Michelle Trachtenberg passed away at her New York home on Wednesday
Michelle Trachtenberg’s cause of death is set to remain unknown.
This news comes following the shocking death of the actor, who was found dead two days ago at just 39 years old.
While there has been a great deal of speculation of what may have caused this, it is likely we will never know as her family have declined an autopsy.
As such, investigators will not be able to further determine what may have caused her death.
She died at age 39 (Matt Winkelmeyer via Getty Images)
Trachtenberg’s family have declined an autopsy due to religious reasons.
The decision can be overruled by a medical examiner if foul play is suspected, but that was not done in this case.
The actor’s death sent shockwaves across the entertainment world, with reports coming just a day before the similarly shocking death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, who were found partially mummified in their Santa Fe home.
Trachtenberg was perhaps best known for starring as Dawn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl.
Her cause of death will not be determined by an autopsy (Presley Ann via Getty Images)
Tributes came pouring in after her death, with co-stars and fans alike mourning the young actor.
Her Gossip Girl co-star Blake Lively spoke out in an Instagram story, posting a picture of the pair with the caption: “This was the first day I met Michelle.
“She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%.
“She laughed the fullest at someone’s joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar also paid tribute (20th Century Fox)
She finally added: “The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle.
“May her work and her huge heart be remember by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar, her Buffy co-star, also paid tribute to her on screen sister, saying in a tribute: “Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you.
“The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you.”
The caption, a tribute to quotes from Buffy, left fans emotional, with one posting a comment on Instagram saying: “I’m so sorry for your loss Sarah.”
President Donald Trump promised to release the ‘Epstein list’, but people have been left disappointed by the ‘phase one’ release
‘Phase one’ of the Jeffrey Epstein files has been released by the US government in a move that has left some people rather underwhelmed.
Epstein was a monstrous businessman who was found out to be a child sex offender, abusing underage girls himself as well as providing them to other paedophiles through sex trafficking in Florida and New York.
Since dying while in custody in 2019, the general public have clamoured to know the truth behind what Epstein did, with his suicide coming before he could face criminal charges in court where he most likely would have indicted other famous faces in his sex trafficking ring.
And while his close friend and business partner, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 of recruiting young girls for him, people continue to demand more on the topic.
Prior to the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump promised to released the so-called ‘Epstein list’ as he focused on a campaign of transparency.
Epstein was charged but never answered to his crimes after dying in custody (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
And after winning back the keys to the White House, his new US Attorney General Pam Bondi has this week released the first batch of Epstein files. But in doing so, Bondi accused the FBI of ‘hiding thousands more pages’.
The documents, released on Thursday (27 February), are the first declassified and publicly released files related to Epstein and his sexual exploitation of more than 250 underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida.
“This Department of Justice is following through on President Trump’s commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators,” said Bondi.
“The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein’s extensive network and begins to provide the public with long overdue accountability.”
But in a public letter from Bondi to FBI Director Kash Patel, it has also been made public that she believes the FBI is withholding extra information on Epstein.
It reads: “Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein.
“Despite my repeated requests, the FBI never disclosed the existence of these files. When you and I spoke yesterday, you were just as surprised as I was to learn this new information.”
The first phase of the Epstein Files has been released (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Overall, the first batch of Epstein files have been somewhat of a disappointment, with nothing new coming out among the documents released.
With roughly 200 pages made public through 10 different files, it includes a series of flight logs from the sex offender’s private jet alongside a partly-redacted ‘contacts list’.
There is also a blacked-out list of more than 250 ‘masseuses’, a list many believe has been redacted due to the theory that Epstein trafficked his victims in to masseuse roles for his wicked operation.
A redacted photocopy of an address book allegedly created by Epstein, cited in reports on his crimes over the years, was also released.
Celebrity name listed in the contacts book include Mick Jagger, Alec Baldwin, Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes, Dustin Hoffman, and Ivanka and Ivana Trump.
Epstein and Maxwell (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Conservative commentator Candace Owens questioned why there were even phases of the release, posting on X: “Something about this Epstein release doesn’t feel authentic. Why do we need “phases” of the release and why not just release it to the entire public at large to comb through?”
Other MAGA personalities were in agreement, with Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican member of the House Oversight Committee, posting: “THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!”
Former One America News Network host Liz Wheeler said people wanted ‘the juicy stuff… names’.
As for the FBI documents Bondi says were withheld, Bondi has given the FBI until 8am local time today (28 February) to hand them over.
Content creator Taylor Donoghue has shared the five ‘rules’ she has for her boyfriend
A woman has divided the internet after sharing the five strict rules she has for her boyfriend.
Content creator Taylor Donoghue (@taylordonoghuee) took to TikTok last year to reveal the ‘five things I’d never allow my BF to do’.
In the caption to her viral video, she acknowledges that it may be a ‘hot take’ but that it is ‘just my opinion’ at the end of the day.
But the 24-year-old from New York received a bit of backlash after opening up about the various red flags that could come up.
Best friends
(TikTok/@taylordonoghuee)
The first no-no for Taylor is having a girl best friend.
She told her 380k followers: “Because I don’t believe in them. I think those get messy.”
While she did say that it’s okay to have acquaintances and friends, but a girl best friend is absolutely off the table.
Notifications
Next up, she highlighted that it is key that her and her partner have their locations switched on for each other, mostly for ‘safety’.
The 24-year-old clarified: “Am I stalking every hour? No, but I feel like it’s just one of those things that when you care about someone, you’ll tell them their whereabouts.”
Taylor also calls it a red flag if your partner doesn’t want you to know where they are.
Strip clubs
Third of all, she says that her boyfriend is not allowed to go to the strip club, even though some couples ‘go together’.
She states: “You can go to bars. You can have a guys’ day, but strip clubs? Absolutely not.”
Paying your way
Taylor then said that she wouldn’t let her boyfriend pay all the bills, saying it is ‘wrong’ for men to pay for ‘100 percent of everything’.
She clarifies that she’s talking about dating and not marriage though, explaining: “Especially early on, the guy should take on majority of the bills but I’d be lying if I said, like, I didn’t pay for a dime.”
Instagram pictures
Finally, she says that her partner cannot like bikini pictures of other girls on Instagram, labelling it ‘a huge red flag for obvious reasons’.
She says there’s a lot more awareness around the problem, but concluded: “It always makes me sad when I see someone that’s married with kids or just in a relationship and they’re liking girls’ photos, especially provocative ones.”
Viewers in the comments were divided on her ‘rules’, with one user commenting: “But when guys say this we are insecure.”
However, one user commented: “HEAVY on the strip club one!!!!”
A third said: “OK so true I don’t understand how people’s boyfriends are paying for everything like where is that money coming from!??”
Her boyfriend has since made a video of his rules for her, which include not flirting with guys at the bar, not liking other guys’ Instagram pictures, making sure she texts him while she’s out and not getting lip filler.
The doctor initially misdiagnosed Jac’s condition as an ear infection
A man who died from a brain tumour was initially diagnosed with an ear infection.
Jac Sexton had begun his career as a hairdresser in South Wales when he started to experience dizziness, double vision and slurring in his speech in October 2024.
The 19-year-old visited the doctors who told him that he had an ear infection from a recent bout of glandular fever.
The doctor initially misdiagnosed Jac’s condition as an ear infection (PA Real Life)
Sadly, Jac later learned that his symptoms were that of a high-grade glioblastoma, an aggressive and fast-growing type of brain tumour.
The teenager underwent six weeks of radiotherapy and lost the ability to swallow and perform normal tasks.
Due to the size of the cancer and the location on the brain stem, it prevented him having conventional chemotherapy treatment.
He suddenly suffered a near-fatal medical collapse which lead to emergency surgery at his home in Aberdare in January.
Jac died from a diffused glioblastoma on 25 February 2025.
Jac was diagnosed with high-grade glioblastoma (PA Real Life)
Jac’s uncle Rhydian Sexton, 37, told PA Real Life: “Jac touched so many people in the last few months.
“The nurses called him ‘Sassy Jac’. Even though he was going through what he was, he had so much character.
“That’s what kept him fighting so long. In the last two weeks, the laughter we’ve had in the house was amazing. The relationship he had with his family said it all. He was happy, which is the main thing.”
Jac’s treatment ended on Christmas Eve and the final chemo session took its toll on him.
On 4 January, the aspiring barber suffered stopped breathing and collapsed.
According to the NHS, this aspiration occurs ‘when food, drink or saliva goes the wrong way, enters the windpipe and goes into the lungs’.
Paramedics arrived at the scene and were forced to cut open his trachea to get to the blockage.
Jac was looking forward to his career as a barber (PA Real Life)
For the next 40 minutes he drifted in and out of consciousness as his access to oxygen waned.
“The prognosis was bad,” said Rhydian, a site supervisor from Aberdare.
“The doctors said that if he did wake up, he would be brain dead or fully disabled.
“The amount of trauma Jac’s body had been through with the tumour and the radiotherapy and now this on top, nobody’s body should be able to go through that.”
But Jac’s uncle praised the NHS for their persistent work when he was transferred to Noah’s Arc Cancer Centre.
“You see so much negativity around the NHS,” Rhydian said.
“But Noah’s Arc has been amazing – the nurses there are second to none.
“Nothing’s too much trouble. The passion they had for caring for their patients is remarkable.”
“His older brother Jay was by his side,” Rhydian added.
“And his cousins Caitlin and Josh, Libby, Riley and Mason, all came to see him too. His stepdad Rob was also so important and his girlfriend Abby was with him for his final few weeks.”
A friend set up a GoFundMe page when Jac fell ill with a target of £1,000, but it has already surpassed £13,000. You can donate here.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Somebody else will be chatting with the A-listers tonight
Lorraine walks so Graham Norton can run.
Yep, the Irish presenter seems to be taking a page out of the Scot’s book as he hands over his titular show to another celebrity.
Norton is being replaced as the host of his The Graham Norton Show tonight (28 February) while guests Chris Pratt, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Toby Jones, Rob Beckett and Rachel Chinouriri chat to someone else.
Don’t start panicking though, the 61-year-old is only going to be gone for the short-term.
And the star stepping into the legend’s shoes? Well, it’s only the iconic Claudia Winkleman.
He announced the news in a January episode of his BBC show while The Traitors presenter was on the coveted sofa.
Norton’s time-off from his show comes as he’s headed Down Under to perform his live tour, An Evening With Graham Norton.
The star will be hitting up cities including Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne in March as Aussies apparently love the host just as much as us.
The Father Ted star is set to discuss his new book and will share ‘hilarious tales from his star-studded sofa’, as well as doing a Q&A with fans.
The Claudia Winkleman Show? (BBC)
With the BBC keeping the show going without him, Winkleman hilariously said of her fill-in role: “I apologise in advance!”
She’ll apparently only be taking Norton’s seat for tonight’s episode. But it’s not the first time she’s done her pal a solid like this either, as she took his place after he quit BBC Radio 2 back in 2021.
The Strictly Come Dancing host said she was left ‘gobsmacked’ by her appointment at the time and said it was a ‘privilege and honour’ to take Norton’s place.
Jack Whitehall has previously taken the seat of Norton on his long-running chat show too, having filled in presenting duties in 2019 while the BBC star was preparing for Eurovision in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Claudia’s filling in tonight. (Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Even though the Irishman will be well missed by fans, it’s fair to say people are pretty excited to see Winkelman chin-wagging with the A-listers on the sofa tonight.
Reacting to a preview snap on X, users called her ‘the queen’ as they said they’re ‘looking forward’ to the episode.
Although, there is of course the suggestion that the show should be temporarily renamed as ‘The Claudia Winkleman Show’. But let’s be honest, while Winkleman might be an iconic fill-in, no one can truly replace Graham.
The Graham Norton Show airs on BBC One at 10:40pm tonight (28 February).
A woman had to have her legs and left hand amputated after ‘flesh-eating’ bacteria entered her bloodstream.
Just before Thanksgiving 2024, Brittany experienced ‘severe abdominal pain’ and was rushed to hospital. It was found that the mum from the US had gone into septic shock.
This had been brought on by Group A Streptococcus (GAS). The same bacteria that cause strep throat, in Brittany’s case it had entered her blood and led to toxic shock sepsis.
This ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ was able to spread rapidly through the woman’s body and attacked her limbs.
While she was unconscious and unaware of what was taking place, doctors performed ‘life-altering procedures’. Brittany then woke up a week later to discover she was an amputee as numerous surgeries ‘took more and more from her limbs’.
Brittany went into septic shock, which resulted in her having both of her legs and left hand amputated (GoFundMe)
Her brother, Chris, and best friend, Mel, wrote on GoFundMe: “It was heartbreaking when she was finally conscious enough to be aware of her body and discovered the devastating reality that both of her legs, left hand, and half of her left forearm, had all been removed.”
Although Brittany was able to keep her right hand, her family explain that the ‘damage and loss of sensation’ in most of her fingers mean even the simplest of tasks are a struggle.
As they try to raise money to help with medical costs, home modifications and a handicapped accessible van they say ‘high-quality prosthetics’ are the woman’s ‘greatest wish’.
They describe the mum as a ‘fighter and a warrior’ and an ‘artist, photographer, pianist and gardener’.
Brittany has been described as a ‘fighter and a warrior’ during the traumatic time (GoFundMe)
Referring to Brittany’s fiancé and 12-year-old son, they added: “Adrean has been her rock; tirelessly splitting time between the hospital, caring for Rowan, and navigating the healthcare system, all while continuing to manage their home and daily responsibilities. Every aspect of their lives has been so profoundly affected by this tragedy.”
Earlier this month, they updated the page to say the woman had been discharged from the ‘step down unit’ and has been transferred to the in-patient rehab ‘that will be her final step before going home’.
“She deals with phantom limb pain and severe loss of sensation in her hand, except for pain. But she is working through it and trying her best to overcome all of these challenges with every passing day,” they added.
Brittany is set to remain in hospital while she relearns to live as independently as possible.
The health specialist has warned that the heartbeat sound could signal something serious
A doctor has issued a warning to those who can hear their ‘heartbeat’ in their ears, saying if you experience this, it’s something you should definitely ‘bring up with your doctor’.
If you’re thinking, ‘wait… people can hear their heartbeat??’, then it looks like you’re one of the fortunate ones, as it turns out that this phenomenon can actually be a sign of a pretty serious health issue.
Dr Ahmed Abd Elbary took to TikTok to shine a light on pulsatile tinnitus (TP), a condition in which patients hear an odd ‘whooshing’ or the ‘sound’ of their own heart beating in their ears.
Hearing ringing in your ear could mean something serious, according to an expert (Getty Stock Photo)
While the usual form of tinnitus – which, as the NHS state on their website, is when a person can hear noises that do not come from an outside source – is usually benign and not a sign of anything serious, the same cannot be said for PT.
Some people just brush PT off as an annoying sensation here and there, but it can become overwhelming and extremely uncomfortable for others, making it difficult to concentrate or sleep.
PT can also point to something more sinister going on.
Dr Ahmed explained how PT is typically a result of ‘changing blood flow in the small blood vessels inside your ear’ in the social media clip.
However, he warned that this could potentially indicate someone had an aneurysm – a dangerous bulging of a blood vessel that, in some cases, can be fatal.
“Sometimes, your blood flow can become more turbulent, and the most common causes for this are things like aneurysms and atherosclerosis – this is narrowing of the arteries,” the health expert explained.
PT sufferers can also get something called localised increased blood flow, the doctor added, which means a particular blood vessel has increased blood supply to it.
However, this means that it is caused by a tumour, and while tumours associated with PT ‘are benign’, according to the British doctor.
Explaining that this is down to something called ‘altered awareness’, it means that the blood flow hasn’t changed and that you are more aware of the PT.
Dr Ahmed went on to say that this is down to hearing loss, adding: “That’s because you become less aware of your surrounding noises and the pulse starting it has becomes more obvious to you.”
Dr Ahmed has urged people who experience symptoms to get it checked by a professional (TikTok/dra_says)
The doctor added that there are also other causes of the condition, but highlighted: “Most of the time it’s completely benign, and nothing to worry about,” but he did say that you should ‘definitely’ get it looked at by a professional.
Highlighting that it could be a cause for concern if it’s a new occurrence, he advised that it’s worse if you don’t get it checked out.
The radio stations in Grand Theft Auto games are one of the most loved features in any of Rockstar’s games
The somewhat surprising amount of money one musician was offered for his song to feature in GTA 6 has resurfaced as fans count down the days, weeks, and months until the game finally is available to play.
It’s not too long now until Grand Theft Auto VIis finally made available to the public, with an autumn 2025 release date on the cards according to parent company Take-Two Interactive.
Take-Two, which owns GTA developer Rockstar, made this commitment last autumn and then again in the first week of February in a move that was widely applauded by fans, given it wasn’t the feared delay to 2026.
And given it’s been 12 years since the last GTA game was released, fans reckon they are going to get an incredible instalment that could go down in history.
Part of what makes a GTA game as good and memorable as the one before it is the soundtrack, with a huge back catalogue of music making up the car radio stations you can flick between while driving around the likes of Vice City or Los Santos, depending on which instalment you’re playing.
There’s a reason Spotify playlists with all these songs still exist, with fans listening to them reminded of the good times they had bopping along while doing their best to escape a five-star police chase.
Well, GTA 6 wont be any different, it seems, thanks to one musician, Martyn Ware, who took to X to explain how he was approached by Rockstar for his song to feature. One of the founding members of the band Heaven 17, he co-wrote the song ‘Temptation’ (search it, you’ll know it) which was one of the best selling songs of 1983.
GTA 6 is released later this year (Rockstar)
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) last September, his comments have resurfaced on the r/GTA6 subreddit this week after he rejected the offer from Rockstar.
“I was recently contacted by my publishers on behalf of Rockstar Games re the possibility of using Temptation on the new Grand Theft Auto 6,” he wrote.
“Naturally excited about the immense wealth that was about to head my way, I scrolled to the bottom of the email re the offer
“It was $7,500 – for a buyout of any future royalties from the game – forever. To put this in context, Grand Theft Auto 5 grossed, wait for it… $8.6 BILLION. Ah, but think of the exposure. Go f*ck yourself.”
Martyn Ware said no to the deal (Roberto Ricciuti/Getty Images)
Responding to the original post from Ware, one fan said: “Sure, that’s probably not a lot, but y’all kinda f**ked up. Having a song in a GTA game is a long term win. I hope you guys can negotiate this.”
Responding, Ware explained: “I haven’t ‘f**ked up’.
“I’ve worked in artist rights advocacy for 20 years. I know the game. This is iniquitous.”
Will we get a second GTA 6 trailer before the game is released? (Rockstar)
Another fan agreed with Ware, stating: “You did good. You can make $7,500 in western countries from waiting tables probably in a month or two.
“That is no way to evaluate art, especially from the creator of a game that will likely make over a billion dollars on its launch night.
“‘Exposure’ isn’t payment because while there’s a chance you could get more famous being included in such a big project, there’s an even bigger chance you’d be treated as just another random song on the game’s radio that people won’t care to Shazam and listen to.
“Unless they’re willing to offer royalties, it isn’t worth it.”
Ware later clarified that the offer from Rockstar was in fact $7,500 for each of the co-writers on Temptation, meaning the overall offer was $22,500. He still rejected it, saying it was ‘utterly unacceptable’.
Given that gaming analysts reckon GTA 6 will make $1 billion before it goes on sale, you can kind of understand where Ware is coming from.
Chris Hoy couldn’t pick up daughter after terminal cancer caused broken back
Sir Chris Hoy has spoken openly about his cancer diagnosis (Credits: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
Sir Chris Hoy has revealed he suffered a broken back as a result of his terminal cancer and was told by doctors he could not pick up his six-year-old daughter.
The six-time Olympic champion, who announced last year he is dying with prostate cancer, said he suffered a spinal fracture due to secondary tumours spreading.
Worried doctors told the successful Scot that he could not do any lifting or pick up his young daughter, Chloe.
Hoy, 48, said being told he couldn’t pick up his child was ‘horrendous’ and that was the moment he felt like his diagnosis was ‘really impacting my life’.
Medics were able to use a ‘cement’-like material to fix his fractured vertebrae.
Hoy announced he was suffering from stage four prostate cancer in October last year, adding that he has two to four years left to live.
Speaking to the Mid Point podcast, Hoy said: ‘When I had the first diagnosis and scans, some of the secondary tumours in my spine had actually burrowed into the bone so badly it had fractured.
‘So I had a fractured vertebrae.
Chris Hoy recently presented Luke Little with the World Darts Trophy (Credits: Reuters)
‘When they saw it on the scan they were like ‘we’re going to have to be really careful here, you can’t do any lifting, you can’t pick up your kids, you can’t do anything’.
‘Being told not to be able pick up your six-year-old daughter, that was like ‘right, this is really impacting my life’.
‘So I had some injections. They basically drill into your vertebrae, squirt this cement material in and it sets and it fuses and it makes the vertebrae as good as new again.
‘So I’m back to lifting weights again.
Sir Chris Hoy was at Murrayfield recently for the Six Nations match between Scotland and Irleand (Credits: Steven Flynn/Action Plus/Shutter)
‘As soon as you’re told this might be taken away from you, or it has been taken away, you suddenly appreciate everything, the basic things.
‘It’s like losing your wallet, when you find it… you’re not in a net gain situation but you’re so grateful for it.
‘The thought of not being able to pick up your child, the thought of that not being a possibility was horrendous, and then for now I’m doing OK.’
Rise of Putin’s ‘Eurussian Empire’ over next five years mapped out step by step
Vladimir Putin is planning to invade at least three European nations by the end of 2030, a projection by Ukraine shows (Picture: Metro)
The name alone carries a sinister weight – Eurussian Empire – an alliance of two once historically opposing forces, Europe and Russia.
This new world order sounds like inconceivable fiction, but it is predicted to materialise on the continent by 2030.
Possible History, a new project by United24, a Ukrainian initiative launched by Volodymyr Zelensky, is offering a glimpse into a future where Vladimir Putin gets what he wants.
Released as a warning on the third anniversary of his full-scale invasion, it reflects Donald Trump’s bromance with the authoritarian leader and the US rehabilitation of Russia.
It also comes on the exact date as the US sided with Russia, North Korea and Belarus to vote against a UN resolution to condemn the war.
What has already started as whispered negotiations between Russia and the US for a ceasefire ends in Ukraine being forced into making territorial concessions, without future security guarantees or Nato membership.
This is all expected to happen in the next three months, United24 projects, setting off a chain of irreparable reactions.
May 2025: sanctions on Russia’s RT dropped
By May, sanctions on Russian media channel RT would be lifted, allowing the Kremlin’s propaganda to flow into Europe unchecked.
During the Biden presidency, the US accused RT of ‘covert’ intelligence activities and introduced a plethora of sanctions against Russian media.
‘Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT’s interference in the US elections,’ the then US secretary of state Antony Blinken said in September.
July 2025: Russian war drills near Nato borders
In July, Russia is set to hold military drills on the territory of its biggest ally, Belarus, on the border with Nato members Poland and Lithuania.
A joint exercise between the two nations was announced last week, set to begin in September.
It is part of efforts by the two neighbours to expand their military ties amid the fighting in Ukraine.
Zelensky said earlier this month that a Russian military buildup in Belarus, which borders Nato members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, could set the stage for a potential attack.
But Russia has repeatedly denied allegations that it could invade any Nato members.
Valery Revenko, a Belarusian defence official, said that Belarus is open for mutual military inspections with Poland 50 miles deep into each other’s territory – something he said would signal Poland’s intention to pursue ‘good neighbourly ties.’
‘If Poland rejects or ignores such action, we will have a different opinion,’ he warned.
October 2026: Russian invasion of Moldova
Jumping forward to October 2026, Russia is projected to invade Moldova – through the puppet government of Transnistria – deploying North Korean soldiers.
Fears have long been stoked that Putin was preparing for another landgrab in Europe, turning his eyes on the sliver of breakaway land in the south of Moldova.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russian elites have repeatedly called on Moldova to avoid Western influence, referring to the autonomous region as ‘the next Ukraine.’
Almost a year after the capture of Moldova, in July 2027, Europe is set to go dark without Internet connection after vital undersea cables are cut.
Similar ruptures have been rattling European security officials in recent months, but investigations are yet to determine if they were due to Russian sabotage or were maritime accidents.
May 2029: Putin opens military bases in Nato
By May 2029, the pro-Russian governments of Slovakia and Hungary are projected to sign agreements to host multiple Russian military bases on their territory as part of secret security deals.
Hungary’s gradual turn to Russia can be traced back to November 2010, when the newly elected prime minister Viktor Orbán made his first visit to Moscow.
Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, with Hungary refusing to join the EU sanctions against Russia, making Europeans more and more fearful of the Kremlin’s sprawling influence.
December 2029: Conscription reinstated
That same year, in December, both governments of the Netherlands and Germany are expected to abolish voluntary army recruitment and reinstate conscription.
Military service – with varying aspects – is already in force in nine countries: Cyprus, Greece, Austria, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
But Russia’s imperialistic thirst has forced most European nations – Britain included – to rethink its stance.
May 2030: Defence spend exceeds healthcare
This will also result in defence spending exceeding healthcare costs in the EU, United24 projects.
By May 2030, at least 76% of EU social benefits are set to be cut in favour of financing the defence sector.
While Europe is far away from such measures, Sir Keir Starmer has already promised to boost defence amid the threat from Russia.
September 2030: Invasion of Finland and Poland
The projection for the ‘Eurussian Empire’ ends three months later, in September 2030, when Putin is supposed to announce a ‘special military operation’ on Nato.
Russian forces are witnessed crossing the borders of Finland and Poland less than a decade after invading Ukraine.
United24 conducted the project with the help of studies from Estonia and Denmark ahead of the three-year anniversary. of the war.
A statement from the organisation said: ‘We conducted this project based on data from February 2025 from Estonian and Danish intelligence, which state that Russia continues to mobilise resources and is preparing for a potential conflict with Nato.
‘The Institute for the Study of War supported these assessments. Among other things, Estonian intelligence stated that by 2030, Russia will allocate an average of 1 million euros for the development of its “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” project, which was launched in December 2023.
‘In March 2024, ISW suggested that Russia might be preparing for a large-scale confrontation with the North Atlantic Alliance “on a shorter timeline than some Western analysts previously assumed.”
‘Additionally, in recent days, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte stated that if Russia attacks the North Atlantic Alliance, it will face defeat.’
