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“Putin Has Bitten Off More Than He Can Chew”: Outgoing MI6 Chief Slams Kremlin Leader
Russian leader Vladimir Putin miscalculated when he expected a quick victory in Ukraine, Britain’s outgoing MI6 chief Richard Moore said, warning that the Kremlin leader has overplayed his hand and is dragging his country toward decline, Reuters reported on September 19.
“Putin has bitten off more than he can chew. He thought he would win easily. But he—and many others—underestimated the Ukrainians,” Moore said in a speech in Istanbul.
The intelligence chief added he sees “no evidence” that Putin is prepared for peace talks beyond Ukraine’s surrender. Instead, Moore argued, the Russian leader is “buying time” while insisting progress is being made.
“Putin wanted to convince the world that Russia’s victory is inevitable. But he lies. He lies to the world. He lies to his own people. Maybe he even lies to himself,” Moore said.
The MI6 director accused Putin of “mortgaging the future of his country for the sake of his personal legacy and a distorted version of history,” adding that the war is accelerating Russia’s decline.
Moore’s remarks came during a speech in which he also announced new MI6 plans to use the dark web to recruit informants and gather intelligence worldwide. His comments mark one of his final public addresses before stepping down at the end of the month.
Earlier, Ukraine’s parliament ratified a landmark agreement with the United Kingdom establishing a “100-year partnership” aimed at strengthening defense, security, and economic cooperation for generations to come.
