Ex UK Mi6 Chief: "Putin Needs Ceasefire Badly. The War Has Been A Disaster"

The UK's former director of Mi6, the country's famed external security organization, says that Putin desperately needs a ceasefire, probably more than he realizes, because he is lied to by his military chiefs who are fearful of being demoted - or "falling out of a window." 

The Kremlin's negotiating position is worse than its obstinacy suggests - or, perhaps, than it realizes, because Russian failures on the battlefield are becoming more common more frequently and are due to a cascading series of problems including desertion, drunkenness, equipment and weapons shortages - and economic pressures at home. In addition, successful Ukrainian targeting of specific ammunition and oil facilities are depleting Russian forces' ability to advance and even to fight. JL

Yevhenia Martinyuk reports in Euromaidan Press:

Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove urges Western leaders to ignore Russian propaganda about military advances in Ukraine, stating Putin’s negotiating position is weaker than it appears. “Russia needs a ceasefire badly—more than Putin realises. The war has been a disaster.” Russia’s cash reserves are running out, and also faces decreased soldier motivation, less ammunition, and equipment shortages.  "It would take the Russians 80 years to conquer Ukraine."

Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove urges Western leaders to ignore Russian propaganda about military advances in Ukraine, stating Putin’s negotiating position is weaker than it appears.

Speaking to Gillian Joseph on Sky News’ The World, Sir Richard noted that at Russia’s current pace, “it would take them 80 years to conquer Ukraine.”

“The worst deal would be an early ceasefire, which makes unnecessary concessions on the Russian side because Ukraine has been pushed to the table to negotiate,” Dearlove warned. 

According to him, Putin’s Ukrainian policy “has no reverse gear” while he continues demanding maximum terms.

The former intelligence chief explained, “Russia probably needs a ceasefire rather badly—more than Putin himself realises. The war has been a disaster.” Dearlove cited Russia’s significant economic problems with cash reserves running out, alongside military challenges: decreased soldier motivation, less ammunition, and equipment shortages.

Trump’s moves risk aiding Russia

Since taking office nearly 100 days ago, US President Donald Trump has made ending Russia’s war against Ukraine his top priority. While Zelenskyy agreed with Trump’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire, Putin continued negotiations with Washington about the details.

 

Experts suggest that Putin deliberately prolongs negotiations because his forces currently hold certain battlefield advantages. A ceasefire along the current line of contact would prevent him from fully capturing the four Ukrainian regions Russia claims to have annexed in 2022: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

“Ironically, Putin may actually be playing into the West’s hands by saying, ‘Well, I’m going to accept a ceasefire,’ but doing nothing about it,” Sir Richard observed. “Look at the way that he has escalated the attacks during this period, particularly on civilian targets.”

While Russia recaptured the Kursk salient, Dearlove noted they did so “largely in the eight days when Trump suspended tactical intelligence support for the Ukrainians,” demonstrating “the importance of American support for the Ukrainian situation.”

“Russia is being allowed the upper hand by the Trump administration at the moment. But in practice, the irony is that Putin probably needs a ceasefire pretty badly,” Sir Richard concluded.