International

Ukraine isn’t naive, Zelenskiy says after Russia pledges to scale down attack on Kyiv

Published

4 years ago

March 30, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy

Ukraine reacted with skepticism to Russia’s promise in negotiations to scale down military operations around Kyiv and another city as some Western countries expected Moscow to intensify its offensive in other parts of the country.

Talks took place in an Istanbul palace more than a month into the largest attack on a European nation since World War Two that has killed or injured thousands, forced nearly 4 million to flee abroad and pummelled Russia’s economy with sanctions.

The invasion has been halted on most fronts by stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces who have recaptured territory even as civilians are trapped in besieged cities.

“In order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (an) agreement, a decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions,” Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin told reporters.

He made no mention of other areas that have seen heavy fighting, including around Mariupol in the southeast, Sumy and Kharkiv in the east and Kherson and Mykolaiv in the south.

“Ukrainians are not naive people,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late on Tuesday.

“Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion, and over the past eight years of the war in Donbass, that the only thing they can trust is a concrete result.”

The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said that Russia’s promise to curtail military operations in some areas was “probably a rotation of individual units and aims to mislead.”

The Russian military accused Ukrainian forces in cities under attack of using ceasefires to restore their combat readiness and set up firing points in hospitals and schools, Interfax news agency said.

Russia has started moving very small numbers of troops away from positions around Kyiv in a move that is more of a repositioning than a retreat or a withdrawal from the war, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

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“We all should be prepared to watch for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine,” spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing. “It does not mean that the threat to Kyiv is over.”

Britain’s Ministry of Defence in an intelligence update said: “It is highly likely that Russia will seek to divert combat power from the north to their offensive in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east.”

Reuters could not immediately verify the claims made by either side.

The Moscow-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine may consider joining Russia once it controls all of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, its leader was quoted as saying. Kyiv has said any such move would have no legal basis.

Russia calls its assault a “special operation” to disarm and “denazify” Ukraine. The West says it launched an unprovoked invasion.

Some analysts noted that Russia’s promise to reduce fighting mostly covered areas where it has been losing ground.

U.S. troops in Poland are “liaising” with Ukrainian forces as they hand over weapons to them and a total of 10 F-18 aircraft and more than 200 troops are being deployed to NATO member and Russian neighbour, Lithuania, said Kirby.

PROPOSALS

Ukrainian negotiators said that under their proposals, Kyiv would agree not to join alliances or host bases of foreign troops, but would have security guaranteed in terms similar to “Article 5”, the collective defence clause of the transatlantic NATO military alliance.

They named Israel and NATO members Canada, Poland and Turkey as countries that may give such guarantees. Russia, the United States, Britain, Germany and Italy could also be involved.

The proposals, which would require a referendum in Ukraine, mentioned a 15-year consultation period on the status of Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.

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The fate of the southeastern Donbass region, which Russia demands Ukraine cede to separatists, would be discussed by the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.

Kyiv’s proposals also included one that Moscow would not oppose Ukraine joining the European Union, Russia’s lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said. Russia has previously opposed Ukrainian membership of the EU and especially of NATO.

Medinsky said Russia’s delegation would study and present the proposals to President Vladimir Putin.

To prepare a peace agreement, Medinsky later told the TASS news agency, “We still have a long way to go”.

U.S. President Joe Biden discussed with allies more financial aid of up to $500 million for Ukraine, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.

MARIUPOL DEATH TOLL

On the ground, reports of attacks continued.

A shell hit a temporary Russian military camp near the border with Ukraine late on Tuesday, Tass news agency said and cited a source as saying preliminary data showed it had been fired from the Ukrainian side.

Tass issued the report shortly after a senior local official reported a series of explosions outside the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the border with Ukraine. Reuters could not immediately verify the details.

In Ukraine’s besieged seaport Mariupol, thousands of civilians may have died, the head of the United Nations human rights mission in the country told Reuters on Tuesday.

Those who remain are suffering.

“We are eight people. We have two buckets of potatoes, one bucket of onions,” said Irina, an engineer, in her apartment where windows had been blasted out.

Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces have made advances, recapturing territory from Russian troops on the outskirts of Kyiv, in the northeast and in the south.

In the southern city of Mykolaiv, a missile blasted a hole through the main administrative building. Authorities said at least 12 people were killed and 33 injured.

Reuters

Related Topics:Kyiv naive Russia Ukraine Zelenskiy

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International

30 Nigerians on US Deportation Portal Linked to N87bn Fraud

Published

14 hours 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

1 day 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.

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

International

Israel Strikes Iranian Military Targets in Retaliation for Missile Attack

Published

1 day ago

June 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Smoke rising over Tehran, Iran, following airstrikes on military targets.

Israel Strikes Iranian Military Targets in Retaliation for Missile Attack

Jerusalem/Tehran – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes on military targets in western and central Iran early Monday, hours after Iran fired ballistic missiles at northern Israel in the first direct attack between the two nations since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April.

The IDF said its aircraft struck military sites belonging to the “Iranian terror regime,” including areas near Tehran, Tabriz, and Isfahan. Iranian state media reported multiple explosions in those cities. The strikes also hit the Karun Mahshahr Petrochemical Company in Khuzestan Province, marking the first reported attack on an Iranian energy-related site since the April 8 ceasefire.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, defended the strikes, stating that “no self-respecting country” would accept missile attacks on its territory. He added that Israel was targeting Iranian surface-to-surface missile launch sites and infrastructure not related to the energy sector.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that Israel used air-launched ballistic missiles in the strikes and warned that if Israel expands its attacks on southern Lebanon or responds further, it will face more “crushing and regretful blows.”

The Iranian missile barrage on Sunday targeted Israel’s Ramat David Air Base in northern Israel, according to the IRGC. The attack was in response to recent Israeli strikes on Hezbollah positions in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The IDF said it intercepted the incoming projectiles, with no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage in Israel.

The IRGC claimed its forces struck two Israeli air bases—Nevatim and Tel Nof—during the operation it codenamed “Victory” (Nasr). Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that the Mahshahr special petrochemical economic zone was being evacuated following the Israeli strikes. The Tehran fire department confirmed that no urban areas in the capital had been targeted, with explosions limited to military sites. Iran temporarily closed the airspace around Tehran’s main international airport following the attacks.

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President Donald Trump reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint and avoid retaliatory action to preserve de-escalation efforts, telling Axios, “Hopefully Israel is not going to retaliate… Each of them had their fun. We don’t need another one.” However, Israel proceeded with the strikes despite the president’s appeal. Trump told the Financial Times that Netanyahu “doesn’t call the shots” and would have “no choice” but to accept a deal with Iran, signaling a widening rift between the two allies as the administration seeks to wind down the conflict.

The exchanges mark the latest breach of the fragile ceasefire arrangements that followed the wider U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which began in late February 2026. A senior U.S. official described Israel’s strikes as “relatively limited” in scope. The escalation threatens to derail sensitive talks to end the wider conflict and cast the region back into chaos. Iran has demanded a ceasefire in Lebanon before an accord can be reached with the U.S., while Hezbollah last week rejected a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

No immediate casualty figures were available from the Iranian side. Both countries have issued warnings of further escalation as the situation continues to develop, with the IDF calling up reserve battalions and reinforcing fronts, including forces continuing operations in southern Lebanon.