Putin’s biggest Ukraine challenge? Kyiv spy chief reveals timeline

Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing for more than four years with no resolution on the horizon despite the US-brokered efforts to initiate a peace deal.

In the midst of escalating tension, Kyiv’s spy chief predicted that Russia could one of the biggest challenges related to his war machine that could be the turning point in the conflict.

Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, the head of the intelligence directorate in Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, said the Russian army could run off troops and military resources by 2028 with morale “very low” in Moscow ranks.

There is a high possibility that Russia’s resources will only last for another 16 months. “Russia has military and economic resources for the next year, but we estimate it will end in 2028,” he said.

“Russia recruits roughly 1,000 people every day, sometimes 1,200, but look at these casualty figures. Yesterday it was 1,410, the day before it was 1,511. Of those, around 60 per cent are killed in action,” he added.

“Morale is very low because nobody wants to fight.”

The prediction comes as the US is trying to mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Last week, the Trump administration's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visited Moscow and Kyiv.

Although no breakthrough had been achieved during the talks, both sides did not rule out the possibility of coming back to the negotiation table. Even Russia signalled the possibility of resuming peace talks with Kyiv.

Despite the prospects of peace deal, both sides have been engaged in military strikes since the returning of envoys to Washington