Vladimir Putin is prepared to lose up to 50,000 troops as he tries to take control in Ukraine, intelligence experts have claimed.
Russia’s most battle-hardened troops are already in Kyiv and other major cities as the fight on the ground escalates.
However, sources have suggested Putin is undeterred by the death toll of his own armed forces, which could already be as high as 3,500 fatalities already.
Many of Russia’s most experienced soldiers, from units such as Spetsnaz and Airborne, are among the death toll on the Russian side.
Growing concerns are being discussed around the tactics Putin will use as he becomes even more determined to seize power in Ukraine.
It is feared he will order his military chiefs to use increasingly brutal tactics to defeat the Ukrainians.
Weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said: “If Russia gets bogged down I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they used chemical weapons.
“We must call Russians out and create red lines around chemical weapons use and attacking hospitals.”
It is understood MI6 agents are operating on the ground, sending reports to NATO.
And it is feared Russian agents in the UK may make “diversionary attacks” here.
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