Liz Truss has distanced herself from Boris Johnson’s claim that Russia wouldn’t have invaded Ukraine if Vladimir Putin was a woman.
The Prime Minister claimed the Russian President's devastating onslaught was the "perfect example of toxic masculinity" - and it wouldn't have been carried out by a female leader.
Ms Truss, one of the most senior women in Government, said it wasn't "helpful" to try to analyse how Putin thinks but he was clearly "capable of very, very evil acts".
The Foreign Secretary told Times Radio: "He ( Vladimir Putin ) clearly is capable of very, very evil acts...
"I don't pretend that I can conduct a psychological analysis on him, nor do I think it's helpful."
Asked if female leaders are less aggressive, Ms Truss said: "I think that both women and men are capable of terrible and appalling acts."
Pressed on whether the invasion would have happened regardless of Putin's gender, she told LBC: " I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that there are some very, very bad women and men.
"I wouldn't say it's an issue about what sex Vladimir Putin is, I think it's the fact that he has this ambition for a greater Russia that he's talked about for decades.
"That not enough was done after the Cold War to hold the Soviet Union to account for the crimes that had been committed and we allowed this situation to fester."
Putin hit back at the comments and said British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had launched military action.
He told reporters at a press conference in Turkmenistan: "I just want to recall the events of recent history, when Margaret Thatcher decided to launch military operations against Argentina for the Falkland Islands.
"So, a woman took the decision to launch military action.
"Therefore it's not an entirely accurate reference from the British Prime Minister to what is happening today."
It comes after Mr Johnson and G7 leaders mocked infamous photos of the Russian leader riding a horse shirtless.
On a warm day in the Bavarian Alps, the PM joked: "Shall we take our clothes off?"
He added: “We have to show that we’re tougher than Putin.”
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau quipped “bare chested horseback ride” in a reference to the infamous pictures of the Kremlin despot riding shirtless in the mountains in 2019.
Mr Johnson then could be heard, saying: "We've got to show our pecs."