Russia has not taken 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 told Sky News it was the UK government’s view that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends “to invade the whole of Ukraine”.

But he said Russia was “behind its hoped-for timetable” in the military action against its neighbour.

“Our assessment, as of this morning, is that Russia has not taken any of its major objectives,” the defence secretary said.

“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.

“So I think, 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.

Ukraine invasion: Asian shares rise on US rebound as West ‘blinks’ on Russia sanctions

Russian capture of Chernobyl sparks fears for hostages and condition of exploded reactor’s shelter

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has well and truly begun – here are three ways it could end

“And the Russian army has failed to deliver on day one its main objective.”

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine came despite a recent flurry of diplomatic activity to try and persuade Mr Putin to withdraw his forces from Ukraine’s borders.

But Mr Wallace dismissed the suggestion that Western nations had failed in their efforts to avert a conflict.

The defence secretary used a newspaper interview earlier this month to suggest there was a “whiff of Munich” about the Ukraine crisis.

Explaining those comments further, he said: “It wasn’t the bit about appeasement I was referring to, I was referring that in Munich in 1938, Adolf Hitler all along had a plan to invade parts of Europe.

“And all the diplomacy was about a straw man attempt by him to buy time. Putin has been set on this for many, many months and certainly over a year.

“It doesn’t matter how much effort we made, and we all made unbelievable efforts… it didn’t matter.”

Related posts:

Tearful Countess of Wessex says Queen ‘has been amazing’ as she leaves Windsor Castle 32 million people have had first COVID jab – and almost 7 million have received both doses Royal Mail issues four new stamps in memory of Prince Philip Woman who stabbed husband to death took over 999 call and refused to give aid, court hears Bravery awards for police officers following eye-gouging attack in water-logged storm drain ‘Alarming’ falls in life expectancy before COVID hit, new data shows – see where is worst in England Family of 10-year-old Jack Lis killed by dog pay tribute to ‘beautiful boy’ Man dies and woman critically injured in west London stabbings Refusal to increase killer’s sentence after he strangled woman during sex is ‘ultimate victim-blaming’ Husband of Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe ends hunger strike as his daughter ‘needs two parents’ Arrests made after Extinction Rebellion protests block Lord Mayor’s Show in London What is a sting jet and how could it make Storm Eunice deadly?