Putin unlikely to succeed in occupying Ukraine, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace says

Ben Wallace discusses Ukraine crisis at conference in Copenhagen, Denmark

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace speaks after co-hosting a donor conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to succeed in occupying Ukraine, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has “faltered” and is “starting to fail”, Mr Wallace said, as he pledged more financial and military support to the Eastern European nation’s defence.

Denmark joined the UK in offering more aid to Ukraine at a conference in Copenhagen on Thursday, co-hosted by Mr Wallace.

The defence secretary said it was important to understand that fighting and loss of life were still taking place, but added Russia was “starting to fail in many areas”.

“They have failed so far and are unlikely to ever succeed in occupying Ukraine,” he said.

“Their invasion has faltered and constantly been remodified to the extent they are really only focusing in parts of the south and in the east — a long, long way away from their three-day so-called special operation.”

He said that three days have turned into more than 150 days, with huge significant losses of both equipment and personnel.

“President Putin will have gambled that come August, come a few months in, we will have all got bored of the conflict and the international community would have gone off in different directions. Well, today is proof of the opposite,” said the defence secretary.

“We have come out of this meeting with more pledges of finance, more pledges of training and more pledges of military aid, all designed to help Ukraine win, to help Ukraine stand up for its sovereignty and indeed to ensure that President Putin’s ambitions fail in Ukraine as they rightly should.”

Ukraine mine clearers reveal Russian ammunition and booby traps — in pictures

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  With Russian mines planted beneath many of Ukraine’s roads, driving in formerly occupied territory is hazardous. All photos: Halo Trust

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  The Halo Trust charity is trying to track down unexploded bombs.

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  Some of the abandoned cars on Ukraine’s roads have been damaged by mines.

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  Others were civilian accidents.

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  Anti-tank mines have been buried 10 to 20 centimetres under roads, with only the detonator tip in view.

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  Ploughing and harvesting have become hazardous, as this burnt-out tractor shows.

Mr Wallace said allies will need to soon start buying weapons from other countries or “placing orders in factories to increase ammo supply to Ukraine” as their own reserve stocks are depleted.

The Ministry of Defence earlier confirmed it would send more weapons to Ukraine to help it defend itself against Russia’s invasion.

These will include multiple-launch rocket systems as well as precision-guided missiles, which can strike targets up to 80 kilometres away and are designed to defend against Russian heavy artillery.

“Our continued support sends a very clear message: Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder to shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putin’s invasion,” said Mr Wallace.

Putin's inner circle — in pictures

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  Head of Russia's SVR intelligence service Sergei Naryshkin has seen his status eroded by the strong resistance encountered in Ukraine, which he did not foresee. EPA

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  Head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency Dmitry Rogozin has threatened to abandon a Nasa astronaut on the International Space Station. AFP

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  Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was one of the architects of Moscow's intervention in Syria. AFP

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  Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Russia's oil giant Rosneft chief Igor Sechin. He has been described as Mr Putin's right-hand man. AFP

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  Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev attends a meeting in Moscow. He is said to have known Mr Putin for 50 years. AFP

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  Sergei Ivanov, Russian special representative on questions of ecology and transport, is a close friend of Mr Putin. AFP

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  Federal Security Service director Alexander Bortnikov is responsible for a huge network of agents in Russia. AFP

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  At 58, president of the Duma Lower House of Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin is one of the younger members of the inner circle. He has been touted as a possible successor to Mr Putin. AFP

Ukrainian troops have been trained in the UK on how to use the launchers and the UK has also committed to training 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers in infantry battlefield skills over the coming months.

Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands have all announced they will be supporting the programme.

The UK has previously supplied Ukraine with various weapons, including the NLAW anti-tank missile launcher, which was considered instrumental in the initial defence against Moscow’s invasion.

Putin hits back at G7 leaders who mocked him — video

It comes as the International Fund for Ukraine has been expanded, with £250 million ($305m) of the £1 billion total given by the UK to provide military equipment and other support, aimed at ensuring the provision of new weapons and the maintenance and repair of existing kit.