Vladimir Putin is facing the possibility of a humiliating need to surrender as his efforts in Ukraine continue to lay waste to Russia’s energy infrastructure, experts have said.
They have warned that the continued strikes could see the Kremlin forced to wave the white flag by next year.
Retired US Army officer Ben Hodges has said that momentum has shifted to President Zelensky and Ukraine in recent weeks.
The Russian war machine is facing fuel shortages, energy blackouts and long queues at petrol stations as Kyiv has continued to attack oil depots and refineries.
Mr Hodges told The Sun: “It’s clear to almost anybody that’s watching that the momentum has shifted in favour of Ukraine.
“The momentum has shifted because the Russian ground operations have been stopped and the Russian Navy is barely a factor anymore.
“Ukraine’s long-range missile strikes are wrecking Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure and if they can continue this over the coming weeks, then it will be long term damage.
“If they can sustain this, going towards the end of the year, it will be very, very difficult for the Russians to support their own operations.
Vladimir Putin could be forced to admit a humiliating defeat in the near future as Ukraine continues to attack key infrastructure
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“I don’t think they’ll be able to sustain it at this sort of level deep into next year.”
Ex-British intelligence officer Philip Ingram also said: “What we’re seeing is definitely the start of a new chapter in the war.
“It’s taken Ukraine a significant amount of time to develop the technology, build the manufacturing capacity and build the numbers of drones that they have done.
“They’re starting to have an effect because Vladimir Putin himself has admitted the difficulties that Ukrainian drone attacks are having on fuel supplies across Russia.”
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Ukraine strikes have had a devastating effect on Russia's energy supply
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In a rare confession last week, Mr Putin admitted Russia was facing “problems” following the targeted Ukrainian strikes.
More than 50 regions are now facing severe fuel crises, and most fuel stations are imposing strict limits on amounts.
Mr Hodges added: “It’s definitely not the time for Ukraine to take its foot off the gas pedal when it comes to Crimea.”
He said that Kyiv’s campaign is “going to get worse and worse for Russia as the summer goes along, because Ukraine are going to keep getting better and better with their long- range precision strikes.
“It feels like they are increasing the scale of what they’re doing, not just the quality… the war is coming home to them.”
The ex-officer also highlighted that three key areas that Ukraine needs to address to finally end the war."
He continued: “Number one, is Ukraine able to sustain what it’s doing? Number two, will the West contribute to that specific capability?
“And number three, whether or not Russia finally figures out a way to do a better job of protecting their own facilities.”