ukraine war
But Sir Tony Radakin warned it was still likely the war would "grind on for a long time".
Vladimir Putin's troops abandon high-tech equipment in a sign of "likely localised breakdowns in command and control", according to the MoD.
Ukrainians believe the third phase of Russia's invasion is about to start.
Foreign secretary Liz Truss brands Moscow's actions "appalling" and says "not a word" Vladimir Putin says can be trusted.
“I think that both women and men are capable of terrible and appalling acts," the foreign secretary said.
The UK government is urgently investigating reports that Russian forces have used agents in the besieged city of Mariupol.
Kit Malthouse said he understood why people were 'disappointed' that only 12,000 refugees had arrived in the UK so far.
Officials from both the UK and the US have claimed that the Russian president is in trouble due to his failing offensive in Ukraine.
It comes after McDonald's shut down all of its restaurants in the country over the "needless human suffering" in Ukraine.
The Brexit opportunities minister said allegations of pandemic rule-breaking now appeared 'fundamentally trivial'.