President Vladimir Putin 'overestimated' the capabilities of the Russian military, according to military intelligence.
Since Russia first crossed the border into Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, Moscow has reportedly become frustrated by the slow progress of the invasion.
At the latest briefing, officials stated that Putin likely overestimated the capabilities and strategic skill of the Russian military.
However, as a result of these setbacks, the UK Defence Secretary has since warned that Russia could soon escalate its attacks on major Ukrainian cities.
Despite how Putin appeared to have robustly prepared Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, having reportedly assembled 70% of the military personnel and weapons the country needed for a full-scale invasion by February 7, Sky News reports that the country is considered to have underestimated the strength of Ukrainian forces.
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Officials also think that the long list of sanctions that have been imposed on Russia by the West caught the Russian president by surprise.
However, while Putin's reported frustration and 'overestimation' of his country's strength could initially be interpreted as a positive sign for Ukraine and the West, government analysts have expressed concern over the extreme lengths that Russia may now turn to, particularly amid news of rising civilian fatalities despite Putin's previous declaration to not target them.
Earlier today, February 28, a cabinet meeting took place, overseen by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who reflected on Putin's 'overestimation' of the power of his Russian forces.
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A statement from Number 10 read, 'The prime minister said it is becoming clearer with each day that Putin had made a colossal mistake believing that the guns of his tanks would be garlanded with roses when instead the Ukrainian people had put up a fierce resistance in defence of their homeland.'
Johnson also revealed that further sanctions are set to be imposed on the Kremlin by the UK.
In its 'first barrage' of sanctions, the UK announced it would be freezing the assets of three 'high net worth' Russian individuals and banning the individuals from travelling to the UK. It also announced sanctions on five major Russian banks.
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US President Joe Biden also unveiled a series of 'severe sanctions' to 'limit Russia's ability to do business in dollars, pounds, euros and yen', designed to 'maximise the long term impact on Russia and to minimise the impact on the United States and our allies'.
Russian banks were also banned from the SWIFT banking system, and as a result, the ruble is now worth less than one cent.
As the fighting enters its fifth day, Putin has since placed the country's nuclear forces on 'enhanced combat duty', a result of what he claims were 'aggressive statements' from high-ranking members of Western governments.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin
Poppy Bilderbeck