MI6 chief Richard Moore says he sees "no evidence" that Russian President Vladimir Putin has any interest in a negotiated peace short of Ukrainian capitulation.

In a speech in Istanbul, Moore also said Putin has "bitten off more than he can chew" and underestimated Ukrainians in the war.

"He seeks to impose his imperial will by all means at his disposal. But he cannot succeed," he said.

"Bluntly, Putin has bitten off more than he can chew. He thought he was going to win an easy victory. But he - and many others - underestimated the Ukrainians."

Moore was speaking at the British consulate in Istanbul after five years as head of MI6. He leaves the post at the end of September.

During his tenure, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a war that has seen tens of thousan

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