Ukraine's top intelligence officer has claimed the only way Russia's invasion of his homeland will end is if Vladimir Putin dies.
Spy chief Kyrylo Budanov said it is 'unrealistic' to think that Moscow will completely pull its forces out of Ukraine.
"He is a war criminal for the whole world. This is his end, he drove himself into a dead end," Budanov told The New Voice Of Ukraine.
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Although the spy boss did not offer up any details on a potential ousting or assassination of the Russian leader, Budanov said 'Ukraine will win'.
Budanov told the Ukrainian media outlet that Putin's fall would cause political chaos in Russia, with one possible outcome resulting in Russia as we know it being divided up.
"The new leader will say that Russia has nothing to do with all these processes [against Ukraine], it was a sick dictator, and the country is useless," he said.
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"In this case, Russia will give up all its occupied territories - from the islands of Japan to Königsberg (present-day Kaliningrad), which belongs to Germany."
He added that despite Russia's chest-beating rhetoric with the Western world, the Kremlin is incredibly aware of the true damage that global sanctions are inflicting on their nation and its people.
"They are afraid of losing their wealth," he said. "And they understand how it will end very quickly for them."
Talk of Putin's downfall comes in the lead-up to May 9, which is known as Victory Day in Russia.
The day is widely celebrated by Russians as it marks when the Soviets drove the Nazis out of their country in 1945.
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Budanov reckons Putin sees Victory Day as a deadline for glory in the Ukrainian invasion.
He believes the Russian President is now scrambling to mobilise more forces ahead of May 9.
"They had the main deadline - to have time to finish by April 24… they completely failed him," the spy boss said to The New Voice Of Ukraine.
"The second date is to complete the operation at least in Donbas by May 9.
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"Putin cannot admit that he is losing to Ukraine."
The head of Ukrainian intelligence also said that if Russia does use nuclear weapons, as they have threatened to do so against Western interference, it will ‘simply hasten the end of Russia’.
He added: “This war is over.”
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Featured Image Credit: Sipa US / Alamy Stock Photo. Agencja Fotograficzna Caro / Alamy Stock Photo.Topics: Ukraine, News, Russia, Vladimir Putin
