A satellite image of the Engels air base taken on December 5. AFP
A satellite image of the Engels air base taken on December 5. AFP
A satellite image of the Engels air base taken on December 5. AFP
A satellite image of the Engels air base taken on December 5. AFP

Three dead as Russian air base hit by drone blast


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

Three soldiers were reported dead on Monday in a drone explosion at a Russian air base.

The troops were killed by falling debris after a Ukrainian drone was shot down, pro-Kremlin media said, citing the Russian Defence Ministry.

The blast at the Engels base in Russia, more than 600 kilometres from Ukrainian-controlled territory, was the second in a matter of weeks.

Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in such explosions behind Russian lines.

“If Russians thought that war won’t touch them far behind the front lines, they were deeply wrong,” Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said on television, without claiming responsibility.

The Engels base is home to heavy bombers that are part of Russia's nuclear deterrent.

Russia said no planes were damaged by the latest explosion, after two were reported hit in the incident on December 5.

A fuel tank exploded the same day at the Dyagilevo airfield, Russian officials said, with three people killed.

Russian bombers have been used to fire cruise missiles at Ukraine, it is believed, in a barrage of attacks that have left millions without power.

Ukraine conflict — in pictures

  • A building burned from a strike as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Bakhmut. Reuters
    A building burned from a strike as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Bakhmut. Reuters
  • Antonina, a refugee from Bakhmut in Donetsk region, with dogs she rescued in Izyum, Kharkiv. AFP
    Antonina, a refugee from Bakhmut in Donetsk region, with dogs she rescued in Izyum, Kharkiv. AFP
  • A resident gives her neighbours hot food brought by volunteers in Izyum. AFP
    A resident gives her neighbours hot food brought by volunteers in Izyum. AFP
  • A Ukrainian soldier salutes as he works to build a bunker with sand in Bakhmut. Reuters
    A Ukrainian soldier salutes as he works to build a bunker with sand in Bakhmut. Reuters
  • Volodymyr Kovalov, 77, carries tree branches attached to his bike as he collects wood for heating and cooking in Kherson region. AFP
    Volodymyr Kovalov, 77, carries tree branches attached to his bike as he collects wood for heating and cooking in Kherson region. AFP
  • A local resident takes pictures of a destroyed monastery in Dolyna, eastern Ukraine. AFP
    A local resident takes pictures of a destroyed monastery in Dolyna, eastern Ukraine. AFP
  • A decoy dummy made with the clothes of a Russian soldier at the entrance of a destroyed cinema in Kamyanka, eastern Ukraine. AFP
    A decoy dummy made with the clothes of a Russian soldier at the entrance of a destroyed cinema in Kamyanka, eastern Ukraine. AFP
  • Destroyed houses in the city of Kamyanka. AFP
    Destroyed houses in the city of Kamyanka. AFP
  • Caesar, 50, a Russian who joined the Freedom of Russia Legion to fight on the side of Ukraine, stands in front of a destroyed monastery in Dolyna. AFP
    Caesar, 50, a Russian who joined the Freedom of Russia Legion to fight on the side of Ukraine, stands in front of a destroyed monastery in Dolyna. AFP
  • An employee stands next to a shelter at a stainless pipes plant in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region. AFP
    An employee stands next to a shelter at a stainless pipes plant in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region. AFP
  • Ivan and Iryna Kalinin before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Iryna, who was pregnant, was killed in a Russian air strike on Mariupol's maternity hospital. Ivan returned to the occupied city to rebury his wife and baby. AP
    Ivan and Iryna Kalinin before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Iryna, who was pregnant, was killed in a Russian air strike on Mariupol's maternity hospital. Ivan returned to the occupied city to rebury his wife and baby. AP
  • Natalia, 67, sits inside her house that was damaged in a Russian military strike, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Reuters
    Natalia, 67, sits inside her house that was damaged in a Russian military strike, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Reuters
  • Ukrainian soldiers ride in a military vehicle in Bakhmut, a city in the Donetsk enclave. AP
    Ukrainian soldiers ride in a military vehicle in Bakhmut, a city in the Donetsk enclave. AP
  • Smoke billows from a building on fire after a Russian attack in Bakhmut. AP
    Smoke billows from a building on fire after a Russian attack in Bakhmut. AP
  • Sasha and her grandfather stand outside their home in Bakhmut. AP
    Sasha and her grandfather stand outside their home in Bakhmut. AP
  • Ukrainian soldiers set up a barricade in Bakhmut. AP
    Ukrainian soldiers set up a barricade in Bakhmut. AP
  • Nastya carries her cat as her mother Anna says goodbye to neighbours with whom they lived for months in a basement during Russian attacks in Soledar, a city in the Donetsk enclave of Ukraine. AP
    Nastya carries her cat as her mother Anna says goodbye to neighbours with whom they lived for months in a basement during Russian attacks in Soledar, a city in the Donetsk enclave of Ukraine. AP
  • Anna and Nastya in the basement during a Russian attack nearby. AP
    Anna and Nastya in the basement during a Russian attack nearby. AP
  • A Ukrainian soldier is wheeled on a stretcher at a hospital in the Donetsk enclave. AP
    A Ukrainian soldier is wheeled on a stretcher at a hospital in the Donetsk enclave. AP
  • A woman looks a building damaged by Russian shelling in Kherson. AFP
    A woman looks a building damaged by Russian shelling in Kherson. AFP
  • Oleksandra Koshkina, 85, sits in a car as she returns to her village of Torske, in the Donetsk enclave. Reuters
    Oleksandra Koshkina, 85, sits in a car as she returns to her village of Torske, in the Donetsk enclave. Reuters
  • A resident of Bakhmut walks along an empty street. Reuters
    A resident of Bakhmut walks along an empty street. Reuters
  • A street market in Bakhmut. Reuters
    A street market in Bakhmut. Reuters
  • A Ukrainian soldier poses for a picture in the Donetsk enclave. Reuters
    A Ukrainian soldier poses for a picture in the Donetsk enclave. Reuters
  • Officials tend to a patient on a plane carrying Ukrainian Jewish refugees as they wait to disembark at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. AFP
    Officials tend to a patient on a plane carrying Ukrainian Jewish refugees as they wait to disembark at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. AFP

Western officials say Russia has also used Iranian-made drones, in an arrangement hailed by Tehran as proof of its military firepower.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an overnight address that Russia's aerial attacks were meant to “compensate for its losses”.

“There are only a few days left this year. We must be aware that our enemy will try to make this time dark and difficult for us,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

“I know that the darkness will not prevent us from leading the occupiers to new defeats. But we have to be ready for any scenario.”

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Dmytro Kuleba said a call would be made on Monday to expel Russia from its permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Russia, along with fellow permanent members Britain, France, the US and China, can veto any resolution in the council.

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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

Meydan race card

6pm Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m 

6.35Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
1,800m 

7.10pm Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m ,400m 

7.45pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB)  $180,000  (T) 1,800m 

8.20pm Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m 

8.55pm Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m 

9.30pm Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m  

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETelr%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E65%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20and%20payments%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enearly%20%2430%20million%20so%20far%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

Racecard

5.25pm: Etihad Museum – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m

6pm: Al Shindaga Museum – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (Dirt) 1,200m

6.35pm: Poet Al Oqaili – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m

7.10pm: Majlis Ghurfat Al Sheif – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m

7.45pm: Hatta – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m

8.20pm: Al Fahidi – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m

8.55pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m

9.30pm: Coins Museum – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m

10.05pm: Al Quoz Creative – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m

'The Batman'

Stars:Robert Pattinson

Director:Matt Reeves

Rating: 5/5

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Updated: December 26, 2022, 9:15 AM