Britain's spy chief claims intelligence win on Putin's invasion of Ukraine

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Political Director Richard Moore attends a working session during the Foreign ministers of G7 nations meeting in Dinard, France, April 6, 2019. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/Pool

LONDON (Reuters) - Spies in the United States and Britain scored an intelligence victory by uncovering Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to order the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, Britain's foreign spy chief has claimed.

Kremlin chief Putin used an early morning address to the nation on Feb. 24 to order "a special military operation" against Ukraine, just three days after recognising two Russian-backed rebel regions of Ukraine.