RUSSIA’S attempt to take over all of Ukraine during its invasion appears to have “broken apart,” according to the UK military leader, since Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, is a “weaker and more reduced figure now” than he was previously.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff, stated in a speech and subsequent question-and-answer session at an Institute for Government (IfG) event that Mr Putin was a “weaker and more reduced figure now” than he was before the invasion began on February 24.

Sir Tony also stated that the UK is “very hesitant” about accepting Russian assertions, adding, “I believe we are seeing that Russia’s goals to take Kyiv and Russia’s ambitions to take the entire Ukraine, and do so in a very rapid and impressive way, those are those that we are witnessing.”

“We are starting to see the early indications of those forces being moved back from Kyiv and retreating to both Russia and Belarus.

“That in itself is a difficult evolution for Russia because they are doing that under contact, so Ukraine armed forces will attack those Russian forces as they retreat.”