Putin ‘loses 38th, 39th and 40th colonels’ in Ukraine war in triple blow
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Vladimir Putin has reportedly lost his 38th, 39th and 40th colonels in the Ukraine war, adding to Russia’s mounting losses in the conflict. Russia’s battlefield losses and demonstrable operational failings stopped President Putin from announcing a success in the war at the Victory Day parade, the British defence ministry has claimed. Russia marks Victory Day, Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender in World War II, with the annual parade in Moscow's Red Square “Russia’s underestimation of Ukrainian resistance and its ‘best case scenario’ planning have led to demonstrable operational failings, preventing President Putin from announcing significant military success in Ukraine at the 9 May Victory Day parade,” the ministry claimed in an intelligence update. President Putin held Victory Day celebrations on Monday and delivered a speech in Moscow’s Red Square in which he blamed the West for the war.