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VLADIMIR Putin is plotting a final killer offensive along three fronts to win the war, a new report claims.

It comes as the Russian army nears one million casualties in its bungled three-year-old invasion and peace talks stall.

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The tyrant is still looking for a knockout blow despite initially saying he would win the war in a matter of days.

Putin is hoping to change that this summer, with a widely expected fresh offensive to begin.

Some 125,000 Russian soldiers are reportedly massing along the Sumy and Kharkiv frontiers, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence.

Over the past fortnight border villages have fallen to Russia as it is believed to be preparing the ground for the invasion.

But some senior commanders in Ukraine believe that could be a feint and Russia is actually preparing to attack further south to push further into the Donbas, Ukraine Pravda reports.

Russia is likely to attack through three areas near each other in the Donbas – Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, and Pokrovsk.

Vlad already controls more than 95 per cent of Luhansk, but capturing Donetsk would cement his control over the Donbas region and achieve a war aim, albeit a scaled-down one.

The Donbas is an important industrial and mining area – and some 200,000 to 300,000 people still live in four cities controlled by Ukraine.

Moscow’s military planners will be weighing up whether they want to fight through the cities like they did in Bakhmut or encircle them by going around through farmland.

Kramatorsk is the closest city to the front line and is under constant attack by Russia.

A recent drone strike managed to get inside an armoured vehicle carrying Ukrainian soldiers.

Russia has an opportunity to conduct a pincer movement around Kostiantynivka with its soldiers controlling land to the east and west of the city.

Instead of attacking the city directly, the could bypass it and attack Druzhkivka behind it – thereby cutting Kostiantynivka and any Ukrainian soldiers still there off.

In nearby Pokrovsk, Russia already has a salient, a bulge, out from the front line after a previous advance.

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Ukraine reports also daily contact with Russian troops in the area.

The Pokrovsk front line is also very near Dnipropetrovsk Oblast – a region of Ukraine the Kremlin hasn’t yet officially claimed.

A successful breakthrough there might mean Putin can actually expand his war goals.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is prepared for a summer offensive and has publicly said Russia is set to escalate the war.

His officials believe peace talks are a ruse – with Putin only wanting to talk to demand the terms of surrender.

The Ukrainians will not give in and any advance by Russia is going to come at a high cost.

Vlad’s army has been making incremental gains along the front line, with troops overwhelming Ukraine in meat grinder assaults.

But for that Russia has suffered 434,000 dead and wounded in the last year, 270 for every square mile they have seized.

Reuters

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Getty

Ukraine has used drones and Western-supplied arms to grind the Russians down into a WW1-style trench war.

But observers worry a massive new Russian offensive could break the deadlock.

Moscow has spent the winter recruiting more troops, improving tactics, and enhancing their drones.

An offensive likely won’t use tanks, Polish military analyst Konrad Muzyka told the Telegraph.

He said, instead, Russian troops were advancing using lighter motors.

Muzyka said: “Any large-scale deployment of armour is going to be destroyed relatively quickly.

“We have seen the Russians shift to focused, small-unit attacks, often of just three to five men. Company-size assaults of 50 to 100 men hardly ever happen anymore.”

Donald Trump has said he expects Putin’s retaliation following the stunning Opertion Spiderweb “is not going to be pretty”.

The US President spoke to Vlad on Wednesday – with the Russian saying, according to Trump, he would “have to respond”.

The call followed Operation Spiderweb — a daring Ukrainian drone blitz that wrecked 41 Russian planes across four strategic airfields, in a coordinated assault likened to WWII’s most audacious missions.

Inside Operation Spiderweb

By James Halpin, foreign news reporter

Ukraine’s shock sleeper drone blitz on Russia’s bomber fleet has delivered a hammer blow to Vladimir Putin’s nuclear arsenal.

The SAS-style strike against four airfields deep inside Russia is reminiscent of the most daring raids of the WW2 that turned the tide against the Nazis.

Volodymyr Zelensky oversaw Operation Spiderweb – much like Winston Churchill did as Britain struck deep behind enemy lines.

The Ukrainian said: “It’s genuinely satisfying when something I authorized a year and six months ago comes to fruition and deprives Russians of over forty units of strategic aviation.

“We will continue this work.”

Putin’s doomsday bomber fleet is now crippled with 41, or a third, of his most prized aircraft lying in smouldering wrecks on tarmac.

Ukraine said the sneak attack was worth $7bn (£5.2bn) in damage to Russia – caused by only 117 cheaply made drones.

Like Israel’s mass pager sabotage against Hezbollah, Kyiv has rewritten the rule book in how to strike the heart of their enemy.

Ukraine’s spies spent 18 months putting the plan into action and struck on the eve of fresh peace talks in Istanbul.

Read more here.

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IF the thought of wriggling back into your swimsuit fills you with dread, you’re far from alone.

According to new research from lingerie and swimwear brand Pour Moi, only seven per cent of women feel fully fabulous stepping out in their cossies. Just seven.

David Cummings

David Cummings

The rest of us? We’re artfully draped in sarongs, in tent shaped cover-ups or doing that frantic towel dance by the pool in a bid to stay incognito.

Because let’s be honest, hauling last summer’s swimwear from the bottom drawer rarely feels good.

That magical tummy control? Stretched beyond salvation. The ‘statement colour’? More like a fading memory, now tinged with SPF smears and fake tan mishaps.

Then comes the dreaded try-on. You catch a glimpse in the mirror and bam – any flicker of body confidence evaporates faster than your iced rosé in a midday heatwave.

But here’s the thing, it’s not just you.

We’ve all had the mirror moment. We’ve all sworn under our breath in badly lit changing rooms. And we’ve all wished, more than once, that swimwear came with built-in courage.

But those dreams could become a reality.

Whilst on the search for swimwear this year, I turned my attention to TikTok which, like it or not, is a good barometer for consumer style reviews.

The first one I stumbled-scrolled upon was a brand called Cupshe.

A top selling American swimwear brand that does ship to the UK and is available on Amazon. So far, so good.

Cupshe is a brand that on the surface sounds like every other swimwear brand with words like ‘empower’, ‘inspire’ and ‘support’.

But the brand’s Slim & Sculpt swimsuit caught my eye.

A viral clip racking up millions of views featuring three women, all different in shapes and sizes, slip into the same figure-loving cossie.

The secret? A corset-style lace-up back that cinches in all the right places, giving each of them an envy-inducing hourglass shape.

In the comments section one fan of the swimwear gushed: “These make you feel SO confident – and that speaks volumes!”

Another said: “Just got mine and I can’t believe how good it looks.”

I’m immediately sold – but I need to see it in the flesh.

Available for £27.99 on Amazon in six different colours, I recruited size 14, make-up artist and mum-of-one Michelle Court, 41, from Rochford, Essex, to test out this miracle swimsuit.

“Every time it comes to going on holiday I get a new cossie,” says Michelle.

“I used to be a bikini Queen and never think of pulling on a one-piece, but after a baby my confidence to show off my body has dwindled.

“These days I love a swimsuit for holding everything in.

“When I’m looking for my new holiday swimsuit I always try to hunt for one with a really good shape that flatters my figure, doesn’t dig in too much and one that keeps everything in its place.”

Medium is the corresponding Cupshe size for Michelle’s UK dress size but out of the packet, the cossie looks rather small. We both agree it might be a struggle to get it on.

But two minutes later Michelle is out of the dressing room in the red lycra number and looks like she’s ready to run in slow motion down the beach. So far, so Baywatch.

David Cummings

David Cummings

tiktok@blossom.bonds

“I look like the Special K Lady,” says Michelle. “It’s like I’ve been on weight loss injections!”

She was right, this swimsuit completely showcased her figure – and not a fat jab in sight.

I was dubious as to whether swimwear can really be that transformative but from seeing Michelle in a thousand-wash beige costume that had zero bust support or elasticity, the change was undeniable.

She said: “It really does hold you in, like, cinches in everywhere – not like that old one from the loft.”

“Its got amazing bust support, it feels like someone has just come in behind me and lifted me – and lifted everything.
“I feel way more confident than I do in my usual costumes.”

Made from 92 per cent polyester and 8 per cent Spandex the swimming costume does the nipping and tucking with its fabric, but the real magic comes from the corsetry at the back.

You can tie it as loosely or as tight as you like to take inches off your waist and it really, really works.

And at the back the suit also gives great bum coverage, unlike many high street swimsuits that are barely bigger than a thong at the back.

Michelle said: “Honestly, I love it. It’s a 10/10 swimsuit… Can I take it home?”

A LOVE Island legend has revealed he spent the night with new Islander Sophie Lee after meeting her on a night out. 

Sophie, 29, is one of the brand-new singletons who will enter the Love Island villa on Monday night. 

Instagram

Instagram

Instagram

And Anton Danyluk – who first shot to fame on the 2019 series – has shared how he bumped into the former fire breather last year and ended up in a hotel room with her. 

Writing on Instagram, Anton, 30, said: “Let’s just say we didn’t get much sleep… 

“Last October, I was on a night out and bumped into one of my mates who happened to be with Sophie Lee. 

“I already knew of Sophie through one of my friends, Joss, but we’d never properly spoken – until that night. We clicked straight away.”

Sophie now works as an activist after a fire-breathing accident when she was 22 left her with significant burns. 

The incident took place whilst she was performing in Chicago, when an air-conditioner blew the flames she was expelling back towards her.

And Anton confessed he was “captivated” by Sophie’s story. 

He continued: “We ended up back at her hotel room… but not how you think. 

“We genuinely talked all night. I was captivated by her story.” 

Praising Sophie for talking openly about her experience, he added: “No filters. No ego. 

“Her message? Learn to love yourself – scars and all.” 

Anton isn’t the only former Islander Sophie has a connection to.

She was previously in a relationship with Scottish hunk Ouzy See, 30, who appeared on the show’s tenth series.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun while attending the 2023 Beauty Awards together, Ouzy said at the time: “We’re in the early stages, I’m here supporting Sophie tonight as she’s been nominated.”

Asked if things were going well between them, Ouzy beamed: “It’s going really well,” prompting Sophie to chime in: “He’s really kind, that’s my favourite thing about him.”

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