Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on how Ukrainian deep strikes are putting pressure on the Kremlin while Putin’s forces fail to advance

Olesia Horianinova, Co-Founder of The Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center discusses Ukraine’s reforms appearing to solve the problem of recruitment in the military and a similar crisis emerging in Russia’s theatre destabilising the Kremlin's power.

And Scott Lucas tells us that Putin's spring offensive has begun reports show Russia is making gains needed to make up for losses in early 2026

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“There are people saying one of the lessons the Kremlin has reiterated to it is the strength of American air power with what happened against the Ayatollah in Tehran and what happened to Maduro in Venezuela…maybe that fed Putin’s own paranoia.”

Putin’s disappearance from the political stage after Iran war ruins his last-ditch attempt to sort Russia-Ukraine negotiations, says former UK defence attache to Moscow and Kyiv John Foreman.

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“These are the acts of a scared little man.”

Vladimir Putin has switched off wifi access in Moscow and is avoiding the Kremlin by “hiding in a bunker somewhere” over fears to the risk to his own life, says financier and political activist Sir William Browder.

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Daniel Tkiie, Ukrainian news anchor and TV host, on how rising RUssian casualties are making putin’s war less and less popular among his people

Scott Lucas Professor of International Politics, University College Dublin gives us insight into the American perspective of the war. And why Trump’s concession to Iran over the Straits of Hormuz hurt him, could be a big win for Putin and a big loss for the Republicans in the midterms?

Diane Francis a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center tells us how the Ukrainian army has created digital killing zones and is creating a staggering amount of Russian casualties.

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“Russian territory is so large that Ukrainian drones can evade Russian air defences.”

Putin’s full-scale war against Ukraine has “backfired against Russia” as Ukraine ability to produce millions of drones can stop his offensive, says Ukrainian news anchor and TV host Daniel Tkiie.

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“This is about the fifth person in his inner circle who was about to be arrested for corruption.”

Putin’s problems amount as his éminence grise, Vladislav Surkov, “suddenly disappeared”, says Kremlinologist and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Diane Francis.

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“The weaknesses they have shown are very serious indeed…the quality of troops and fighting spirit, despite all their deprivations, the Ukrainian side is beginning to expose what a dreadful mess the Russian units are in .”

Ukraine have been taking advantage of Putin’s weaknesses on the battlefield as Russian troops turn on each other, says The Standard’s defence editor Robert Fox.

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“In terms of ability, competence, sophistication, Ukraine is streaks ahead.”

Ukraine’s ability to develop sophisticated strategies with their drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and airfields is making “Putin and his advisers think”, says former clerk in House of Commons for the defence committee Eliot Wilson.

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