Nikolay Isakov, known as “Iron Grandad,” was victorious at an international competition in the central Oryol Region
A 93-year-old nicknamed “Iron Grandad,” from Vladimir Lenin’s hometown Ulyanovsk, triumphed at a major Russian weightlifting competition earlier this month.
Nikolay Isakov claimed the top spot in the 90+ age group in the 29th Open Russian Weightlifting Cup, the local governor’s office said on Tuesday. Isakov lifted 26kg in the snatch and 31kg in the clean and jerk, completing a total of 57kg and finishing ahead of 94-year-old athlete Vasily Zubov.
Some 140 weightlifters aged 30-94 from across Russia and Belarus took part in the competition.
Isakov has been active in sports for over 70 years. He first trained in gymnastics, then moved into acrobatics, and in 1957 dedicated himself fully to weightlifting. Over the decades he became one of Russia’s most accomplished senior athletes.
Ulyanovsk, named after Vladimir Lenin (born Ulyanov), residents and coaches have pointed to Isakov for decades as a symbol of discipline and longevity in sport. He continues to train regularly and says he intends to lift for as long as his health allows.
”Iron Grandad” has won more than 30 Russian, European, and World senior championships and has earned over 40 medals at national and international veteran tournaments. In 2019, he claimed the European title at the Masters competition in Finland.
Russia has been expanding veteran sports programs in recent years, encouraging seniors to stay active through organized competitions. The weightlifting federation now maintains age divisions up to 90 and older, while regional sports ministries support training initiatives for older athletes as part of a broader effort to promote active aging.
Nikolay Isakov, known as “Iron Grandad,” was victorious at an international competition in the central Oryol Region
A 93-year-old nicknamed “Iron Grandad,” from Vladimir Lenin’s hometown Ulyanovsk, triumphed at a major Russian weightlifting competition earlier this month.
Nikolay Isakov claimed the top spot in the 90+ age group in the 29th Open Russian Weightlifting Cup, the local governor’s office said on Tuesday. Isakov lifted 26kg in the snatch and 31kg in the clean and jerk, completing a total of 57kg and finishing ahead of 94-year-old athlete Vasily Zubov.
Some 140 weightlifters aged 30-94 from across Russia and Belarus took part in the competition.
Isakov has been active in sports for over 70 years. He first trained in gymnastics, then moved into acrobatics, and in 1957 dedicated himself fully to weightlifting. Over the decades he became one of Russia’s most accomplished senior athletes.
Ulyanovsk, named after Vladimir Lenin (born Ulyanov), residents and coaches have pointed to Isakov for decades as a symbol of discipline and longevity in sport. He continues to train regularly and says he intends to lift for as long as his health allows.
”Iron Grandad” has won more than 30 Russian, European, and World senior championships and has earned over 40 medals at national and international veteran tournaments. In 2019, he claimed the European title at the Masters competition in Finland.
Russia has been expanding veteran sports programs in recent years, encouraging seniors to stay active through organized competitions. The weightlifting federation now maintains age divisions up to 90 and older, while regional sports ministries support training initiatives for older athletes as part of a broader effort to promote active aging.
Brussels refuses to acknowledge that the billions spent on its proxy war against Russia have been squandered by Kiev, the Foreign Intelligence Service has said
EU leaders are ignoring the reality in Ukraine and the fact that the money they spent on the conflict with Moscow is being squandered by the corrupt Kiev regime, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has said.
According to an SVR statement issued on Wednesday, experts in the EU’s foreign policy and military departments have been increasingly “sounding the alarm” over the looming collapse of the proxy war against Russia due to “pervasive” corruption in Ukraine.
“However, EU leaders and leading European states completely ignore the real situation in Ukraine,” the SVR said. “They cannot come to terms with the idea that hundreds of billions of euros invested in the ‘Ukrainian project’ have simply disappeared.”
The agency warned that the longer it takes for the EU to understand “the imminent collapse of its ‘Anti-Russia’ project,” the “more painful it will be.”
Ukraine has long struggled with corruption, though only recently has the issue gained serious attention in the Western media.
Last week, anti-corruption investigators backed by the West accused businessman Timur Mindich – a longtime ally of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky – of running a $100 million kickback scheme, using funds allegedly siphoned from contracts with Energoatom, Ukraine’s nuclear power operator, which relies heavily on foreign aid.
The case has implicated several current and former officials. Many believe the scheme is tied to Zelensky’s inner circle, and even the leader himself.
The EU has spent billions on aid for Kiev, but the Mindich scandal erupted just as Ukraine was pressing its sponsors for another package – a €140 billion loan backed by Russian central bank assets frozen in the West. Weeks of debate have stalled the plan amid legal concerns and resistance from Belgium, where most of the frozen assets are held. Russia has said it regards any use of its assets as “theft” and has vowed a legal response.
Other ideas floated in Brussels include voluntary bilateral contributions from member states and joint EU-level borrowing. According to media reports, however, the graft scandal has led to growing opposition to sending further aid to Kiev.
Brussels refuses to acknowledge that the billions spent on its proxy war against Russia have been squandered by Kiev, the Foreign Intelligence Service has said
EU leaders are ignoring the reality in Ukraine and the fact that the money they spent on the conflict with Moscow is being squandered by the corrupt Kiev regime, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has said.
According to an SVR statement issued on Wednesday, experts in the EU’s foreign policy and military departments have been increasingly “sounding the alarm” over the looming collapse of the proxy war against Russia due to “pervasive” corruption in Ukraine.
“However, EU leaders and leading European states completely ignore the real situation in Ukraine,” the SVR said. “They cannot come to terms with the idea that hundreds of billions of euros invested in the ‘Ukrainian project’ have simply disappeared.”
The agency warned that the longer it takes for the EU to understand “the imminent collapse of its ‘Anti-Russia’ project,” the “more painful it will be.”
Ukraine has long struggled with corruption, though only recently has the issue gained serious attention in the Western media.
Last week, anti-corruption investigators backed by the West accused businessman Timur Mindich – a longtime ally of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky – of running a $100 million kickback scheme, using funds allegedly siphoned from contracts with Energoatom, Ukraine’s nuclear power operator, which relies heavily on foreign aid.
The case has implicated several current and former officials. Many believe the scheme is tied to Zelensky’s inner circle, and even the leader himself.
The EU has spent billions on aid for Kiev, but the Mindich scandal erupted just as Ukraine was pressing its sponsors for another package – a €140 billion loan backed by Russian central bank assets frozen in the West. Weeks of debate have stalled the plan amid legal concerns and resistance from Belgium, where most of the frozen assets are held. Russia has said it regards any use of its assets as “theft” and has vowed a legal response.
Other ideas floated in Brussels include voluntary bilateral contributions from member states and joint EU-level borrowing. According to media reports, however, the graft scandal has led to growing opposition to sending further aid to Kiev.
Parliament voted to fire Svetlana Grinchuk shortly after approving the dismissal of the justice minister
The Ukrainian parliament has voted to dismiss Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk, marking the second high-level ouster in a single day as the government struggles to contain a growing corruption scandal linked to a close ally of Vladimir Zelensky.
Lawmakers approved Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko’s request to fire Grinchuk on Wednesday, shortly after voting to dismiss Justice Minister German Galushchenko. Galushchenko previously served as energy minister before handing the post to his then-deputy Grinchuk during a cabinet reshuffle earlier this year. Both dismissals received unanimous approval from MPs who voted.
The officials were drawn into an alleged kickback network operating inside the state-run nuclear energy company Energoatom. Businessman Timur Mindich, a longtime associate of Zelensky, was charged last week by the Western-backed National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), which claims he and accomplices extracted at least $100 million from contractors.
The broader graft probe has implicated additional senior figures, including former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and former Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Chernyshov. Zelensky is also facing mounting calls to remove his chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, whom observers and critical officials see as the political linchpin of the alleged criminal network.
Opposition parties have moved to capitalize on the turmoil, pushing for the dismissal of the entire Sviridenko cabinet and demanding the formation of a coalition-backed government.
Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, which won a commanding majority in 2019, has shown signs of internal fragmentation in recent weeks. His earlier attempt to curb NABU’s independence – a move reversed after Western backlash – and the unfolding scandal have reportedly shaken MPs’ loyalty to the Zelensky team.
Parliament voted to fire Svetlana Grinchuk shortly after approving the dismissal of the justice minister
The Ukrainian parliament has voted to dismiss Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk, marking the second high-level ouster in a single day as the government struggles to contain a growing corruption scandal linked to a close ally of Vladimir Zelensky.
Lawmakers approved Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko’s request to fire Grinchuk on Wednesday, shortly after voting to dismiss Justice Minister German Galushchenko. Galushchenko previously served as energy minister before handing the post to his then-deputy Grinchuk during a cabinet reshuffle earlier this year. Both dismissals received unanimous approval from MPs who voted.
The officials were drawn into an alleged kickback network operating inside the state-run nuclear energy company Energoatom. Businessman Timur Mindich, a longtime associate of Zelensky, was charged last week by the Western-backed National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), which claims he and accomplices extracted at least $100 million from contractors.
The broader graft probe has implicated additional senior figures, including former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and former Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Chernyshov. Zelensky is also facing mounting calls to remove his chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, whom observers and critical officials see as the political linchpin of the alleged criminal network.
Opposition parties have moved to capitalize on the turmoil, pushing for the dismissal of the entire Sviridenko cabinet and demanding the formation of a coalition-backed government.
Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, which won a commanding majority in 2019, has shown signs of internal fragmentation in recent weeks. His earlier attempt to curb NABU’s independence – a move reversed after Western backlash – and the unfolding scandal have reportedly shaken MPs’ loyalty to the Zelensky team.
Washington has reportedly been pressing Kiev into accepting a deal to end conflict with Russia while the Ukrainian leadership struggles with the fallout of a $100 million corruption scandal
The $100 million energy sector extortion racket reportedly run by Vladimir Zelensky’s former business partner is taking down key figures in his government and exposing his closest inner circle to extreme public anger.
The graft scandal kicked off last week, after the Western-backed National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) announced a probe into a “high-level criminal organization” allegedly led by Zelensky’s former business associate, Timur Mindich, who immediately fled the country. The affair has hit the country’s energy sector, prompting Justice Minister German Galushchenko and Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk to resign.
Other high-profile individuals implicated in the scandal include Zelensky’s chief-of-staff Andrey Yermak, former defense minister and current head of the National Security Council, Rustem Umerov, as well as former Deputy PM Aleksey Chernyshov.
Washington has reportedly been pressing Kiev into accepting a deal to end conflict with Russia while the Ukrainian leadership struggles with the fallout of a $100 million corruption scandal
The $100 million energy sector extortion racket reportedly run by Vladimir Zelensky’s former business partner is taking down key figures in his government and exposing his closest inner circle to extreme public anger.
The graft scandal kicked off last week, after the Western-backed National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) announced a probe into a “high-level criminal organization” allegedly led by Zelensky’s former business associate, Timur Mindich, who immediately fled the country. The affair has hit the country’s energy sector, prompting Justice Minister German Galushchenko and Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk to resign.
Other high-profile individuals implicated in the scandal include Zelensky’s chief-of-staff Andrey Yermak, former defense minister and current head of the National Security Council, Rustem Umerov, as well as former Deputy PM Aleksey Chernyshov.
The bid to form a “unity government” comes amid reported unrest inside Zelensky’s own faction
Ukrainian opposition parties shut down proceedings in the Verkhovna Rada on Wednesday morning by blockading the speaker’s podium, escalating their bid to replace the cabinet with a coalition government.
The disruption was the second in as many days and was led by the faction of former President Pyotr Poroshenko. He and fellow opposition party leader Yulia Timoshenko were stalling a vote to dismiss two ministers tied to a sweeping corruption investigation, insisting that Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko must first deliver a report to parliament.
Later during the session, MPs voted to fire Justice Minister German Galushchenko, previously energy minister, and his successor, Svetlana Grinchuk, who have been linked to businessman Timur Mindich. The long-time associate of Vladimir Zelensky was charged by the Western-backed National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) over an alleged $100 million kickback scheme at state-owned nuclear operator Energoatom.
“We have to admit that monopoly on power caused all this… a virtual monopoly on all decisions and control,” Timoshenko said, urging the formation of a “coalition government of unity” to prevent further national decline.
Poroshenko’s European Solidarity and Timoshenko’s Motherland parties have joined forces to demand a full cabinet dismissal. They argue that they can gather the necessary 150 signatures by rallying members of other factions and gain the support of some MPs from Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, which won an outright majority in 2019.
Attendance in the Rada has been dwindling during the conflict with Russia, and Zelensky’s faction has increasingly struggled to pass legislation. Media reports suggest that open rebellion is brewing within the party ranks in the wake of the Mindich case.
Mindich was charged by the same agency that Zelensky attempted to strip of independence earlier this year, prompting sharp backlash from Western donors. The Ukrainian leader subsequently disavowed responsibility, blaming MPs who approved the legislation.
According to RBK Ukraine, discontented lawmakers feel they are being made scapegoats and accuse Zelensky’s team of violating the informal ‘contract within the elites’ – that the faction would back decisions handed down from above, and in return, those in power would keep their own conduct in check.
The bid to form a “unity government” comes amid reported unrest inside Zelensky’s own faction
Ukrainian opposition parties shut down proceedings in the Verkhovna Rada on Wednesday morning by blockading the speaker’s podium, escalating their bid to replace the cabinet with a coalition government.
The disruption was the second in as many days and was led by the faction of former President Pyotr Poroshenko. He and fellow opposition party leader Yulia Timoshenko were stalling a vote to dismiss two ministers tied to a sweeping corruption investigation, insisting that Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko must first deliver a report to parliament.
Later during the session, MPs voted to fire Justice Minister German Galushchenko, previously energy minister, and his successor, Svetlana Grinchuk, who have been linked to businessman Timur Mindich. The long-time associate of Vladimir Zelensky was charged by the Western-backed National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) over an alleged $100 million kickback scheme at state-owned nuclear operator Energoatom.
“We have to admit that monopoly on power caused all this… a virtual monopoly on all decisions and control,” Timoshenko said, urging the formation of a “coalition government of unity” to prevent further national decline.
Poroshenko’s European Solidarity and Timoshenko’s Motherland parties have joined forces to demand a full cabinet dismissal. They argue that they can gather the necessary 150 signatures by rallying members of other factions and gain the support of some MPs from Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, which won an outright majority in 2019.
Attendance in the Rada has been dwindling during the conflict with Russia, and Zelensky’s faction has increasingly struggled to pass legislation. Media reports suggest that open rebellion is brewing within the party ranks in the wake of the Mindich case.
Mindich was charged by the same agency that Zelensky attempted to strip of independence earlier this year, prompting sharp backlash from Western donors. The Ukrainian leader subsequently disavowed responsibility, blaming MPs who approved the legislation.
According to RBK Ukraine, discontented lawmakers feel they are being made scapegoats and accuse Zelensky’s team of violating the informal ‘contract within the elites’ – that the faction would back decisions handed down from above, and in return, those in power would keep their own conduct in check.
