Vladimir Putin is “mirroring fascism and tyranny” of the Second World War, Ben Wallace has said.
In a speech on Monday morning, the defence secretary accused leaders of Russia’s armed forces of “amorality and corruption”.
And he condemned the “unprovoked, illegal, senseless and self-defeating” invasion of Ukraine.
It came as Putin used a speech in Moscow marking Russia’s Victory Day holiday to claim the war was necessary to ward off “an absolutely unacceptable threat just next to our borders”.
He has repeatedly alleged that Ukraine was planning to attack Russia – which Kyiv has flatly denied.
“The danger was rising by day,” he said, adding that “Russia has pre-emptively repulsed an aggression”.
Putin again scolded the West for failing to heed the Russian demands for security guarantees and a rollback to Nato’s expansion, arguing that it also left Moscow no other choice but to invade.
But he did not give any signal as to the next phase of the conflict.
In his speech, Wallace said: “Through the invasion of Ukraine, Putin, his inner circle, his generals, are now mirroring fascism and tyranny 77 years ago, repeating the errors of the last century’s totalitarian regimes.
“Their unprovoked, illegal, senseless and self-defeating invasion of Ukraine, their attacks against innocent civilians on their homes, their widespread atrocities, including the deliberate targeting of women and children.
“They all corrupt the memory of past sacrifices and Russia’s once proud global reputation.
He added: “The response to this failure by the Russian forces on the ground in Ukraine has in itself been a disgraceful display of self-preservation, doubling down on failure, anger, dishonesty and scapegoating.”
The most intense combat in recent days has taken place in eastern Ukraine, as Russia seeks to capture the crucial southern port city of Mariupol.
