Russia suffers worst month for casualties, says UK defence chief

Russia has suffered its worst ever period for casualties since the commencement of the warfare successful Ukraine, the UK main of defence unit has told the BBC.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said Russia’s forces suffered an mean of astir 1,500 dormant and injured "every azygous day" successful October, bringing its losses to 700,000 since the warfare began successful February 2022.

Russia does not disclose the fig of its warfare dead, but Western defence officials person said October's decease toll was the heaviest truthful far.

In an interrogation with BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Sir Tony said the Russian radical were paying an "extraordinary price" for Putin's invasion.

"Russia is astir to endure 700,000 radical killed oregon wounded – the tremendous symptom and suffering that the Russian federation is having to carnivore due to the fact that of Putin’s ambition," said Sir Tony.

He said the losses were for "for tiny increments of land".

"There is nary uncertainty that Russia is making tactical, territorial gains and that is putting unit connected Ukraine," helium said.

But helium added that Russia is spending much than 40% of its nationalist expenditure connected defence and security, which helium said was "an tremendous drain" connected the country.

While allies of US President-elect Donald Trump importune that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky whitethorn person to cede territory to bring the struggle to an end, Sir Tony insisted that Western allies would beryllium resolute for "as agelong arsenic it takes".

"That’s the connection President Putin has to sorb and the reassurance for President Zelensky," helium told the programme.

Trump has consistently said his precedence is to extremity the warfare and stem what helium characterises arsenic a drain connected US resources, successful the signifier of subject assistance and fiscal enactment to Ukraine.

But helium has yet to divulge however helium intends to bash truthful - and volition apt beryllium proceeding competing visions for Ukraine's aboriginal from his assorted advisers.

Earlier this week, Putin congratulated Trump connected his predetermination triumph and said Trump's assertion that helium tin assistance extremity the warfare successful Ukraine "deserves attraction astatine least".

Trump's Democratic opponents person accused him of cosying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin and accidental his attack to the warfare amounts to surrender for Ukraine that volition endanger each of Europe.

Bryan Lanza, a Trump governmental advisor during his 2016 and 2024 campaigns, has said the incoming medication volition absorption connected achieving bid successful Ukraine alternatively than enabling the state to summation backmost territory occupied by Russia.

Mr Lanza told the BBC the incoming medication would inquire President Zelensky for his mentation of a "realistic imaginativeness for peace".

A spokesperson for Trump distanced the incoming president from the remarks, saying Mr Lanza "does not talk for him".

Last month, Zelensky presented a "victory plan" to the Ukrainian parliament that included a refusal to cede Ukraine’s territories and sovereignty.

The Kremlin dismissed the program with a spokesperson saying Kyiv needed to "sober up".