Vladimir Putin is a ‘lunatic’ who suffers from ‘small man syndrome’

The Defence Secretary has called Vladimir Putin a ‘lunatic’ who has ‘small man syndrome’.

Ben Wallace hit out at the Russian President’s ‘macho’ view of the world after his boss Boris Johnson said a woman would not have invaded Ukraine.

‘Well I certainly think President Putin’s view of himself and the world is a small man syndrome, macho view,’ Mr Wallace told LBC.

Echoing the point made by the PM, he added: ‘You rarely hear the phrase small woman syndrome, you always hear small man syndrome. I think he’s certainly got it in spades.

‘But I think the real challenge here is the Russian system’s view that somehow some states are lesser than others, their rights don’t count.

‘If they want to paint themselves into a new history, they seem to think the way to do that is through violence and invasion.

‘And I think that’s something to worry about.’

He also mocked Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who he called a ‘comedy turn’.

Mr Wallace said: ‘She does her statement every week, threatening to nuke everyone or doing something or another.

‘She’s a lunatic like he is, so I’ll leave it to that,’ he added.

His comments come after Mr Johnson said Putin’s war was a ‘perfect example of toxic masculinity’ and argued for more women in positions of power.

The PM told German TV: ‘If Putin was a woman, which he obviously isn’t, but if he were, I really don’t think he would’ve embarked on a crazy, macho war of invasion and violence in the way that he has.

‘If you want a perfect example of toxic masculinity, it’s what he’s doing in Ukraine’.

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