Ukraine news latest: Putin losing his grip as UK says Russia’s ‘churn’ of generals shows ‘cracks are forming in Kremlin’

VLADIMIR Putin is likely losing his grip on the Ukraine war as he “churns” through commanders, British intelligence claims. Russian leader Vladimir Putin told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday he was keen to ramp up military cooperation and hailed the two nation’s efforts to counter Western influence. But new information from the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) claims the tyrant has appointed “at least” his fourth commander – showing divisions forming in the Kremlin over his Ukraine war strategy. The MoD tweeted: “Lieutenant General Yevgeniy Nikiforov is likely in the process of taking over command of Russia’s Western Group of Forces (WGF) in Ukraine. He would be at least the fourth commander of the formation since the invasion, and replaces Colonel General Sergei Kuzovlev, who was appointed just three months ago.” It added: “The continued churn of senior Russian officers probably reflects internal divisions regarding the Russian Ministry of Defence’s future conduct of the war.” Read our Ukraine war blog below for the latest news…