Rayner says resignation was ‘incredibly tough’ on her family as she breaks silence

In her first statement since stepping down as deputy prime minister last month, Angela Rayner said the situation surrounding her resignation had been “incredibly tough” on her family, as she told MPs she would pay any taxes she owes.

In an emotional resignation statement, she spoke about the toll that the “intense scrutiny we face places on our loved ones”.

Ms Rayner, who said her error was an “honestly made mistake”, promised to cooperate with HMRC and said she hoped her situation would make families with disabled children aware of complex tax positions.

Ms Rayner resigned in September after the prime minister’s ethics adviser found she had breached the ministerial code over whether she had paid enough stamp duty when buying a home in Brighton.

The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne had referred herself to the standards watchdog for investigation after she admitted she had paid as much as £40,000 less surcharge than she should have done on the purchase in May.

Sir Laurie Magnus, the prime minister’s ethics adviser, found she had “acted with integrity” over the issue.

Ms Rayner, whose hands were shaking as she read her statement, said: “The last few weeks have been incredibly tough on my family, with my personal life so much in the public eye. All of us in public life know all too well the toll of the intense scrutiny we face places on our loved ones, but I’ve always believed in the highest standards of transparency and accountability, and it is what the public expects – and it is the price we pay for the privilege of service.

“That’s why I referred myself to the independent adviser and gave them access to all of the information he needed. As I set out then, parents of a disabled child with a trust who divorce and seek different properties face a complex tax position. If there is one good thing that can come out of this, I hope that other families in this situation may be aware of that and avoid getting into the position that I am now in.

“I am, of course, corresponding with the HMRC and they have my full cooperation. There is no excuse not to pay taxes owed, and I will do so. This was an honestly made mistake, but when you make a mistake, you take responsibility.”

Her voice cracked as she spoke about the Grenfell Tower fire survivors, as she made reference to the public inquiry.

Ms Rayner was sitting next to Jim McMahon, a constituency neighbour who was sacked in the reshuffle that followed her resignation.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves listened from the government frontbench. Ms Rayner’s successors, David Lammy, the deputy prime minister, and Steve Reed, who took over as housing secretary, were also present. Bridget Phillipson, who is vying with Lucy Powell to win Labour’s deputy leadership election to replace Ms Rayner, was also in attendance.

There have already been calls for Ms Rayner to return to government since her departure. At Labour’s party conference in Liverpool, health secretary Wes Streeting told members: “We need her back.”

Yesterday, Ms Rayner also recalled her maiden speech in 2015. She said “working-class communities” like hers were central to decisions she made when she was in government – including its flagship Employment Rights Bill.

Ms Rayner said: “I promised then to bring determination, commitment and my socialist values to this House while representing them, and I intend to continue to do so.”

Saying she had confounded expectations after being pregnant with her son at the age of 16, she added: “I know the power of politics to change lives because it changed my own. The last Labour government gave me the foundation to build a better life for me and my young son. I was pregnant with my child, needing a job and a home.

“People wrote me off, assumed that I would be on benefits the whole of my life. But I wanted to prove them wrong. I’ve carried that with me, whether it’s on these benches, at the despatch box or representing this country abroad, the support and advice of so many friends and colleagues has kept me going.”

Grooming gang inquiry plunged into fresh chaos as frontrunner to chair investigation pulls out

A second candidate lined up to chair the grooming gang inquiry has withdrawn after survivors raised concerns that he had links to the police.

Jim Gamble, a former police officer in Northern Ireland, hit out at politicians prioritising “their own petty personal or political issues” and “playing games” with the inquiry as he took his name out of the running on Wednesday, plunging the probe into further chaos.

In outspoken comments, Mr Gamble blamed people “using and abusing” their position for victims being “disrespected and misinformed” over the investigation, which has been hit by allegations of a cover-up.

He later criticised those “who have been mischief-making” by highlighting his former police career, saying it was “nonsense” to imply that he would align himself “with any political party to hide their blushes”.

Mr Gamble’s withdrawal came a day after Annie Hudson, another candidate for the role who was a former director of children’s services for Lambeth, removed her name, leaving the government scrambling for alternatives.

Sir Keir Starmer had earlier announced that he was drafting in Louise Casey to “support” the work of the struggling probe after four women from the inquiry’s victims and survivors panel resigned, stating a “toxic environment”. They also claimed there were proposals to widen the scope of the inquiry, which the Home Office has denied.

Asked why he stepped back, Mr Gamble, who also led the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command of the National Crime Agency until 2010, told Sky News: “I think the growing level of toxicity and the fact that in the midst of lots of misinformation, I think many of the victims and survivors were being disrespected and misinformed, and have a genuine feeling that some of that was about people using and abusing their position and influence with them.”

He added: “Everybody needs to park their own petty personal or political issues and focus on what’s right for victims.

“In stepping back, I am trying to do that, but these other individuals need to stop playing games with this, because actually this is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

He also warned that the right chair must be found urgently because “the longer you wait, the more stale the evidence will get, the more people who need to be held to account will move on and retire or die”.

A Home Office spokesperson said they were “disappointed” that candidates had withdrawn.

During Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir had attempted to salvage the struggling probe by announcing that Baroness Casey would “support the work” of the inquiry, which he said would “get to the truth”.

He told MPs that “injustice will have no place to hide”, adding that the “door will always be open” to those survivors who quit the probe’s survivors’ panel, should they wish to return.

Responding to Kemi Badenoch, Sir Keir said: “The inquiry is not and will never be watered down. Its scope will not change.”

Baroness Casey previously led a national audit of group-based child sexual exploitation that found “many examples” of organisations shying away from discussion of ethnicity or cultural factors in such offences “for fear of appearing racist”.

Her findings, published in June 2025, prompted Sir Keir to order the creation of the national inquiry.

The resignations of Fiona Goddard, Ellie-Ann Reynolds and two other unnamed women from the victims and survivors panel have created uncertainty around the probe.

Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has also faced calls to resign, with Ms Goddard accusing the MP of calling her a “liar” after she disputed allegations that the inquiry is being watered down.

In a letter to the home secretary, Mr Gamble said that there was a “highly charged and toxic environment” surrounding the appointment process. He also said that, among some victims and survivors, there is a “lack of confidence due to my previous occupation”.

“I made a commitment that if this consensus of trust was not present, I would not proceed, and I must now be true to my word,” he wrote.

He added: “The reaction to the appointment process has been defined more by the vested interests of some, as well as political opportunism and point-scoring, rather than by the cross-party consensus required to address such a serious national issue.

“Victims and survivors, who have been let down so often in the past, deserve better than to be used as leverage for short-term gain by anyone. Moving forward. I hope they remain at the absolute centre of this inquiry.”

A Home Office spokesperson said on Wednesday: “The grooming gang scandal was one of the darkest moments in this country’s history.

“That is why this government is committed to a full, statutory, national inquiry to uncover the truth. It is the very least that the victims of these hideous crimes deserve.

“We are disappointed that candidates to chair that inquiry have withdrawn. This is an extremely sensitive topic, and we have to take the time to appoint the best person suitable for the role.

“The home secretary has been clear: there will be no hiding place for those who abused the most vulnerable in our society.”

Britain and Germany join forces to hunt down Russian submarines

Britain and Germany will join forces to hunt down Russian submarines.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) and Deutsche Marine aircraft will jointly conduct defensive patrols for Russian submarines, working side by side from RAF Lossiemouth, defending NATO’s Eastern and Northern flanks.

British and German forces will also ramp up their cyber and military co-operation in a bid to strengthen Nato’s security.

Defence Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius will join an operational flight on one of the RAF Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol aircraft on Thursday at RAF Lossiemouth.

The P-8A can detect, identify, track and defend against hostile ships and submarines.

The flight will mark one year since the landmark signing of the Trinity House Agreement on Defence.

The new fifth Trinity House Lighthouse project will allow the UK’s new Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) and the German Cyber and Information Domain Service to work more closely than before, allowing them to share data, intelligence and operational tools securely with each other and Nato allies.

This includes the development of a secure cloud network, a digital system that allows the sharing of information in real time while defending against cyber attacks.

The UK and Germany are also working harder to protect Nato’s logistics and transport networks from cyber attacks.

In the coming months, one of the Deutsche Marine’s (German navy) P-8As will visit Lossiemouth for the first time ahead of future joint activity side-by-side with the RAF in the North Atlantic to help defend against Russia.

Since the launch of the Trinity House Agreement last year, German companies have committed to invest £800 million in the UK defence industry, creating 600 jobs across the UK.

This includes a new Rheinmetall factory in Telford, which will see the UK manufacture artillery gun barrels for the first time in a decade, using British steel produced by Sheffield Forgemasters and creating hundreds of jobs.

Three other German defence companies have announced plans to invest in the UK defence industry, including Helsing, ARX Robotics and Stark.

The three companies will produce maritime glider drones, backed by £350 million of investment in artificial intelligence (AI), as well as unmanned drones, backed by £45 million in investment and 190 new jobs.

Mr Healey said: “A year on from the Trinity House Agreement, the UK and Germany are working closer than ever to keep our two countries and Europe safe.

“Together we’re strengthening Nato, boosting our cyber defences, and ensuring our armed forces can operate side by side with ease – from patrolling the skies over Scotland to hunting Russian subs in the North Atlantic.

“This partnership is a cornerstone of European security, demonstrating unity and strength to our adversaries, and keeping us secure at home and strong abroad.”

Family seeks £180,000 tutor for one-year-old child to help him become ‘an English gentleman’

For the average parents of a one-year-old child, a “good day” might be found in the few fleeting moments their offspring are happily tottering about and stacking a few blocks together, before the brief, shimmering mirage gives way to the desert of sleep deprivation and overflowing nappies.

But for the more aspirational breed of parent – those who see themselves as ambitious custodians of their children’s life-long prospects – this is a ludicrously low bar.

One family in north London is taking serious action. A job advertisement in the TES for a private tutor offers one lucky candidate £180,000 a year to successfully mould their one-year-old son into “an English gentleman”.

This doesn’t just mean giving him a bowler hat and sending him on his merry way, but involves embarking on a programme of cultural enrichment with the stated aim of setting him up for accessing the country’s most revered schools and universities.

“The role centres on immersing the child in British culture, values, and subtleties before any cultural bias takes hold. It seeks to harness a one-year-old’s innate curiosity and capacity for absorption, ensuring that what is learned is of the highest quality,” the advert states.

“Their ideal tutor will be someone well educated, with an extensive vocabulary, and who speaks with received pronunciation.”

The tutor must overall “provide a comprehensive British cultural environment”, replete with knowledge of Western classical music, while also helping expose the toddler to a “range of quintessentially British experiences to help hone his habits, outlooks, tastes and sporting preferences”, the advert says.

“There is no reason why the boy can’t visit Lord’s, Wimbledon and Twickenham, for example, and be taught age-appropriate understanding of cricket, tennis, rugby and other sports such as equestrianism (including polo) and rowing.”

It adds: “In time, the family hope their son will be accepted at a top-flight school such as Eton, St Paul’s, Westminster or Harrow. It is important that [the] boy’s education, even at the early years stage, starts to prepare him for this kind of life.”

This is not the parents’ first child. The advert alludes to an older sibling whose immersion in English culture may not have begun early enough for the parents “to achieve their goal”.

“The child, who is just one, is in an important stage of early development,” the ad reads. “He comes from a multilingual family and his parents are looking to cultivate a truly bicultural child. Having started at age five with this child’s older brother, they felt that even this was too late to achieve their goal, hence their search for a tutor now.”

While people may scoff at the idea of taking a screaming one-year-old to a polo match, or somehow prepping an unruly toddler for Eton, even for many adults inhabiting this rarified world, those behaviours never fully retreat anyway.

Nonetheless, supporting children during their early years is widely recognised as giving them the best start in life, not least because 90 per cent of brain growth happens before the age of five.

The NHS emphasises the importance of these early years, stating that “a child’s experiences in their early years shape their rapidly developing brain”.

Boy who killed Harvey Willgoose during school lunch break named in court

The mother of Harvey Willgoose said “a big weight’s been lifted off my shoulders” after the boy who murdered her son at their school in Sheffield was detained for a minimum of 16 years.

Caroline Willgoose was speaking after the 15-year-old boy who stabbed Harvey was named for the first time.

A judge lifted a ban on naming Mohammed Umar Khan ahead of his sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday.

During his sentencing, the defendant was told by judge Mrs Justice Ellenbogen: “You were the aggressor and… you acted in hurt and anger at what you considered to be his betrayal of your friendship.”

Khan took a hunting knife to school and stabbed Harvey, 15, in the heart in front of horrified children.

The boy was found guilty of murder in August.

The judge on Wednesday described the murder as “a serious crime carried out by one pupil against another on school property”.

She also said that the “public will wish to know the identity of those who commit such serious offences”, and said that Khan’s age was not a sufficient reason for him to remain anonymous.

After Khan was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court, Ms Willgoose, said she was pleased Khan had been “made an example of”.

She said: “I feel like a big weight’s been lifted off my shoulders, to be honest.

“We just need to get on with our lives and try and do good things for our Harvey, for those kids.”

She added: “He (Khan) doesn’t look like he’s sorry but I just hope that’s his mask.”

The jury in Khan’s trial was shown CCTV footage of the incident, which showed how he stabbed Harvey twice.

One of those blows cut through one of his ribs and pierced his heart.

Jurors heard how Khan told All Saints’ headteacher Sean Pender immediately after the stabbing: “I’m not right in the head. My mum doesn’t look after me right.”

The school’s assistant head, Morgan Davis, took the knife off the defendant and heard him say “you know I can’t control it”, which the teacher took to be a reference to his anger issues, given previous incidents of violent behaviour at school.

The jury was told how Harvey and Khan fell out following an incident in the school five days before the fatal stabbing, on 29 January.

On that day, Khan tried to intervene in an altercation involving two other boys and had to be restrained by a teacher.

When he claimed one of these boys had a knife, a lockdown was declared and police were called, although no weapon was found.

Harvey was not at school that day and stayed off for the rest of the week, texting his father: “Am not going in that school while people have knives.”

Over the weekend before the stabbing, Harvey and Khan fell out on social media, with each siding with a different boy involved in the lockdown incident.

When Khan returned to school on 3 February, he was asked by Mr Davis whether he had anything he should not and said he did not.

The jury heard about a series of encounters between Harvey and Khan that morning before the defendant pulled out the knife and used it just after the start of the lunch break, which began at 12.10pm.

The court was shown images and video found on the defendant’s phone, which captured him posing with knives and other weapons, and was told how he had used search terms relating to weapons on the internet.

Khan told the court that he decided to carry a knife for protection as he feared other teenagers who he believed were carrying weapons.

His barrister, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, told the jury that the defendant “snapped” after years of bullying and “an intense period of fear at school”.

Since Harvey’s death, his family have campaigned against knife crime, with a particular focus on getting knife arches into schools.

Harvey’s parents, Mark and Caroline, watched from the back row of the public gallery as the sentencing got underway on Wednesday.

Also present were other family members, including Harvey’s sister Sophie, who told the court earlier how her brother’s murder was “not just a crime against my brother, it was a crime against all of us who loved him”.

She added that her brother “had a cheeky character, a brilliant sense of humour and a warmth that made everyone love him”.

Ms Willgoose said the tragedy has taken a huge toll on her family.

She said this included her father, Harvey’s “best friend”, who died last week.

Mrs Willgoose said: “My dad couldn’t cope with the grief and he found out he’d got cancer just after.

“I said ‘this is going to kill my dad’, and it did.”

She continued: “The pain will remain with us for the rest of our lives.”

Ms Willgoose said her family are “struggling to comprehend the fact that Harvey was murdered in the most cruel and inhumane way”.

Khan’s family sat in the front row of the gallery, which looks down on the courtroom at Sheffield Crown Court.

Khan wore a waterproof black hoodie in the glass-fronted dock, and he was flanked by three security guards and an intermediary.

Epic adventures: Trips that follow history’s most intrepid explorers

They say travel broadens the mind – and throughout history that has been the case for some of the world’s pre-eminent scientists, geographers and explorers, whose globetrotting adventures have led to medical breakthroughs, new scientific theories, spectacular art and, above all, a greater understanding of the world we live in.

In celebration of that adventurous spirit, specialist tour operator Travelsphere – who for over 60 years has created extraordinary itineraries to incredible destinations around the world – has partnered with the Royal Geographical Society to encourage people to follow in the footsteps of these pioneering explorers.

With a shared commitment to purposeful and inspiring travel, the Royal Geographical Society have selected a collection of Travelsphere itineraries that have significance to the society and its near 200-year history. Each one explores areas, regions or countries represented within their archives, immersing travellers in a country’s cultural heritage and enabling their own unforgettable journey – while working with, and in support of, the communities and environments visited.

Travelsphere’s escorted tours have everything you need for an enriching adventure. Besides return flights, overseas transfers, handpicked accommodation and many meals, there’s also a range of authentic experiences and excursions included and an expert Holiday Director on hand to guide you through your trip. You’ll get insights into local cultures and see sites you won’t find in a guidebook – with plenty of free time to explore on your own, too. On each tour you’ll share the experience with a group of like-minded travellers.

From the wonders of South America to the historical romance of the Silk Road, iconic India to incredible Indonesia, here’s five examples of the epic adventures awaiting you….

The Silk Road – a network of ancient trade routes connecting East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe – is primed for monumental voyages. In the mid 19th century, explorers Thomas and Lucy Atkinson travelled 40,000 miles, mostly on horseback, through the region. Ella Christie, a pioneering Scottish explorer and one of the first female fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, journeyed by train and carriage along the Silk Road, publishing a book, Through Khiva to Golden Samarkand, about her travels. Keeping the spirit of these intrepid voyagers alive, Travelsphere’s Silk Road Adventure: The Five Stans spends 21 days visiting fascinating and off-the beaten track destinations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Weaving through ancient Silk Road cities, breathtaking mountain landscapes and remote desert wonders, highlights include visits to UNESCO World Heritage sites in Samarkand and Bukhara, eagle hunting demonstrations in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and the magnificent Charyn Canyon. You’ll also dine with Dungan families, learn how to make regional dishes and visit a traditional tea house on a trip that’s as immersive as it is exciting.

Indonesia offers an irresistible blend of fascinating cultural heritage, dramatic natural wonders and idyllic islands. Naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of the theory of natural selection, collected 126,500 natural history specimens from the islands of Indonesia, East Malaysia, New Guinea and Brunei – a sign of just how much there is to discover in this corner of the world. Travelsphere’s 16-day Spirit of Indonesia adventure engulfs you in the history and landscapes of the country. You’ll follow in the footsteps of prolific globetrotter, photographer and Royal Geographical Society fellow Edith Beatrice Gibbes, who spent several months on the island of Java. Like her, you’ll want your camera ready at sites like Borobudur – the largest Buddhist temple in the world, and the volcanic crater of Mount Bromo, where you’ll witness the sunrise slowly illuminating the landscape. You’ll also explore the bustling cities of Jakarta and Bandung, delve into the fascinating cultural heritage of Yogyakarta, learn traditional batik methods, search for Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park and relax on the island paradise of Bali.

Peru has long attracted explorers intrigued by its history, architecture and landscapes. Modern day voyagers follow the likes of Victor Coverley-Price, an artist who joined a Royal Geographical Society expedition in 1932, documenting Peruvian landscapes in a series of watercolour paintings. Or Clements Markham who, on a trip to Cuzco in the mid 19th century, discovered the benefits of the cinchona plant to treat malaria – and co-led a later mission to transplant and cultivate it in India. On Travelsphere’s Wonders of Peru tour, expert guides will help you uncover the history of capital city Lima and Cuzco, with its captivating fusion of Inca heritage and Spanish colonial architecture. Other highlights include a stay deep in the Amazon rainforest, with a twilight walk through the jungle and wildlife spotting at Lake Sandoval. You’ll also experience the natural wonders of Lake Titicaca and the Uros and Tequile islands. And no trip to Peru is complete without a visit to the “lost city” of Machu Picchu. Rediscovered in the early 20th century, the 15th century Inca settlement high up in the Andes is every bit as magical as you’d imagine.

In 1893, Fanny Bullock Workman – explorer, travel writer, mountaineer and campaigner for women’s rights – embarked on a two year, 14,000 mile cycling tour of India, Burma, Java and Ceylon with her husband. The couple later published an account of their adventure, ‘Through Town and Jungle’, detailing the architectural marvels they discovered during their trip. At 15 days, the Wonders of India and the Tiger Trail tour is a more manageable itinerary – but still packed with plenty to explore. A journey of contrasts, you’ll enjoy the vibrant streets of Mumbai, get up close with incredible wildlife in the Indian wilderness and discover historic temples, including the Ram Raja in Orchha and the impressive western temple complex at Khajuraho. The trip takes in three national parks, including Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, where you’ll observe tigers in their natural habitat. You’ll hear from a naturalist about how India’s national parks inspired Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book and visit a local village to hear about conservation efforts. This unforgettable Indian adventure is rounded off with a sunrise visit to the iconic Taj Mahal to witness one of the world’s most magnificent sites at its most glorious.

If you share the adventurous spirit that led countless explorers, artists and scientists to embark on epic expeditions through South America, then Travelsphere’s Latin Wonders of the World is for you. A packed 18-day itinerary takes you across four countries and countless iconic sites. In Peru you’ll tour the ‘City of Kings’ Lima, as well as the one time capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco – plus visit the breathtaking “lost city” of Machu Picchu. Take in the snow-capped Andes before heading into Bolivia, where you’ll rub shoulders with locals at bustling markets in La Paz and visit the spectacular Moon Valley, a lunar landscape of canyons and spires. From there, it’s onto Argentina’s irresistible capital, Buenos Aires where you might choose to visit a gauche ranch or take in a tango show, before heading to the awe-inspiring Iguaçu Falls, one of the world’s largest natural wonders, which you’ll witness from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides. Last but not least, you’ll head to Rio de Janeiro, a city bursting with energy and excitement, for a stay right on the famous Copacabana Beach.

For more information or to book visit travelsphere.co.uk

Russian troops stranded and starving in ‘death zone’ on Dnipro River

Hundreds of starving and marooned Russian troops are being killed by Ukrainian drones in the “death zone” of the Dnipro delta, according to a report.

The river, surrounded by low-lying marshy islands, is split between Russian control on the left bank and Ukrainian control on the right.

At least 5,100 Russians have died in the area since January this year, some from starvation, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

Footage shared by the 40th Coastal Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Marine Corps shows several makeshift Russian boats approaching the coastal swamp, only to be blown apart by Ukrainian suicide drones.

“The area is a death zone for Russia,” Colonel Oleksandr Zavtonov of Ukraine’s 30th Marine Corps told The Telegraph. “There is nowhere to hide.”

He added: “The prisoners that our fighters recently took on the islands talked about the inability to deliver food and drinking water to them, and they have to drink water from the river.”

One of the deadliest and most perilous fronts, the area can be valuable for observation and the establishment of radio networks for unmanned aerial operations. Controlling the area can enable soldiers to affect resupply and the movements of small boats.

However, it leaves soldiers completely exposed.

“It is a large water area; there is nowhere to hide on the islands themselves, and the terrain is mostly swampy, and units passing through them will be too vulnerable,” he explained.

Desperate troops appear to be attempting to camouflage themselves using reeds and mud as they attempt to make their way back to areas of Russian control across the water.

“Enemy advances are carried out by small groups that try to camouflage themselves – a tactic not seen at the beginning of the war,” Oksana Kuzan, head of the analytical department at the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, told the publication.

“Russian military units remaining on the islands in the Dnipro delta are facing serious problems with food, ammunition, and rotations.”

Last month, Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered his highest conscription of troops in nine years, mandating 135,000 people to be recruited into the military by 31 December 2025.

Ukrainian intelligence estimated that 180,000 of Russia’s military personnel could consist of former prisoners, who were made eligible for conscription by Putin in 2022.

The Economist’s meta-estimate of Russian casualties since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 until January 2025 was between 137,000 to 228,000 soldiers dead. By 13 October this year, it estimates this number has risen by 60 per cent to 190,000 to 480,000 dead, with between 984,000 and 1,438,000 casualties recorded.