Russia 'massing troops and guns' as first anniversary of Ukraine invasion looms

07 February 2023 , 18:00

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Russia launched its invasion on February 24 last year (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Russia is “massing troops and fire power” for a renewed attack in Ukraine as the first anniversary of the invasion looms, Labour warned tonight.

Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey told military experts that “a year on, there is no sign (Vladimir) Putin’s strategic aims have changed”.

Speaking at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, he said: “Putin is expanding his war effort, massing troops and fire power for further offensives with his industry on wartime production.”

Pointing to the Kremlin’s 2014 annexing of Crimea and support for Moscow-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine, Mr Healey added: “Ukraine has been fighting Russia for nine years now, not one.

“This is long term.

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“The next Government will inherit the Ukraine conflict and Russia’s wider aggression.”

Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

He warned that “Russia is far from a spent force, despite the massive damage Ukraine has inflicted on its military.”

But while he backed the Tories’ support for Kyiv, the Labour frontbencher said that “in truth, there has been a void in government vision about ‘what next?’”

Attacking Conservative cuts to Army troop numbers and tanks, he called on ministers to switch tack in next month’s Budget and the latest Integrated Review of defence and foreign policy.

“No country comes out of a war as it went in and there’s been strategic inertia from British ministers over any domestic or international rethink,” said Mr Healey.

“The central question is, ‘Can this Government rise to respond to this challenge in next month’s new Integrated Review and Spring Budget, or are ministers too concerned with week-to-week survival to face the major decisions to secure the country’s future?’”

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (AFP via Getty Images)

He also urged the Conservatives to refocus on Europe rather than deploying the military to the Indo-Pacific as part of a post-Brexit strategy.

“The Tories’ post-Brexit blind spot on Europe must be corrected, we must rebuild relationships with our European allies to make Brexit work,” he said.

“Just as we would not expect Japan or Australia to deploy much of their military to Europe, nor does it make sense – especially at this moment – for UK forces to devote an increasing share of their scarce resources to the Indo-Pacific.”

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