Putin in Kremlin ‘already underway’ says Ukrainian spy chief – World News

The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, said a coup was already underway to overthrow Vladimir Putin and that Russia would be defeated by the end of the year

Ukraine’s spy chief claims a coup is underway in the Kremlin to remove Vladimir Putin, who is critically ill with cancer.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine appears to be far off plan for Putin, as his forces have struggled to make serious advances since it launched on February 24.

Stubborn resistance from Ukrainian fighters coupled with a lack of resolve by its own forces has led to a war of attrition.

The Russian president failed to announce a major breakthrough at the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, where he also appeared frail and kept warm with a blanket.

Rumors are now circulating that Putin is seriously ill, with some claiming that he has cancer.

And the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, said that a coup is currently underway in Russia to overthrow Putin.

He is also confident that Ukraine will defeat the Russian invasion by the end of the year and the turning point will be in August.

General Budanov is convinced that the loss for Russia will lead to Putin being removed from power.

“It will eventually lead to a leadership change in the Russian Federation. That process has already started and they are moving in that direction,” he told Sky News.

When asked if a coup had already begun, he replied: “Yes. They move that way and it’s impossible to stop him.”

The general claimed Putin had cancer and said he was in “very bad mental and physical condition and he was very ill”.

Regarding the Russian invasion, he claimed: “The turning point will be in the second half of August.

“Most of the active combat will be completed by the end of the year. It will eventually lead to a change of leadership in the Russian Federation. This process has already started.

“As a result, we will renew Ukrainian power in all our territories.”

It comes as Ukrainian forces destroyed parts of a Russian tank column as it attempted to cross a river in the Donbass region, Ukrainian military video showed on Friday.

Fighters have driven Russia out of Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv in their fastest advance since Kremlin forces withdrew from Kyiv and the northeast more than a month ago to focus their offensive on Russia’s bordering Donbass region.

The city, which has been under heavy shelling, has been quiet for at least two weeks and Ukraine now controls the area stretching to the Siverskyi Donets River, some 40 km to the east.

However, Moscow is still bombing villages north of Kharkiv.

About six miles north of the city, firefighters doused smoldering debris in Dergachi after local officials said it was an overnight Russian missile attack on the culture house used to distribute relief supplies.

Volunteers inside attempted to recover packages of baby diapers and formula.

“I can only call it an act of terrorism,” said Mayor Vyacheslav Zadorenko. “They wanted to hit the base where we are storing supplies and cause a humanitarian catastrophe.”