Russian soldiers have refused to carry out orders, sabotaged their own equipment and accidentally shot down their own aircraft, a top U.K. intelligence official said in a speech in Australia, highlighting the challenges Russia is facing in its Ukraine invasion.
Jeremy Fleming, the director of the GCHQ intelligence agency, said even though advisers to President Vladimir Putin are afraid to tell him the truth, it must be clear to the regime that Russia has made a strategic miscalculation.
"It increasingly looks like Putin has massively misjudged the situation," Mr. Fleming said Thursday at the Australian National University, according to a transcript of his remarks.
"Putin has brought upon himself exactly what he was trying to avoid—a Ukraine with a renewed sense of nationhood, a NATO that is more united than ever, and a global coalition of nations that condemn his actions," Mr. Fleming said.
Mr. Putin has praised his country's war effort and has said the operation is being carried out successfully.
Mr. Fleming said it is clear that Russia is using mercenaries and foreign fighters to augment its forces, including mercenary company the Wagner Group, which is looking to intensify its efforts. He said the group is now prepared to send larger numbers of personnel into Ukraine by relocating forces from other conflicts and recruiting new fighters.
"These soldiers are likely to be used as cannon fodder to try to limit Russian military losses," Mr. Fleming said.
Mr. Fleming also said it remains to be seen if recent Russian attacks around Kyiv and northern Ukraine—despite promises to reduce combat operations in those areas—were the result of mixed messages or deliberate misinformation.
Russia has characterized troop movements in northern Ukraine as regrouping to prepare for operations in eastern Ukraine. Russian officials have said Moscow remains committed to peace talks and de-escalation, though they have also downplayed progress in the negotiations.
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March 31, 2022 at 11:06AM
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The Russia-Ukraine War: March 30, 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
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