Ukraine has the initiative in the war against Vladimir Putin and is pushing Russia back, according to Britain’s most senior military officer. Speaking at an arms fair in London. Sir Tony Radakin hit back at the idea Kyiv’s counteroffensive was struggling. “In the north they are holding and fixing Russian forces there and in the south they are making progress between 10 and 20km,” the Guardian reported him saying. His comments came as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky hailed in his nightly address what he described as Ukraine‘s destruction of a Russian air defence system in the annexed Crimea peninsula “I thank you for today’s triumph,” he said, a reference to Russia’s “Triumf” air defence system. “The invaders’ air defence system was destroyed. Very significant, well done.” Ukraine has said it also attacked two Russian patrol ships on Thursday, ramping up its strikes to challenge Moscow’s dominance in the Black Sea region. The Ukrainian military, in a post on Telegram messenger, said it hit two Russian patrol boats in the southwest of the Black Sea, causing “certain damage” in the attack. Read More Kim Jong Un stops to see a fighter jet factory as Russia and North Korea are warned off arms deals She danced with Putin at her wedding. Now the former Austrian foreign minister has moved to Russia What is a Storm Shadow cruise missile?