Putin ‘trying to deflect responsibility for military failure’, says UK

Televised meeting with Shoigu, Surovikin and Gerasimov likely a bid to ‘demonstrate collective responsibility’, says Ministry of Defence

Vladimir Putin has attempted to deflect responsibility for his ailing war in Ukraine by staging a “choreographed” televised meeting with top Russian officials also involved in the invasion, the UK has suggested.

As his war grinds into its 10th month, with winter setting in, the Russian president visited what was reported by Russian media to be his Ukraine command headquarters last Friday, the location of which was not disclosed.

He was filmed meeting with several senior military officers, including Russia’s chief of general staff Valery Gerasimov and defence secretary Sergei Shoigu.