Ukrainian intelligence chief 'optimistic' the war will end by yearend

In one of the most precise and optimistic predictions by a senior official so far, major General Kyrylo Budanov, head of the military intelligence of the Ukrainian army, said that seeing the current course of the war, it will reach a turning point in August and will be over by the end of the year.

Budanov, talking to Sky News, added that a coup to remove Vladimir Putin is already underway in Russia and that the Russian leader is "seriously ill."

General Budanov, who had correctly predicted the time of the Russian invasion before, is now saying that he is confident about predicting its conclusion too.

Saying "I'm optimistic" in English, he claimed that the breaking point will be in the second part of August.

"Most of the active combat actions will have finished by the end of this year," he added.

"As a result, we will renew Ukrainian power in all our territories that we have lost including Donbas and the Crimea."

RUSSIAN POWER IS A MYTH, A COUP IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP

Saying he was not surprised to see Russia's setbacks in the war, Budanov emphasized that they have been fighting for eight years with them and got to know them well.

"We can say that this highly publicized Russian power is a myth. It is not as powerful as this. It is a horde of people with weapons," he said.

He claimed that the Russian army has suffered heavy losses.

Budanov also made some remarks about a possible change in the Russian leadership and said that defeat in Ukraine would lead to removal of Russia's leader.

Responding to a question about a possible coup, he responded "Yes, they are moving in this way and it is impossible to stop it."