Vladimir Putin’s days as Russian president may be “numbered in a handful” after the mercenary Wagner Group launched an apparent coup attempt, according to the former head of the British army.
Lord Dannatt, the former chief of the general staff, said Ukraine could use the chaos engulfing the Putin regime to “really change the battlefield situation” in the war.
He spoke as Wagner troops continued their advance towards Moscow and the Russian president accused them of “treason”.
The dramatic developments came after months of tension between Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and Putin - his former ally - came to a head on Friday night.
Prigozhin accused Moscow of killing 2,000 of his men and warned that those responsible would be “punished”.
In a televised address on Russian TV this morning, Putin accused the Wagner Group of “a stab in the back” after they had initially fought alongside his troops in Ukraine.
He said: “Russia will defend itself and repel this move. We are fighting for the life and security of our citizens.”
Speaking on Times Radio, Lord Dannatt said: “Now, if they [Ukrainian forces] have found by now, one or two weak spots, this could well be the moment where there is huge confusion within Russia, huge confusion amongst the Russian military commander control for the Ukrainians to launch their ... manoeuvre brigade groups into a potential breakthrough situation, and really change the battlefield situation in Ukraine”
He added: “If that were to happen, allied with what Prigozhin is doing, then Putin’s days are numbered in a handful, and probably even less.”
Rishi Sunak called for all sides to “be responsible and to protect civilians”.
He spoke after foreign secretary James Cleverly chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency COBRA committee.
In their daily intelligence update on the war, the UK Ministry of Defence said the long-running tensions between the Wagner Group and the Russian military had “escalated into outright military confrontation”.
They said: “Over the coming hours, the loyalty of Russia’s security forces, and especially the Russian National Guard, will be key to how the crisis plays out.
“This represents the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times.”