UK spy chief says nearly 500,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine war

A senior UK intelligence official claims that nearly half a million Russian soldiers have been killed since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Anne Keast-Butler, the head of GCHQ, revealed this estimate in her inaugural speech, citing new intelligence, and noted that Russian forces are reportedly retreating on the battlefield for the first time in several years. This figure is considerably higher than previous estimates provided by independent Russian media outlets.

Meanwhile, Russia has passed a new law enabling its central bank, Sberbank, and other major financial institutions to establish their own drone defense systems and arm personnel. This legislation allows for the deployment of electronic warfare systems and the direct destruction of threatening drones, shifting the burden of protecting critical infrastructure onto these financial entities. This move comes as Ukraine continues its effective long-range drone campaign targeting Russian facilities.