putin loses

.............. Ukrainian forces have been repelling the Russian onslaught on the frontline in Donetsk for several weeks since mid-October.

It comes as the Russian Army has been forced to regroup while suffering over 400 casualties a day in a drive to capture the eastern town, Kyiv said. ..................

.......... Sever Realii, said defence ministry recruiters promised inmates lavish payments: a salary of 205,000 roubles (about $2,000 or £1,700) a month, a payment of 3m roubles ($31,000 or £26,000) per injury and 5m roubles ($52,000 or £43,000) to be paid to the recruit's relatives if he gets killed.

"It all sounded hunky-dory!" he said. But soon after being deployed to Ukraine the former prisoners realised they were being sent into a "total meat-grinder" without proper armaments or without even being told of the real situation on the front line, he said. ......