The Financial Times reported on December 22 that Russian generals and security services regularly supplied Vladimir Putin with inaccurate information about the Ukraine war, influencing the decision to persist with attacks.
Financial Times claims Russian generals provide false intel
The British newspaper Financial Times published that Russian generals and security agencies routinely fed Vladimir Putin incorrect data about the Ukraine conflict. The report states the generals exaggerated Ukrainian soldier casualties, minimized Russian tactical setbacks, and highlighted an alleged Russian military advantage contrary to facts.
Generals exaggerate Ukrainian casualties and downplay Russian losses
According to the Financial Times, the generals inflated the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed and minimized Russia’s own tactical defeats, presenting a distorted picture of the battlefield.
Decision to attack Ukraine based on misinformation
Sources say the decision to continue attacks on Ukraine, against a U.S.-presented peace plan unfavorable to Russia, was made due to false information passed to the Kremlin by Russian commanders.
War in Ukraine: Putin claims strategic initiative
On December 19, during a four‑and‑a‑half‑hour press conference, Putin maintained that Russian forces had fully taken over the strategic initiative in the war, asserting ongoing success on the front.
Kremlin vows military action if Ukraine rejects terms
In the same briefing, Putin expressed that if Ukraine declined the Kremlin’s conditions in peace talks, Russia would achieve its objectives through military means.
