Putin 'mirroring fascism' of 77 years ago, UK's Wallace says

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his generals are mirroring the fascism and tyranny of 77 years ago and their invasion of Ukraine dishonours its military past, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Monday.

In a speech to coincide with Russia's Victory Day parade commemorating the end of the World War Two, Wallace said the Russian generals were as complicit as their president, and should face court martial.

"Through the invasion of Ukraine, Putin and his inner circle of generals are now mirroring fascism and tyranny of 77 years ago, repeating the errors of the last century's totalitarian regime," he said.

Saying that Putin will be around for some time whatever happens in Ukraine, he added that Ukraine defeating the Russian army was very possible, while calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to terms with the fact that Moscow has lost in the long run.

"It is very possible that Ukraine will break the Russian army to the extent that they either have to go back to pre-February or they have to effectively fold in on itself," Wallace told an audience in the National Army Museum in London.

"He (Putin) must come to terms with how he's lost in the long run, and he's absolutely lost. Russia is not what it was."

Britain has been one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine's efforts to resist what Putin calls a "special operation" to disarm its smaller neighbour and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say this a false pretext for an unprovoked war of aggression by Russia.

Referring to Russian generals, Wallace said: "For them and for Putin there can be no victory day, only dishonour and surely defeat in Ukraine."