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Ukrainian military intelligence has doubled down on claims that Russian president Vladimir Putin has 'at least three three doppelgängers'.
And it's raised questions about whether the real Putin is actually in full control of the Kremlin during the war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Yusov claimed the body doubles are kept under strict guard and 'constant surveillance' by the Russian secret services, with no independent lives of their own.
Mr Yusov said: 'This information [on Vladimir Putin using body doubles] is confirmed by many sources.
'It is no longer some kind of news or something that needs to be proven in the world.
There have been claims that Putin's new year's address was a deepfake (Picture: East2West)
Accusations of Putin having body doubles have circulated for years, including on social media (Picture: East2West)
'The technology of doubles has been used before and is being used now, in particular by Vladimir Putin or his entourage, people who influence the situation in the Kremlin.'
Some claim Putin uses body doubles because he is either seriously ill or paranoid about his security or illness, hiding out in a bunker.
Political analyst Professor Valery Solovey – who insists doubles are used because the real Putin died in October 2023 – compared the new year's address with footage from the same event at the start of 2022.
'You can easily see and, most importantly, hear two COMPLETELY different people,' he said, claiming Putin's face was too bloated in 2022 compared to 2024.
Now Ukraine is doubling down on the claims(Picture: East2West)
Mr Yusov's boss, Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, claimed last year that the real Putin hasn't been seen since 2022.
He said Ukraine knows about 'at least three' doppelgängers, telling a Ukrainian news programme: 'They live under constant surveillance. These are people who certainly do not belong to themselves.
'They are not some subjects who…under certain circumstances, can be used to implement various scenarios that different [power-brokers in the] Kremlin are considering for themselves.
'So it is clear that their fate is, let's say, not enviable. [They undergo] constant training, including surgery in order to conform to some common [appearance]. And, of course, constant total control.
'They are not kept in one place. It is clear that the information on them is extremely closed and has not yet been fully established.'
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The mysterious Medieval cemetery where people dined among the graves | 3IMMAA6 | 2024-01-03 22:42:07
A Medieval cemetery in Wales has revealed people buried in unusual positions, such as crouching (Picture: BBC News/Kevin Church)
A rare Medieval cemetery near Cardiff airport in Wales has unearthed many unsolved mysteries about the people who lived and died there.
Artefacts found in the soil suggest they may have socialised among the graves, eating, drinking or even feasting, while a small, round peg made of bone could be evidence of people playing games.
A team of archaeologists has spent the past two summers digging at the site, which is thought to date to the 6th or 7th century. So far, 18 of around 70 graves have been excavated – with the skeletons found raising even more questions about the community.
While some were buried lying on their back, as is common practice, others were buried on their sides – and a few were placed in a crouching position, with their knees tucked up against their chest.
The findings pose quite a head scratcher for the team, who do not know if it means the cemetery was used for a long time, during which the way they buried people changed, or if some were placed in unusual positions to mark them out as different.
The skeletons, which are in good condition, also offer an insight into how the community lived.
There are around 70 graves at the site (Picture: Red River Archaeology)
'We have some teeth that are very worn in a kind of a funny way that might indicate the use of teeth as tools,' said Summer Courts, an osteoarchaeologist from the University of Reading.
Speaking to the BBC, she said the people may have used their teeth for textile work, leather work or basketry.
'They're pulling something through their front teeth,' she said.
Teeth found at the site are unusually worn (Picture: BBC News/Kevin Church)
The cemetery, which lies in the grounds of Fonmon Castle, has also revealed fragments of dishes and cups, alongside the remains of animal bones – and pottery imported from abroad.
Dr Andy Seaman, a specialist in early medieval archaeology from the University of Cardiff, says the wealth of artefacts suggests it wasn't simply a place to bury the dead.
'We tend to think of graveyards as sort of enclosed spaces that we don't really go to, but they probably would have been quite central to life in the past,' he said, speaking to the BBC.
Archaeologists have been working at the site for two years (Picture: BBC News/Kevin Church)
'And it's not just a place for people being buried, but it's a place where communities are coming together. They are burying their dead, but they're also undertaking other forms of activity, and social practice, including eating and drinking – and feasting.'
It could also be that those buried in the cemetery were high status individuals, given the quality of items found among the graves – including fine glass thought to be from Bordeaux, in France.
Artefacts suggest those buried there were high status individuals (Picture: BBC News/Kevin Church)
'The evidence we've got here is that the people have access to very high quality imported goods, that you can only get through trading or exchange networks, with people with a lot of wealth, to bring it here,' said Dr Tudur Davies, from the University of Cardiff.
'What exactly is going on? Who are these people being buried here?'
The cemetery is in the grounds of Fonmon Castle, near Cardiff airport (Picture: Red River Archaeology)
Those are the questions asked in tomorrow's episode of Digging For Britain on BBC at 8pm, which will feature the cemetery.
Further DNA analysis will also be carried out to learn more about who exactly was buried there, and when.
Tiny railway bridge was built in half the time it took to build the pyramids | 3IMMAA6 | 2024-01-03 22:42:07
The accessible footbridge at Theale station was supposed to begin construction in 2013
Works at a small railway station have been branded a 'case study' in British inefficiency after they ended up more than a decade behind schedule and cost nearly three times as much as usual.
An upgrade to Theale station near Reading, Berkshire, was announced in 2011 with a budget of £1.25 million.
The centrepiece of the plan – a new footbridge with lifts to make the station wheelchair-accessible – was authorised in 2013.
But the existing funding was deemed only enough to build a new ticket office and 'progress design work' for the footbridge.
Network Rail also said a ticket office at the station had to be moved because it couldn't be safely accessed during construction of the bridge.
The new ticket office was built in 2014, but the rest of the funding was deferred due to changes to Network Rail's investment programme.
It wasn't until 2021 that another £9.5 million was set aside for Network Rail to build the footbridge and lifts.
Network Rail has said the average accessible footbridge costs from £3 million to £5 million.
Construction didn't begin until January 2023, and it's now expected the footbridge and lifts will be finally be open for use in the spring of this year.
For perspective, the Great Pyramid of Giza is estimated to have taken around two decades to build, while the Empire State Building in New York took one year and 45 days.
Sir Alok Sharma, MP for Reading West, told the Daily Telegraph: 'The redevelopment of Theale station is a classic case study in just how slowly even relatively small infrastructure projects are delivered in our country, with resultant cost increases having to be picked up by the taxpayer.
'We have to get much better at untangling the stifling bureaucracy and red tape in our system which holds back the time-efficient and cost-effective delivery of infrastructure.'
Explaining the bridge's high cost, Network Rail said: 'Theale station has three tracks and four platforms, and it is a very busy station for freight in particular. This means the opportunities to do work while trains are not running is limited.
'The extra width of those three tracks also means a longer span across the railway and more difficult construction.'
A spokesperson said: 'Plans to build a new footbridge with lifts at Theale station, part of the Department for Transport's Access for All programme, were approved in January 2013 alongside a range of improvements including a new ticket office and expanded car park.
'At this time, funding was only provided for the ticket office and to progress design work for the footbridge."A new ticket office was built by Great Western Railway. In 2021, £9.5 million funding was awarded for Network Rail to build a footbridge and lifts.
'The new facilities are set to open to the public in spring 2024. Great Western Railway will then begin work to expand the car park.'
More Suff #us #uk #world #nz #HappyHour #la #ca #nyc #lndn #manila #politics #ArmUkraineASAP #sport #showbiz #fashion #PicOfTheDay #celebrities #motors #tech #InstaGood #top #QuoteOfTheDay #news #Tiny railway bridge was built in half the time it took to build the pyramids | 3IMMAA6 | 2024-01-03 22:42:07 Source: IN TREND
Town so bad a hole in the wall next to hole in the wall is the top tourist attraction | 3IMMAA6 | 2024-01-03 22:42:07
Time to book your flights to Ilkeston (Picture: Google Maps/Tripadvisor)
'We visited this iconic landmark in the early hours of New Year's Day 2024,' wrote Robert.
'As always, it didn't fail to impress. The neon lights and street lighting made haunting shadows on the road and the light rain only added to the ambience.
'It is a truly magical place and one can only stand in awe at the architectural genius.'
This is the only review Robert has written for TripAdvisor, a platform that allows people to review local attractions and recommend their top picks for things to do.
But Robert wasn't describing London's Big Ben, Paris' Eiffel Tower or New York City's Times Square.
No, he was talking about the 'NatWest Hole', a literal hole in the wall by a branch of the bank in Ilkeston that is the town's number one thing to do, according to 143 TripAdvisor users.
The famous hole in the wall that puts the Great Wall of China to shame, apparently (Picture: Jam Press)
<divclass="metro-factbox"data-colour="green"data-track-module="factbox_article"><h2class="metro-factbox-title green exclamation"><iclass="icon icon-exclaim"></i>TopfivethingstodoinIlkeston</h2><divclass="metro-factbox-content green"><pclass="">AccordingtocountlessTripAdvisorrankings–whichthecompanythencombsthroughtocheckforquality,quantityandconsistency–thesearethetopattractionsinIlkeston.</p>
1. NatWest Hole
Well, you're reading a story all about it, after all.
2. Erewash Museum
With a four-and-a-half star rating, the museum offers exhibitions on World War Two and the Stanton Ironworks, an ironmonger once a bedrock of the town's economy.
3. Bennerly Viaduct
Stretching 400 metres through the East Midlands, the foot and cycle bridge was described by one TripAdvisor reviewer as a 'major achievement of Victorian engineering'.
4. Straws Bridge
Sat on the border of Ilkeston and West Hallam, Straws Bridge is, according to its website, 'a beautiful nature reserve comprising three lakes and has picnic tables and a free car park'.
5. Victoria Park
The green space just north of the town centre has been rated four-and-a-half starts by locals, with its flower beds, picnic areas and 'lots of bins' being earning heaps of praise.
The wall on Bath Street was built during a 1990s refurbishment so people using the ATM could see if anyone was standing on the other side eyeing up their PIN.
Since 2018, the some 38,000 people in Ilkeston, a former coal mining town in Derbyshire, have come together to flood the hole's TripAdvisor page with five-star reviews.
Popular mentions include, among other things: 'Buckingham Palace,' 'unforgettable experience,' 'hidden gem' and, of course, 'wall'.
With so many raving reviews, the hole is the number one tourist hotspot in Ilkeston, beating the Erewash Museum and Bennerly Viaduct.
For TripAdvisor foodies, it seems good old-fashioned British food is mainly on their menu.
However, when searching for top restaurants in the town, a few come up that are actually in nearby villages, such as Stanton-on-Dale or Kirk Hallam.
1. The Durham Ox
A Trip Advisor Travellers' Choice in 2021, the bar on Durham Street was once used as the town's jail – complete with secret tunnels to take prisoners to the local church to be tried for their crimes.
2. Emma's Thai
As one user put it: 'I've lost count how many times I have visited this restaurant and yet again we have had an excellent meal prepared by Emma.'
The pub on Market Place boasts a five-star rating on the platform for being a 'beer lover's paradise'.
5. Sir John Warren
Another spot on Market Place, the Green King pub is apparently where a lot of people bring their mums, with 'my mum' being one of the top mentions.
Disco F, who swung by the hole last September, said in his more than 350-word review: 'Picture, if you will, a sojourn to the Great Wall of China, an awe-inspiring marvel to be sure. Yet, the Nat West Hole affords a narrative equally enthralling!
'As you draw nigh, an air of palpable anticipation envelops you. Will it be in operation this day? Will the queue be an arduous affair or a fleeting respite?
'These mysteries, akin to the enigma of an ancient scroll, are unravelled at the Nat West Hole.'
Though, with the bar so high, it's hard to blame some users for poking holes in the hole's reputation.
'What is going on here, a round hole in a wall which is part of the NatWest branch next to a cash machine,' wrote John in 2019.
More Suff #us #uk #world #nz #HappyHour #la #ca #nyc #lndn #manila #politics #ArmUkraineASAP #sport #showbiz #fashion #PicOfTheDay #celebrities #motors #tech #InstaGood #top #QuoteOfTheDay #news #Town so bad a hole in the wall next to hole in the wall is the top tourist attraction | 3IMMAA6 | 2024-01-03 22:42:07 Source: IN TREND
