London: The head of Britain’s foreign signals intelligence agency says Ukraine’s courageous actions on the battlefield and online are turning the tide against their Russian invaders.
In excerpts of RUSI’s annual security lecture, to be delivered by Sir Jeremy Fleming – the head of GCHQ, on Tuesday, Fleming will say that Russian supplies and munitions are running out.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions were that of a leader losing, not winning, says Jeremy Fleming.Credit:AP
His comments were released after a furious Vladimir Putin pounded Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, with missiles, in retaliation for the destruction of the huge bridge he built linking Russia with Crimea, after he illegally annexed the territory in 2014.
The attack constituted the biggest set of air strikes that Russia has unleashed on Ukraine since the start of the war in February.
Fleming said that Putin’s actions were that of a leader losing, not winning, a war because of his own strategic errors.
Jeremy Fleming, head of the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), in London.Credit:AP
“With little effective internal challenge, his decision-making has proved flawed,” Fleming will say.
“And the Russian population has started to understand that too. They’re seeing just how badly Putin has misjudged the situation.
“We know – and Russian commanders on the ground know – that their supplies and munitions are running out.
“Russia’s forces are exhausted, the use of prisoners to reinforce, and now the mobilisation of tens of thousands of inexperienced conscripts, speaks of a desperate situation,” he said.
Fleming added that due to Ukraine’s courageous fight on the battlefield and in cyberspace, it was “turning the tide” in the war.
On his official Telegram channel, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky claimed that Iranian drones and dozens of missiles, Iranian “shaheds” carried out some airstrikes on energy facilities in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia where shelling around the nuclear plant there has taken place throughout the war.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief said the Air Force shot down 41 of the 75 missiles launched on Monday.
Electricity supplies were disrupted across almost all of Ukraine and several regions suffered loss of water supplies.
Ahead of a virtual call of G7 leaders, including Zelensky on Tuesday, Ukraine’s leader held phone calls with world counterparts, including Britain’s Liz Truss, Canada’s Justin Trudeau, the Netherlands’ Mark Rutte as well as Angola’s President Joao Lourenco and met the US Ambassador to Ukraine in person.
US President Joe Biden said in a statement that the missile strikes demonstrated Putin’s “utter brutality”.
“These attacks killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose. They once again demonstrate the utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war on the Ukrainian people,” Biden said.
“These attacks only further reinforce our commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.
“Alongside our allies and partners, we will continue to impose costs on Russia for its aggression, hold Putin and Russia accountable for its atrocities and war crimes, and provide the support necessary for Ukrainian forces to defend their country and their freedom.
A Downing Street spokesman said Prime Minister Truss told Zelensky that the “appalling attacks” on civilians were a sign of Putin’s “increasing desperation”.
“The Prime Minister stressed that the UK stands wholeheartedly behind President Zelensky and Ukraine,” the spokesman said.
“Putin’s destructive rhetoric and behaviour will not diminish our resolve.”
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