Wallace: Russia's behind hoped-for timetable with loss of 450 personnel
Russia has failed to deliver on any of its major objectives in the first 24 hours of its invasion of Ukraine and has lost more than 450 personnel, according to the UK's Defence Secretary.
Ben Wallace has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends "to invade the whole of Ukraine", but Russia was "behind its hoped-for timetable" in the military action against its neighbour.
The UK and US condemned Russia as it launched its invasion on Thursday, following a declaration of war by Putin, in the biggest attack on a European state since the Second World War.
Missiles pounded the Ukrainian capital on Friday as Russian forces pressed their advance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pleaded with the international community to do more, saying sanctions announced so far were not enough.
Mr Wallace added: "Our assessment, as of this morning (Friday), is that Russia has not taken any of its major objectives.
"In fact, it's behind its hoped-for timetable. They've lost over 450 personnel.
"One of the significant airports they were trying to capture with their elite Spetsnaz (special forces) has failed to be taken and, in fact, the Ukrainians have taken it back.
"Contrary to great Russian claims and, indeed, President Putin's vision that somehow the Ukrainians would be liberated and would be flocking to his cause – he's got that completely wrong.
"The Russian army has failed to deliver on day one its main objective," he added.
Watch: Prime Minister Boris Johnson calls out Putin's 'hideous and barbarous venture' in Ukraine.
Mr Wallace earlier in the week cast Putin, Russia's paramount leader since 1999, as illogical in a candid comment caught on camera.
Following the latest escalation in the Ukraine crisis, the Defence Secretary said: "I certainly think he has gone full tonto", adding that "no-one else in their right mind would do what we are seeing on our telly screens today."
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss echoed the statement on Twitter, she said Russia's assault on Ukraine is "barbaric, unjustified and shows a callous disregard for human life".
She tweeted: "Solidarity with (Ukrainian foreign minister) Dmytro Kuleba and the Ukrainian people.
"Putin's assault on Ukraine is barbaric, unjustified and shows a callous disregard for human life. We will continue to hold Putin to account and remain steadfast in our support. #StandwithUkraine".
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