According to new data from British intelligence, almost 500,000 Russian soldiers have died since the start of the war in Ukraine. Anne Keest-Butler, head of the British intelligence agency GCHQ, said it showed Vladimir Putin was “retreating on the battlefield“, Sky News reported, quoted by Focus.
This is the first time the number of Russian soldiers killed has been given, with previous casualty figures usually including both the wounded and the killed.
Keest-Butler made the comments during the first of a series of annual security assessments, which took place this afternoon at Bletchley Park.
Setting out the agency's assessment of the security situation, she said Russia was “increasing its daily hybrid activity” against the UK and Europe and “relentlessly attacks critical infrastructure, democratic processes, supply chains and public trust“.
She said GCHQ “works tirelessly“ with intelligence and defence partners to “degrade and reduce the Russian threat“.
“One area we pay particular attention to is protecting the data and energy passing through critical cables and pipelines in and around British waters – we do this by exposing Russia's intentions, motives and undersea capabilities“, said Keest-Butler.
“We are also disrupting Russia's efforts to smuggle Western technology, repelling cyberattacks and countering reckless sabotage and assassination attempts.“