Jones, arrested in Fairfax, South Carolina, was the only individual with a manslaughter-level charge.

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Fifteen individuals face sexual offense charges, with five involving alleged crimes against minors. Abayomi Daramola, arrested in Portland, Oregon, is listed for enticement of a minor via telecommunications – a charge carrying a mandatory minimum of 10 years upon conviction. Cletus Onyali, arrested in Jessup, Maryland, has five separate charge entries, including assault, rape, sex offense against a child, cruelty toward a child, and a general sex offense.

Nine individuals were arrested for drug-related crimes. Suraj Tairu in Washington, D.C., faced both heroin sale and heroin smuggling charges. Adewale Aladekoba in Baltimore faced heroin distribution charges, while Aderemi Akefe, arrested in Detroit, faced cocaine smuggling and customs evasion charges.

Geographic Breakdown Within the U.S.

The 124 Nigerians were arrested across at least 26 states and Washington, D.C. Texas recorded the most arrests at 29, followed by Maryland with 14, Pennsylvania and California with eight each, Georgia with eight, Louisiana with seven, Illinois with six, and Florida with five. Texas’s high number is likely driven by the large Nigerian and West African diaspora in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, and by the ICE Dallas Field Office, one of the agency’s largest operational centers.

Several individuals were arrested at federal Bureau of Prisons facilities, meaning they were already serving federal sentences when ICE processed them for removal. Oakdale FCI in Louisiana appeared eight times as an arrest location despite the state’s relatively small Nigerian diaspora, while Yazoo City FCI accounted for the majority of Mississippi’s entries.

Nigeria’s Official Response

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said in a BBC interview that the Nigerian government welcomes the return of nationals who have violated U.S. law but insisted such returns must be conducted with dignity. In a separate Channels TV interview, Tuggar stated that Nigeria, with a population exceeding 230 million, already faces huge domestic challenges and would not accept nationals of other countries under a proposed regional deportation arrangement.

In May 2026, the U.S. finalized a third-country deportation agreement with Sierra Leone, paying the country $1.5 million to accept up to 300 West Africans annually whose home countries are slow to process returns. Some Nigerians on the DHS list have already been removed under this arrangement.

Portal Glitch Acknowledged by DHS

In February 2026, CNN reported that the DHS acknowledged a glitch affecting approximately 5% of entries across the portal, with some individuals listed as violent criminals despite having only minor offenses on record. Two Nigerians illustrate this discrepancy: Adetunji Olofinlade, arrested in Belcamp, Maryland, was listed solely for driving under the influence, while Olamide Jolayemi, arrested in Oklahoma City, was listed for computer crimes and a DUI.

Broader Context: Nigerians Under Final Deportation Orders

The 124 Nigerians on the “Worst of the Worst” portal represent a specific category of prioritized deportees with criminal convictions. For broader context, as of November 2024, ICE records indicated that 3,690 Nigerians were on the agency’s non-detained docket with final orders of removal.

30 Nigerians on US Deportation Portal Linked to N87bn Fraud

International

Iran Halts Military Operation Against Israel, Warns of Stronger Response if Attacks Continue

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Iran Halts Military Operation Against Israel, Warns of Stronger Response if Attacks Continue

Iran’s military command on Monday announced the suspension of its operation against Israel after the two countries exchanged missile and air strikes for the first time since an April ceasefire.

In a statement broadcast on Iranian state television, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said Iran had delivered what it described as a “painful response” to Israeli actions and was therefore ending its current military operations against Israel.

“Accordingly, the cessation of armed forces operations is hereby announced,” the statement said.

However, the command warned that the halt was conditional and could be reversed if Israel continued what Tehran described as acts of aggression, particularly in southern Lebanon.

“It is emphasised that should acts of aggression and hostility continue, including in southern Lebanon, much more severe and crushing measures than before will follow,” the statement added.

The announcement came after a sharp escalation in regional tensions over the weekend. Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israeli targets after Israel carried out strikes linked to Hezbollah positions and other targets in Lebanon. Israel responded with air strikes on sites inside Iran, marking the most serious direct exchange between the two sides since the truce that took effect in April.

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The latest flare-up raised fears that the ceasefire brokered earlier this year could collapse entirely and trigger a broader regional conflict involving Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and other Iran-backed groups.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump urged both sides to stop military action and preserve ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a broader peace arrangement in the region. Following the exchange of strikes, both Tehran and Jerusalem indicated that they were pausing further attacks for the time being, although neither side ruled out renewed military action if provoked.

The confrontation also rattled global energy markets, with oil prices surging amid concerns that a prolonged conflict could threaten shipping routes and energy supplies in the Middle East before retreating after Iran announced the end of its current operation.

Despite the announcement, analysts cautioned that the situation remains highly fragile, with tensions over Lebanon, regional security, and Iran’s broader dispute with Israel and its allies continuing to pose a risk of renewed hostilities.