CIA chief: Putin wrong if he thinks he can win war of attrition in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin is "probably too healthy", the head of the CIA has said, playing down rumours the Russian president is suffering a serious illness such as cancer.

William Burns, in a rare public appearance, also said Russia's leader would be proved wrong in a belief he can win a bloody war of attrition against Ukraine - as he had previously been proved wrong to assume his forces could capture Kyiv within the first few days of the invasion, according to Sky News. 

Covering a range of topics at a security forum in Aspen, Colorado, the spymaster spoke about China, warning that the risk of Chinese forces invading Taiwan will grow this decade.

He said Chinese President Xi Jinping's determination to assert control over the territory should not be underestimated.

Mr Burns was asked if he thought Mr Putin was unstable and unhealthy.

"As far as we can tell he's probably too healthy," Mr Burns said, before quipping that this was an "informal intelligence judgement".

The CIA chief, also a former US ambassador to Moscow, has watched and dealt with Mr Putin for more than two decades.

He said the president believed his destiny was to restore Russia as a great power. Key to this was control of Ukraine.

Offering the US intelligence community's latest estimate of the casualty toll from Russia's invasion, which is nearing the end of its fifth month, Mr Burns said it stood at around 15,000 Russian dead and some three-times that number wounded.

He said the Ukrainian toll was also steep - "probably a little less" than the Russian figures.