Russia’s most powerful banker has broken ranks and called on Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine as soon as possible. 

German Gref, who heads up the state-controlled Sberbank, said that Russians are deeply concerned by the worsening economic conditions of the country, which are being exacerbated by the war and Ukraine’s strikes on oil refineries. 

He said in an interview with state TV: ‘I think what’s worrying every one of us is one and the same thing.

‘I don’t think there’s a single person who isn’t concerned about anything other than a rapid end of hostilities, that’s clear.’

Gref’s unprecedented public plea came as a poll showed 81% of Russians want the war to end, the highest since the conflict began, according to the Kyiv-based Russian Institute for Conflict Study and Analysis.  

The banker has already made clear the war, with its high military spending, is leading to havoc in the economy which is suffering from petrol queues, falling wages, redundancies, soaring prices and cripplingly high interest rates.

He warned Putin: ‘We have already overcooled the economy.’

The plea to Putin also comes as Ukraine’s defence minister warned in a letter that the nation has a window of opportunity of between six and nine months on the battlefield to take advantage over Russia.  

German Gref, who heads up the state-controlled Sberbank, said that Russians are deeply concerned by the worsening economic conditions of the country

Ukraine has been striking key Russian facilities, like the Kapotnya Oil Refinery which sits just ten miles from Moscow

Ukraine’s top military commander also said in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that his forces were preparing for a possible new Russian attack from the north, but any attempt to advance on Kyiv was unlikely.

Oleksandr Syrskyi, interviewed on TSN Ukrainian television, also said an attack from neighbouring Belarus was unlikely after weeks of Ukrainian allegations that Moscow was trying to press its ally to play a greater role in the war.

‘The most likely scenario, and this is confirmed by several data sources, is possible offensive action in the north from the territory of Russia, from the Bryansk region,’ Syrskyi said.

‘This is a realistic option, of course, and we are preparing for it.’

The aim of such an operation, he said, was not to try to move on Kyiv as Russian forces had attempted to do after their February 2022 invasion before withdrawing and focusing on the Donbas region in the east.

Instead, they would try to seize territory in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region and draw Ukrainian forces engaged elsewhere along the 775-mile front line.

Such a strategy would amount to ‘stretching the front and depriving us of reserves.’

But Belarus, which allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to use its territory in launching his initial push into Ukraine, was unlikely to agree to further involvement, he said. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has for weeks warned Belarus against embarking on such a venture.

A Russian TOS-1 Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions on June 30 2026

A rescuer evacuates a resident Valentina Kolokolova, 76, from her apartment building hit by a Russian air strike in the town of Kramatorsk, June 30, 2026

‘In view of recent events, I don’t think the Belarusian leadership would opt to use their own territory and give it to the aggressor to use as a staging area for an offensive operation,’ Syrskyi said. ‘At the same time, of course, we are taking this possibility into account as well.’

Zelensky earlier this month gave Belarus, under veteran President Alexander Lukashenko, a week to dismantle relay stations Kyiv said were being used to attack Ukraine. Zelensky has since said the stations are no longer operating.

In his comments to the broadcaster, Syrskyi also said there were indications that Russian troops were exhausted and the intensity of front-line battles was declining.

He said Russian frontline activity had declined by 30% while Ukrainian forces pressed on with a campaign of long-range strikes against Russian targets, mainly linked to the oil industry.