Russia’s military is almost exhausted and Ukraine will have an opportunity to counterattack in the coming weeks, Britain’s intelligence chief said on Thursday.
The United States has also signaled that it will provide Kyiv with new fighter jets for the first time.
It came as the long-awaited deal on a UN plan to unblock Ukrainian grain exports was due to be signed in Istanbul on Friday.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, and officials from Russia and Ukraine will observe the signing ceremony, according to a statement on Thursday from Ankara.
Richard Moore, the head of MI6, said intelligence showed Vladimir Putin’s army was “running out of steam” and suggested a successful Ukrainian counter-strike could come in time to rally European support ahead of the winter gas crisis.
“Our assessment is that it will be increasingly difficult for the Russians to deliver people and material over the next few weeks,” he told the Aspen Security Conference in the United States.
“They’re going to have to pause somehow and that will give the Ukrainians an opportunity to hit back – their morale is still high and they’re starting to get more and more good weapons.”
“Frankly, it will be an important reminder to the rest of Europe that this is a winning campaign,” he added.
“Winter is coming and obviously in this atmosphere with all the pressure on gas supplies and everything else we’re in for some tough times.”
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