Some parents would gasp at the thought of their children playing with a toy gun, but these Russian children are actually encouraged to take up real arms. Military sports club, ‘Berkut’, (meaning golden eagle), trains up tiny Vlads and Boris’, who dream of joining the elite units of the Russian army and fighting under the command of President Vladimir Putin. Pictured on their website brandishing a hand gun, is a young boy, dressed in military fatigues with his finger over the trigger. Children as young a five are sent on forced marches, given battlefield training, taught hand to hand combat, and how to use military equipment. 12 year olds are also taught to fire Kalashnikov assault rifles and other small arms. During the clubs regular camps some children are given the opportunity to parachute jump during their paratrooper training. The club based in Zhukovsky, Russia, claims to provide military training designed to develop the younger generation of the “motherland” - a term synonymous with the former Soviet Union and the communist rule of the last century.
VIBRANT bursts of colour fill the screen as beautiful flowers blossom in these time-lapse videos .
Red squirrels are well known for their intelligence and curiosity but when one snapper caught this furry little guy trying to take his own self-portrait he couldn't help but be taken aback .
SOARING through the air, a hungry white-tailed kite prepares to snatch a vole from his mother’s claws .
A little caterpillar fearlessly scampers down a branch and confronts a praying mantis .
Blonde teen Jess Stubbs has certainly got girl power - as Britain’s youngest TRUCKER .
A woman with a fear of flying claims she was humiliated after an Emirates airline staff member told her she could ‘go to prison for four years’ for possessing diazepam medication .
THIS RING of fire in the sky is the annular solar eclipse that wowed our cousins down-under .
CONTRACT CANCELLED - DO NOT SYNDICATE!! .
THE CRAZE for mimicking the video game Streetfighter has spread to the streets of London .
SAT ON top of a Brazilian turtle’s head, this little ladybird looks content as he studies his environment from a new height .
THESE BREATH-TAKING photographs show the natural beauty of Iceland's most famous waterfall .