Vladimir Putin faces “ruin” if a fresh offensive by Russian troops during the spring fails, a top Ukrainian military official has said.
There are fears in Kyiv that the Russian president could order his troops to go for broke in the months ahead following a number of setbacks in the war.
Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, said if the offensive failed it would be disastrous for both Mr Putin and Russia.
"If the major Russian offensive planned for this time fails, it will be the ruin of Russia and Putin," he said.
Front lines in the war have been largely frozen in place for two months despite heavy losses on both sides.
Western countries pledged billions of dollars in military aid last week, but have yet to respond to Kyiv’s request for hundreds of heavy battle tanks, which it says it needs to break through Russian lines and recover occupied territory.
Elsewhere, a number of top Ukrainian officials have resigned from their government jobs after President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered a crackdown on corruption.
