Times 'fewer, better stories' strategy leads to run of audience growth The Times says its “fewer, better stories” strategy has led to three consecutive months of record-breaking global audience growth.

📰 An encouraging read about the value of good journalism:
pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...

@philwisden.bsky.social Loved your piece on my boyhood hero's 207 - so well told, great job

I was a Russian major in Ukraine - I saw how the Kremlin stole children 'Now we know where those children were transported, how the Russian government tried to reformat their brains, without a doubt, it is a crime'

And here is my separate report on the war crimes he has provided evidence about (13): inews.co.uk/news/world/r...

My life inside Putin’s war machine – and why I defected After meeting Nazis in the Wagner Group and seeing war crimes in Ukraine as part of Putin's special forces, an officer who escaped the Russian military reveals all

You can read my full feature interview here (12): inews.co.uk/news/world/l...

“I hope Ukraine will win,” he says. "I hope justice is going to prevail.” (11)

He gives unique insights into how the military felt betrayed by Putin and sometimes fought amongst itself, what it was like serving in Wagner – including his meetings with its criminal owner Yevgeny Prigozhin and Hitler-worshipping commander Dmitry Utkin – plus how and why he ultimately escaped.(10)

Now, in an exclusive interview, he reveals to The i Paper the inner workings of Russia’s war machine. (9)

“I had doubts about these orders,” Salikov says now. “But we were told: ‘Don't worry guys, friendly Ukrainians are waiting for us... We might have to have to fight with some Nazis, but it's not a big deal.’”

The reality was very different. It horrified the veteran. (8)

And as a senior officer in a commando division of the GRU military intelligence agency, Salikov was given a special assignment just six hours before the assault began. He and an elite team were to fly into Kyiv and capture the headquarters of the SBU, Ukraine’s Security Service. (7)

Instead, he found himself in Belarus, just north of Ukraine. On 20 February 2022, shocking news came through that they would be launching an invasion in four days’ time. (6)

Salikov had not served Russia quite long enough to receive full payments after retirement, so when offered the chance to rejoin the military, he accepted. He expected to be stationed in the mountains of Tajikistan or Uzbekistan, guarding against the unlikely scenario of a Taliban invasion. (5)

Besides operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, he participated in missions everywhere from South America to Asia and Africa. He worked with units including the notoriously brutal Wagner Group.

Even mercenaries have to think about their pension, however. (4)

It was the autumn of 2021. Salikov was in his late fifties. Rising to the rank of major, he had spent decades in uniform – first with the Soviet army, then in and out of the Russian armed forces, with more recent experience as a “private military contractor” - the polite term for a mercenary. (3)

If Igor Salikov's extraordinary life is ever turned into a film, it may well begin with the military equivalent of that famous Hollywood cliche: one final job. (2)

🚨 I have interviewed Igor Salikov, a senior Russian officer who defected after being horrified by the invasion of Ukraine

He has provided evidence to the International Criminal Court about war crimes he witnessed or learnt about

His story, shared with @theipaper.com, is astonishing... (🧵 1/13)

UK ‘runs out’ of warships - leaving Germany to take over key Nato mission The failure of the UK to provide a military presence in the Atlantic will reignite criticism of the decline of British defence capabilities

Scoop 🛳️: The Royal Navy will have to lead a NATO task force from a German frigate next month because it doesn’t have enough destroyers to fulfil its commitment

Read here in @theipaper.com

inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Very best of luck Danny 🤍💙

The listener's Bergwijn hospital bit made me well up this morning, thanks to them and you guys for sharing that 💙

An Epstein survivor calls on British police to question her alleged groomer about any victims potentially trafficked through UK

Teresa Helm, who was abused in the US in 2002, said authorities must contact Sarah Kellen, one of the convicted paedophile’s closest associates
inews.co.uk/news/world/j...

I was angry vs Newcastle, sad vs Palace, now I've reached the stage of masochistic gallows humour

The Knowledge: Rubbish goalkeepers substituted before half-time The Knowledge: Plus: John Sitton's legendary outbursts; the longest-distance European fixture (2); and why German hat-tricks are different to English ones.

At least Kinsky lasted 17 minutes tonight, one poor Peruvian lad in here was taken off after 13
www.theguardian.com/football/200...

I was an American hostage in Iran for 444 days. Trump's war is absolutely moronic Barry Rosen and John Limbert were among 52 people held at the US embassy in Tehran from November 1979 to January 1981

If anyone should welcome Trump's war on Iran's regime, it's ex-US embassy hostages - yet two tell me it's "insane", "moronic", "a huge screw-up"

It was an honour to interview Barry Rosen & John Limbert, among 52 held in awful conditions for 444 days, for @theipaper.com
inews.co.uk/news/world/a...

Inside the nuclear prison where Putin tortures Ukrainians This is the brutal reality of what is happening at Europe's biggest nuclear power plant

Inside the nuclear prison where Putin tortures Ukrainians trib.al/0VtReue

🥸 For nearly three years, Joe Augustyn ran the CIA unit that arranges new identities for defectors escaping from Russia, to shield them from attacks.

He spoke to me for @theipaper.com about protecting some of the world's bravest - and most unusual - people:
inews.co.uk/news/world/c...

Epstein abused me aged 16 - I'm disgusted by millionaires who flocked to him Annie Farmer, who gave key evidence at Ghislaine Maxwell's sex-trafficking trial, says survivors have been warning of Jeffrey Epstein's web of power for years

Annie Farmer, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse, spoke to me for @theipaper.com - the phrase that stood out was "ubiquitous misogyny”
inews.co.uk/news/crime/e...

Iranians like us have faced deadly threats on UK streets - but we're not afraid After years of plots by Tehran's regime against the British Iranian community, protesters now feel emboldened by demonstrations back home

Iranian dissidents in the UK are often afraid to reveal their names and faces because of regime threats, but now they're coming out of the shadows

Three of them spoke with me for @theipaper.com:
inews.co.uk/news/iranian...

In a 2024 interview with The i Paper, the former chancellor spoke about his concerns over immigration

After he announced his defection to the Reform Party, take a look back over that interview

trib.al/ncCcMzE

I was the UK's last Soviet Union ambassador - here's how Putin can lose These are dangerous times for Putin, according to Sir Rodric Braithwaite, a former British diplomat who has seen firsthand how Russia can unexpectedly turn on apparently powerful leaders

"I certainly keep open the possibility that Putin could suddenly disappear"

Bit late in posting but was great to interview the UK's last ambassador to the USSR, Sir Rodric Braithwaite, about the risks facing the Kremlin and the chances of peace, for @theipaper.com:
inews.co.uk/news/world/u...

I was CIA's top agent in Moscow - Putin has trained to manipulate men like Trump Rob Dannenberg was the US spy chief in Russia early in Vladimir Putin's rule - and believes he understands the dictator better than most

🇷🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦 “Putin looks at Trump and sees a weak guy, vain, with huge ego”

I interviewed the CIA's former Moscow chief of station, Rob Dannenberg, for @theipaper.com about how he believes the Russian dictator is manipulating Trump, and risks this poses for Ukraine and the West
inews.co.uk/news/world/i...

It was so interesting to visit the old Cornish clay pit set to become the UK's first lithium mine, reducing reliance on China for the mineral - which is vital to the production of batteries for EVs and tech products

You can read my feature for @theipaper.com here: inews.co.uk/news/busines...