Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin addressing Russian army leader standing in front of bodies he said were fallen Wagner fighters at an undisclosed location. AFP
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin addressing Russian army leader standing in front of bodies he said were fallen Wagner fighters at an undisclosed location. AFP
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin addressing Russian army leader standing in front of bodies he said were fallen Wagner fighters at an undisclosed location. AFP
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin addressing Russian army leader standing in front of bodies he said were fallen Wagner fighters at an undisclosed location. AFP

Wagner group says it will stay in Bakmut after Russia promises ammunition


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The head of the Wagner mercenary group said on Sunday that Russia had promised enough ammunition for it to stay in the ruined Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

On Friday, Yevgeny Prigozhin said his units would be pulling out on Wednesday because they had no ammunition and could die needlessly.

For months, Mr Prigozhin has accused the conventional army of refusing to deliver ammunition to his men during the battle for the devastated eastern city, where Wagner is leading the assault.

“Overnight we received a combat order … they promised to give us all the ammunition and armaments we need to continue the operations” in Bakhmut, Mr Prigozhin said on Sunday.

He said his group has been promised that “everything necessary will be provided”.

He blamed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov for “tens of thousands” of Russian casualties in a series of profanity-laced videos on Friday.

“Their unprofessionalism is destroying tens of thousands of Russian guys and that is unforgivable,” he said.

The internal row comes as Russia has reported increasing drone strikes and sabotage inside its territory ahead of an expected spring counteroffensive from Ukraine.

Ukraine also reported casualties early Monday morning from fresh Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least four people in two separate districts had been injured in the drone attack, while the city's military administration reported that suspected falling debris had also hit a two-storey building, with information on potential victims still “being clarified”.

In Odesa, the district military administration reported an air strike hitting a warehouse. “There has not been any information about victims,” it added.

In one of his previous video broadsides against the Russian army, Mr Prigozhin stood before what he said were rows of dead Wagner fighters.

“They came here as volunteers and they are dying so you can get fat in your wood-panelled offices,” he said.

On Saturday, he asked Moscow to let him hand over his positions to Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, who had said that his forces were “ready to move” towards Bakhmut.

The language used in Friday's videos and the ferocity of his attack on the leaders of Russia's campaign in Ukraine were unprecedented.

On Sunday, Mr Prigozhin said Russian General Sergei Surovikin, one of Mr Gerasimov's deputies, would oversee Wagner's operations.

“He is the only decorated general that knows how to fight,” Mr Prigozhin said in fresh criticism of Russia's other army chiefs.

Russian troops have battled since last summer to capture Bakhmut, the political importance of which has come to surpass any strategic value.

Damaged buildings in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on April 26. AP
Damaged buildings in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on April 26. AP

On Saturday, the commander of Ukraine's ground forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, visited the eastern front.

“The enemy is not going to change its plans and is doing everything possible to take control of Bakhmut,” Mr Syrsky said on Sunday.

Ukraine has been gearing up for a counteroffensive, with some experts suggesting that the drone strikes and acts of sabotage on Russian-held territory are part of its preparations.

The strikes precede Russia's May 9 public holiday, a central event under President Vladimir Putin that celebrates the Soviet victory over the Nazis in the Second World War.

  • Ukrainian soldiers fire a howitzer towards Russian positions, near Bakhmut in Ukraine. AP
    Ukrainian soldiers fire a howitzer towards Russian positions, near Bakhmut in Ukraine. AP
  • Resident Svetlana Boiko, 66, who was wounded in recent shelling, is comforted near her destroyed house in Donetsk. Reuters
    Resident Svetlana Boiko, 66, who was wounded in recent shelling, is comforted near her destroyed house in Donetsk. Reuters
  • A wounded Ukrainian soldier is treated in a front-line stabilisation ambulance, near Kreminna. Reuters
    A wounded Ukrainian soldier is treated in a front-line stabilisation ambulance, near Kreminna. Reuters
  • A house in Donetsk destroyed in recent shelling. Reuters
    A house in Donetsk destroyed in recent shelling. Reuters
  • Ukrainian volunteer soldiers hold their positions at the front line near Bakhmut. AFP
    Ukrainian volunteer soldiers hold their positions at the front line near Bakhmut. AFP
  • Volunteers carry the remains of a Uragan rocket as they clear the area around the Sviatohirsk Cave Monastery in Dolyna. AFP
    Volunteers carry the remains of a Uragan rocket as they clear the area around the Sviatohirsk Cave Monastery in Dolyna. AFP
  • A man sits inside a damaged car in the village of Chasiv Yar. AFP
    A man sits inside a damaged car in the village of Chasiv Yar. AFP
  • Ukrainian servicemen fire at Russian positions in the region of Donbas. AFP
    Ukrainian servicemen fire at Russian positions in the region of Donbas. AFP
  • Rescue workers put out a fire in a house shelled by Russian forces in Kostiantynivka. AP
    Rescue workers put out a fire in a house shelled by Russian forces in Kostiantynivka. AP
  • A Ukrainian serviceman moves towards the frontline city of Bakhmut. AFP
    A Ukrainian serviceman moves towards the frontline city of Bakhmut. AFP
  • Vladyslav, a Ukrainian paratrooper of the 80 Air Assault brigade, rests in a dugout at the front line near Bakhmut. AP
    Vladyslav, a Ukrainian paratrooper of the 80 Air Assault brigade, rests in a dugout at the front line near Bakhmut. AP
  • Residents of the village of Bohorodychne cross the Seversky Donets river to retrieve bread from the other bank. AFP
    Residents of the village of Bohorodychne cross the Seversky Donets river to retrieve bread from the other bank. AFP

On Sunday, the Russian army said it had repelled 22 Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea.

Shortly before, authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea, surrounded by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, said they had downed more than 10 drones over the southern peninsula.

The Russian security services also said they thwarted a drone attack on an airfield in the Ivanovo region.

As the counteroffensive looms, Moscow has ordered families with children and elderly members to temporarily evacuate a slew of Russian-held areas in southern Ukraine.

More than 1,500 people have been evacuated, including 632 minors, the governor of the southern Zaporizhzhia region said Sunday.

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Sunday's games

All times UAE:

Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm

Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm

Everton v Watford, 8.30pm

Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm

Mobile phone packages comparison
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Company profile

Name: The Concept

Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 7

Sector: Aviation and space industry

Funding: $250,000

Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products

THE SPECS

Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic

Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8

Transmission: six-speed manual

Power: 518bhp

Torque: 625Nm

Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds

Price: Dh633,435

On sale: now

Queen

Nicki Minaj

(Young Money/Cash Money)

Essentials

The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours 
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.

The specs

Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre

Power: 325hp

Torque: 500Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh189,700

On sale: now

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Updated: May 08, 2023, 5:10 AM