Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has suggested troops may need to reach Kyiv to achieve Moscow goals.

Mr Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said the Ukrainian government “must fall” in comments reported by state news agency TASS.

It’s the first time a high-profile Russian politician has suggested the move since Vladimir Putin’s obscure reference in June: “Should we return there or not?… Only I can answer this myself.”

Russian forces tried – and failed – to capture the capital just hours after Mr Putin ordered troops into Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Hundreds of helicopter-borne “Spetsnaz” special forces commandos tried to seize a lightly defended airfield on Kyiv’s doorstep.

But despite months of preparation, the Russians were ill-equipped to deal with fierce Ukrainian resistance.

They proved incapable of adjusting to setbacks, misjudged Ukraine’s air defence capabilities and bungled the movement of supplies.

Ukraine forced Russia to rethink its invasion plan that had expected Kyiv to fall within days.