Britain's Most Senior Army Officer Says Ukraine Cannot Defeat Russia

Smoke raises amid the ruins in Kostiantynivka, a frontline town where some 5000 people still stay with no water, electricity and gas supply in the site of heaviest battles with the Russian troops in Ukraine's Donetsk region.Ukraine cannot win in its war with Russia, according to the UK’s most senior army officer.Field Marshal Lord Richards said the best Kyiv could hope for was “a score draw”.His comments are the first time a senior British military figure has said it is impossible for Ukraine to defeat Russia on the battlefield.Speaking to The Independent’s ‘World of Trouble’ podcast, Lord Richards said: “What we have done in the case of Ukraine is encourage Ukraine to fight, but not given them the means to win.”On Kyiv’s chances of victory in the war, the former chief of the defence staff said: “My view is that they would not win.”Asked if Ukraine could prevail with the right resources, he said: “No, they haven’t got the manpower.”Lord Richards added: “Unless we were to go in with them – which we won’t do because Ukraine is not an existential issue for us. It clearly is for the Russians, by the way.“We’ve decided because it’s not an existential issue, we will not go to war. We are, you can argue – and I absolutely accept it – in some sort of hybrid war [with Russia]. But that’s not the same as a shooting war in which our soldiers are dying in large numbers.“Despite our attraction for all they’ve achieved and our genuine affections for so many Ukrainians, I’m just still in this school that says this is not in our vital national interests.“My instinct is that the best Ukraine can do, and you already see President Zelenskyy, who’s an inspirational leader … the best they can do is a sort of a score draw.”His comments raise serious questions about the UK government’s strategy of continuing to give Ukraine weapons and other resources as the war, which began in 2022 with Russia’s invasion, continues.The Ministry of Defence revealed last week that Russian casualties in the war have broken through the 1 million barrier.Donald Trump – who last month said Ukraine could win the war – is due to hold fresh peace talks with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, and appears to have gone cold on the idea of giving Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles.Related...Trump Says Putin Should Be Allowed To Keep The Land He Has Seized In UkraineNigel Farage Has Once Again Blamed The West For Putin's Invasion Of UkraineBlow For Putin As Number Of Russian Casualties In Ukraine War Breaks Through The Million Barrier

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