Vladimir Putin believes Russia is winning the war in Ukraine despite a series of military setbacks, said the first western leader to meet him face to face since the invasion began.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Mr Putin was operating in “his own war logic” and still believes the offensive in Ukraine is necessary despite mounting losses and tightening western sanctions on Moscow.
It came as Britain said Russia’s ultimate objective of bending Ukraine to the Kremlin’s will remained unchanged despite its shift of focus to the south and east.
Moscow on Sunday urged Ukraine to surrender the city of Mariupol, the scene of some of the war’s heaviest fighting and a strategically located port that would connect Russian-occupied territories in Donbas and Crimea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was “deliberately trying to destroy everyone who is there” in Mariupol and warned that a massacre there could put a stop to any peace negotiations between the two sides.
“The more Borodyanka-like cases appear, there will be no chance that negotiations will be held,” he said, referring to one of the towns near Kyiv where grisly scenes were discovered after Russian forces withdrew.
Mr Nehammer told NBC’s Meet The Press he had confronted Mr Putin about the alleged war crimes by Russian forces during his closed-door meeting at the Kremlin last week.
“We have to look in his eyes and we have to confront him with what we see in Ukraine,” said Mr Nehammer, who was criticised in some quarters for becoming the first leader of an EU member state to visit Russia’s president since the country invaded Ukraine.
He said Mr Putin had responded that he would co-operate with an international investigation but did not trust the western countries accusing him of war crimes.
“I think he is now in his own war logic,” Mr Nehammer said. “He thinks the war is necessary for security guarantees for the Russian Federation.
“I think he believes he is winning the war.”
Ukraine says Russia has lost more than 20,000 troops and scores of tanks, helicopters and warplanes during the invasion. The Kremlin has been vague about casualties but has acknowledged significant losses.
Western countries have also reported low morale among the invading troops, while Russia suffered another setback last week when the flagship missile cruiser Moskva sank at sea.
But Ukraine is bracing for a new attack in the Donbas after Russia moved troops from Kyiv towards the south and east, amid suggestions Mr Putin wants a triumph to boast about by the time of the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9.
Britain’s Defence Ministry said in a regular intelligence update that Russia was moving military hardware from the territory of its ally Belarus towards eastern Ukraine, including locations close to Kharkiv and Severodonetsk.
Russian artillery continues to strike Ukrainian positions in the east “where Russia plans to renew its offensive activity”, the ministry said.
“Though Russia’s operational focus has shifted to eastern Ukraine, Russia’s ultimate objective remains the same,” it said.
“It is committed to compelling Ukraine to abandon its Euro-Atlantic orientation and asserting its own regional dominance.”
Mr Zelenskyy is demanding more weapons from western allies to fight off the Russian attack, especially in Donbas and Mariupol.
He said in an overnight address that allies should “give Ukraine all the necessary heavy weapons, planes, and, without exaggeration, immediately … so that we can reduce the pressure of the occupiers on Mariupol and unblock it”.
“The United States, the United Kingdom, Poland and several other countries support us very well today,” he said. “But they can do more, much more.”
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why the Tourist Club?
Originally, The Club (which many people chose to call the “British Club”) was the only place where one could use the beach with changing rooms and a shower, and get refreshments.
In the early 1970s, the Government of Abu Dhabi wanted to give more people a place to get together on the beach, with some facilities for children. The place chosen was where the annual boat race was held, which Sheikh Zayed always attended and which brought crowds of locals and expatriates to the stretch of beach to the left of Le Méridien and the Marina.
It started with a round two-storey building, erected in about two weeks by Orient Contracting for Sheikh Zayed to use at one these races. Soon many facilities were planned and built, and members were invited to join.
Why it was called “Nadi Al Siyahi” is beyond me. But it is likely that one wanted to convey the idea that this was open to all comers. Because there was no danger of encountering alcohol on the premises, unlike at The Club, it was a place in particular for the many Arab expatriate civil servants to join. Initially the fees were very low and membership was offered free to many people, too.
Eventually there was a skating rink, bowling and many other amusements.
Frauke Heard-Bey is a historian and has lived in Abu Dhabi since 1968.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
