In a rare and striking public assessment, the chief of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service has declared that Vladimir Putin's botched invasion of Kyiv has left the Russian President profoundly 'humiliated' and strategically weakened.
Richard Moore, the head of MI6, used a high-profile speech in Prague to deliver a scathing indictment of Russia's military campaign, suggesting that Putin's failure to seize the Ukrainian capital has resulted in a catastrophic loss of face and fighting power.
Catastrophic Losses for Russian Forces
Moore revealed that according to British intelligence assessments, Russian casualties have soared past a staggering 315,000 since the conflict began. This figure represents a devastating blow to Moscow's military capabilities and its global standing.
'It is clear that Putin's plan to swiftly capture Kyiv and install a puppet government was a monumental miscalculation,' the spy chief stated. 'The resistance he met there, and the subsequent failures, have left him in a position of profound weakness, not strength.'
A Glimmer of Hope in Istanbul
The intelligence head also offered a cautiously optimistic note regarding potential peace talks. He confirmed that negotiations which took place in Istanbul in the spring of 2022 came 'very close' to achieving a breakthrough.
'There was a moment where a meaningful agreement seemed within reach,' Moore commented, suggesting that diplomatic channels, though currently dormant, had previously shown promise for de-escalation.
The Future of the Conflict
Looking ahead, the MI6 chief predicted that the coming months will be exceptionally challenging for Ukrainian forces. However, he expressed strong confidence in their resilience and their ability to continue defending their sovereignty with continued support from Western allies.
This public intervention from one of the world's most senior intelligence figures provides a unique and authoritative insight into the perceived state of the conflict and the psychological blow dealt to the Kremlin's leadership.
