Nearly half a million Russians have died in Ukraine war, UK spy chief says

• GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler says that Russia has suffered 500,000 military casualties since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
• The figures indicate that President Vladimir Putin is “going backwards in the battlefield”, she said.
• Ms Keast-Butler warned that Russia is escalating its “daily hybrid activity” against the UK and Europe, including espionage and targeting critical infrastructure and supply chains, risking a wider conflict.
• She highlighted that artificial intelligence is an “unstoppable force” being weaponised, leading to an unprecedented risk of miscalculation in national security.
• The GCHQ chief also noted China's advanced cyber capabilities, citing the 'Salt Typhoon' campaign which has targeted over 80 countries.

IN FULL

Almost 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Putin’s war on Ukraine, says GCHQ