UK spy chief says Russia's military running 'out of steam'

ASPEN (Colorado) • The head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service says Russia's war effort in Ukraine is faltering and President Vladimir Putin will be forced to temporarily halt his invasion, potentially allowing Ukrainian troops a greater opportunity to strike back.

"They are about to run out of steam," Mr Richard Moore, the head of the MI6, said at the Aspen Security Forum on Thursday.

"Our assessment is the Russians will increasingly find it difficult to find manpower, material over the next few weeks," he said. "They will have to pause in some way, and that will give the Ukrainians opportunities to strike back."

Asked about rumours that Mr Putin is ailing, Mr Moore said there was "no evidence" that the Russian leader was "suffering from serious ill health".

He said Russian intelligence agents clearly underestimated Ukrainian nationalism and defence capabilities, and were probably afraid to "speak truth to power" up the chain of command, given Mr Putin's desire for an invasion.

Mr Moore's remarks came at the Aspen Security Forum, an annual gathering of foreign policy experts and White House officials that has been dominated by discussions about Russia's invasion and the risks of China's rise. Mr Moore emphasised US-UK cooperation on intelligence sharing, a day after Central Intelligence Agency director Bill Burns called him an "exceptional friend".

Separately, British military intelligence said yesterday that Russia has increased its use of air defence missiles in a secondary ground attack mode because of critical shortages of dedicated ground-attack missiles.

Russia has almost certainly deployed S-300 and S-400 strategic air defence systems, designed to shoot down aircraft and missiles at long ranges, near Ukraine from the start of the invasion, the Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update.

The weapons which have relatively small warheads are designed to destroy aircraft, it said, adding that they could pose a significant threat against troops in open and light buildings but are unlikely to penetrate hardened structures.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video on Instagram from his office on Thursday to reassure Ukrainians that he was well after what he said was a fake news report about his health by Russian hackers.

"Today, Russia launched more fake news that the (Ukrainian) state is not controlled by President Zelensky, as he is in hospital, or rather, in intensive care because of a 'serious health condition'.

"So, here I am in my office, and I have never felt as good as now," he said, sitting at a desk and wearing a khaki T-shirt.

BLOOMBERG, REUTERS