Bernie Ecclestone

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine is celebrating a significant victory after Russian troops withdrew from Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island , which they seized on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_first-whois.html'>The First day of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_invasion-whois.html'>The Invasion .

It may be small, But the rocky outcrop has played a huge part in Russia's war in Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine - you may remember Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/a_story-whois.html'>A Story of Ukrainian soldiers on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_island-whois.html'>The Island defiantly telling a Russian warship to " get lost" - although in far cruder Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/language-whois.html'>Language - When it demanded their surrender.

Now, after Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/more_than-whois.html'>More Than four months of repeated Ukrainian bombardment from Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_mainland-whois.html'>The Mainland , Russian forces have abandoned Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island , or Island as it is known in Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine .

The outcrop is just 35km (22 miles) off Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine 's Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/coast-whois.html'>Coast - Well within Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_range-whois.html'>The Range of missile, artillery and drone strikes from Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_shore-whois.html'>The Shore . And Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine 's armed forces have done exactly that, claiming a series of devastating attacks on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_island-whois.html'>The Island and any Russian vessel going near it.

Russia says it has withdrawn its garrison as a " gesture of goodwill" to prove it was not obstructing grain exports, But Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine dismissed that claim, as Moscow continued to shell its grain stores.

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island is in a strategically important location and there has been fighting Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/over_it-whois.html'>Over It for months. Couple that with the lack of goodwill gestures Russia has shown in Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine since Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_war-whois.html'>The War began, it's more likely that Russia doesn't want to be seen to be retreating from Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_island-whois.html'>The Island ,

Why couldn't Russia hold on to Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island ?

Even though the territorial gains have come far slower than anticipated, Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/vladimir_putin-whois.html'>Vladimir Putin still wants to capture most of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine , US intelligence agencies believe.

Because Moscow's troops have been so weakened by combat, his goal won't happen any time soon, Director of National Intelligence Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/avril_haines-whois.html'>Avril Haines says, meaning Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_war-whois.html'>The War could last for a long time.

In March Moscow refocused its efforts on seizing Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine 's Donbas area after failing to take Kyiv and other cities.

" We perceive a disconnect between Putin's near-term military objectives in this area and his military's capacity, a kind of mismatch between his ambitions and what the military is able to accomplish, " she told a US Commerce Department conference.

What else have US intelligence agencies revealed?

Ex-Formula One boss Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/bernie_ecclestone-whois.html'>Bernie Ecclestone , 91, has described Russian President Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/vladimir_putin-whois.html'>Vladimir Putin as a " first-class person" who is doing something he believes is right for Russia.

The two men have known each other for several years, and reportedly became friends after Russia was first given the opportunity to host an F1 Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/grand_prix-whois.html'>Grand Prix in 2014.

Asked on ITV's Good Morning Britain if he still regards Putin as a friend, Ecclestone says: " I'd still take a bullet for him. "

He also said that Ukrainian President Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/volodymyr_zelensky-whois.html'>Volodymyr Zelensky could have avoided Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_conflict-whois.html'>The Conflict if he had held talks with Mr Putin " who is a sensible person and would have listened to him".

A statement from F1 said: " The comments made by Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/bernie_ecclestone-whois.html'>Bernie Ecclestone are his personal views and are in very stark contrast to Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_position-whois.html'>The Position of the modern values of our sport. "

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In other developments Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/today-whois.html'>Today :

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/vladimir_putin-whois.html'>Vladimir Putin has hit back at Western leaders who mocked his macho image earlier Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/this_week-whois.html'>This Week .

While sitting down for talks at the G7 summit in Germany, leaders could be heard poking fun at how Mr Putin has posed shirtless several times in Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/russian_state-whois.html'>Russian State media, including while riding a horse, carrying a hunting rifle, and going fishing.

UK PM Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/boris_johnson-whois.html'>Boris Johnson joked that the leaders should take their clothes off to " show that we're tougher than Putin" and " show them our Pecs " whilst Canada's Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/justin_trudeau-whois.html'>Justin Trudeau suggested " bare-chested horseback riding. "

On Thursday: " I don't know whether they wanted to strip down to the waist or below the waist, But I think that it would be a disgusting sight in any case. "

The south-west English county of Wiltshire is known for being the home of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/stonehenge-whois.html'>Stonehenge - But it has also been home to hundreds of Ukrainian troops for Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_past-whois.html'>The Past few weeks.

They have been trained by British and Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/new_zealand-whois.html'>New Zealand soldiers to use advanced long-range weapons systems that the UK is believed to be providing for Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/ukraine-whois.html'>Ukraine .

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_bbc-whois.html'>The Bbc 's defence correspondent Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/jonathan_beale-whois.html'>Jonathan Beale went to the training grounds.

Source of news: bbc.com