
Top hardline Russian general warns Putin NOT to invade Ukraine
Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov penned an open letter in which he blasted Putin's 'criminal policy of provoking a war' despite Russia not facing any 'critical threats'.
A top retired Russian general has warned Vladimir Putin not to go to war with Ukraine, accusing the leader of whipping up an 'artificial' conflict to distract from his domestic problems.
Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov, 78, penned an open letter titled 'The Eve of War' in which he blasted Putin's 'criminal policy of provoking a war' despite Russia not facing any 'critical threats'.
The rare outburst of internal dissent comes as Emmanuel Macron jets to the Kremlin for crisis talks with Putin, a day after the White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said an invasion could come 'any day' at an 'enormous human cost'.
Ivashov, who has retired from military services and is active in politics as the chairman of the All-Russian Officers' Assembly, previously served as Putin's chief of military cooperation in the Ministry of Defence.
In an open letter on the assembly's website he said he fears Russia will become a 'pariah of the world community' if an invasion is launched.