Chilling warning UK must 'act now' or face fighting Russia in Ukraine war

24 February 2024 , 08:00

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Russian forces seized control of the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka last week - marking a big victory for Vladimir Putin (Image: Getty Images)

As the war enters its third year, a world affairs expert says 'only Western aid and arms will save Ukraine in 2024'.

On February 24, 2022, Europe woke up to war as Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine - and two years later, the conflict is still rife. Last week, the Kremlin leader won his biggest victory in Ukraine since the capture of Bakhmut in May 2023, as his forces seized control of Avdiivka and the Russian flag was raised.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that withdrawing troops from the eastern city was the "correct decision" and emphasised the priority of saving soldiers. He suggested that Russia has achieved little, adding that it had been attacking the city "with all the power that they had" since October and lost thousands of soldiers.

Professor Anthony Glees, from the University of Buckingham, explains that the fall of Avdiivka is a "heavy blow" to Zelensky, and while "retreat is better than sacrifice", the invasion is another marker that "Ukraine is struggling". He told the Mirror: "Sadly the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated to Putin's advantage. This is true in military terms but also political ones."

A Ukrainian soldier of the 41st brigade walks in a trench near the frontline in Kharkiv region in January 2024 (AFP via Getty Images)

It's believed that approximately 280,000 Russian soldiers have been badly wounded so far and at least 70,000 have been killed. Informed reports of Ukraine suggest 140,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been wounded since the war began and 70,000 dead. Prof Glees said Putin can "afford to lose many more men than Ukraine" as the population is almost four times greater.

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He explained that we should "not forget that Russia has suffered many serious setbacks", including the destroying of warships, but Ukraine has too. "There is only one conclusion for us to draw," the prof said. "Just as Ukraine was saved in 2022/2023 by Western aid and arms, it is only Western aid and arms that will save Ukraine in 2024."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits wounded Ukrainian soldiers in September 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

He continued: "This is more of a political will here in the West than anything else - we have the weapons that Ukraine needs." The prof highlights that Germany has not delivered the Taurus cruise missiles it promised and the UK has been too slow to give the longer-range missiles and fighter aircraft Ukraine needs.

"The UK and our partners in NATO must give Ukraine more of our weapons," Prof Glees said. "Zelensky's passionate plea one year ago in London - when he said 'We have freedom, give us wings to protect it' - was a call for F-16 jets. We should consider going beyond that - it could well be that ex-RAF pilots could match the Russian fighters now being used by Putin."

Addressing what the conflict will look like a year from now, Prof Glees believes Putin will continue to fight a conventional war and the UK will be forced into it. The world affairs expert said the Kremlin leader does "not intend to keep the peace of Europe", adding: "Ukraine's war is now our war. If he wins in Ukraine, then nowhere in Europe is safe from his ambitions."

Prof Glees continued: "We also need to think about Donald Trump winning in November - Putin will see this as a massive green light to try to absorb the Baltic Republics back into the Russian orbit." He said ultimately that would "pull the UK into a conventional continental war", adding: "It has always been so in British history and will remain so."

"In my opinion, 2024 is going to be the make-or-break year for Ukraine, but also for our future security here in the UK as well as the rest of Europe," the prof said. "Either we put everything we have into stopping and repelling Putin in Ukraine, or Putin wins. And if he wins, our future, especially with Trump back in the White House, looks bleak indeed."

Nia Dalton