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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Sophie Goodall

GCHQ boss says Vladimir Putin losing home support and troops running out of supplies

The director of GCHQ, Sir Jeremy Fleming, is expected to say that Russian president Vladimir Putin may face revolt against his leadership, as his "exhausted" troops are now running out of supplies and munitions.

The head of the UK's intelligence, cyber and security agency, Sir Jeremy is to brand Putin as becoming "desperate" as Russia loses the war with Ukraine, stating that his decision to invade is now "backfiring" on Russia.

It has been reported that fighting-age Russians are trying to avoid being drafted into Putin's "war of choice".

Sir Jeremy is set to make a speech in London later today, claiming that "it's clear that Ukraine's courageous action on the battlefield and in cyberspace is turning the tide".

Head of GCHQ, Sir Jeremy Fleming (PA)

The security chief will also reportedly claim that "Russia's forces are exhausted" - and that the country is now reliant on prisoners and inexperienced conscripts to fill in the depleted numbers on the frontline.

It follow's Russia's recent missile attack on Ukraine, which killed 11 people. The strikes hit various cities across the country, including Kyiv.

In response, Volodymyr Zelenksy has deemed Russia a "terrorist state", stating that Putin's actions highlight how desperate the Kremlin is, as it is "not capable of opposing us on the battlefield".

President Zelensky appeared in a video in which he appeared to taunt Putin, saying that despite the strikes, Ukraine had shot down half of the missiles and drones. He added that his people "cannot be intimidated".

The attacks were thought to be a response to an attack on the Kerch Bridge, which linked the region of Crimea to Russia.

It was a valuable part of the Kremlin's supply chain, with Putin seeing it as a pet project and a symbol of his supremacy.

On the strikes on Ukraine, Putin said that the missiles had been aimed at military, energy and communications networks. However, power plants and civilian areas were reportedly hit.

Sir Jeremy is set to speak at the Royal United Services Institute defence think tank later, where he is expected to suggest that GCHQ is aware of how badly the war is going for Putin.

It is now common knowledge that the war is going badly for Putin (Getty Images)

The Telegraph reports he will say the despot has "failed in two major military strategies already" and has "hit the courageous reality of Ukrainian defence".

He will say: "With little effective internal challenge, his decision-making has proved flawed. It's a high-stakes strategy that is leading to strategic errors in judgement. Their gains are being reversed. The costs to Russia – in people and equipment are staggering.

"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."

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