Vladimir Putin is making Russia pay an “extraordinary price” over his invasion of Ukraine, the UK’s defence chief warned today.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin suggested to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that the country may struggle to sustain the war beyond 2026 at this rate, due to the cost both the Russian army and the economy were enduring. 

Radakin said: “At the tactical level, Russia is paying an extraordinary price for Putin’s illegal invasion.

“October was the worst month for casualty figures for Russia so far.

“On average, over 1,500 people either killed or wounded every single day. And that is for tiny increments of land.

“There is no doubt that Russia is making tactical, territorial gains.

“And that is putting a pressure on Ukraine, because Ukraine is having to put more people to the frontline, and Ukraine is also under pressure from the airborne attacks and the long-range missiles which are impacting on their energy infrastructure, which again hits at the morale of the nation.”

However, he pointed out: “Russia is spending over 40% of its public expenditure now on defence and security.

“That’s more than it spends on education and health combined. That is an enormous drain on Russia on a country.”

“Are you suggesting that Putin can’t sustain this?” Kuenssberg asked.

“I’m saying the longer the war goes on Russia, the more difficult it is,” the defence chief replied. “Russia economy is under pressure. It will be OK this year, it can survive next year – if you look through next year and into 2026, the Russian economy is under more and more pressure.”

He said that the West has made it clear it will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

And, despite growing worries about the country’s defence spending, Radakin told Sky News on Sunday, the UK was “absolutely” ready to fight a war at scale.

“So our servicemen and women will always be ready to serve their nation and to do as the government of the day directs us to do,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s defence intelligence has also reported that Russia has intensified attempts to recruit from other countries around the world.

“Efforts are focused on several central African countries,” the UK’s ministry of defence explained in a social media update on Saturday. “This recruitment campaign is likely to replace Russia’s significant battlefield losses and sustain offensive activity across the front.

“Russia is likely expanding recruitment across the global south, to avoid additional mobilisation within Russia itself. 

“Previous mobilisations of Russians resulted in a record labour shortage and the mass departure of skilled workers such as doctors and IT professionals.”