Russia more dependent on 'unreliable' partners - NATO admiral

Russia is becoming more dependent on "unreliable actors" because of battlefield failures, Western sanctions and its diplomatic isolation, according to a top NATO admiral.

While Moscow's forces are increasingly losing ground in Ukraine, the whole of Russia is suffering from these combined effects, Admiral Robert Bauer told the annual conference of the NATO Military Committee in Oslo on Saturday.

"Russia is forced to cooperate with unreliable actors and is growing ever more dependent," the Dutch chairman of the committee said, without naming any specific person or country.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, from whom he is said to be seeking large additional stocks of ammunition for the campaign in Ukraine.

Putin is also in frequent contact with other controversial rulers such as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Bauer said the Russian leadership believed it would weather the determination of the Ukrainian people and their allies, regardless of the high cost.

"Russia has been preparing for a confrontation for years and they are willing for their population and economy to endure unending hardships in order to regain military capability," Bauer said.