Notes

US planning to station nuclear weapons in UK amid threat from Russia report UK news
At the same time, Trump looks set to sweep the Republican nomination after primary victories in Iowa and New Hampshire. The Democratic president said in a statement that the policies proposed would “be the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country”. “This represents a continuation of Russia’s minor incremental gains whilst Ukraine focuses on active defence,” the report reads. “As the main supply route remains intact, and Ukrainian forces make local counter-attacks, Avdiivka is likely to remain in Ukrainian control over the coming weeks,” the report said.


This was in return for Ukraine giving up its massive arsenal of nuclear weapons, a legacy of its membership of the Soviet Union. After 2,000 anti-tank weapons were delivered last week and 30 British troops arrived to teach Ukrainian forces how to use them, the phrase "God Save the Queen" began trending on Twitter in Ukraine. Some bars and restaurants in Kyiv were offering free drinks to anyone who had a UK passport. One Whitehall source told the Times that the training of Ukrainian civilians on UK soil could act as a rehearsal for rapid Army expansion.

Potential energy disruption
Ukraine uses German-made Gepard anti-aircraft guns to tackle incoming drones, while Soviet-era Buk systems are used against cruise missiles and US-made Patriots against hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. Analysis published in Le Monde quotes Ukrainian officials who said Russia still has in its stockpile around 1,000 ballistic or cruise missiles, and is able to make around 100 more per month - such as Kalibrs and Kh-101s. Ukraine's intelligence service, the SBU, reported on Tuesday it had found and deactivated "two robotic online surveillance cameras" that it says were hacked by Russia to spy on Kyiv's defences and scout out targets.

The UK stands with Ukraine, its democratically-elected government and its brave people at this awful time. The prime minister also sought to reassure the British public, pledging to do "everything to keep our country safe" and work with allies "for however long it takes" to restore Ukraine's sovereignty and independence. But he was making the point that if war broke out troop numbers would be too small. A year ago, in an attempt to ensure politicians plugged the gap with future spending, he warned that gifts of weapons to Ukraine would “leave us temporarily weaker”. The PM told the House of Commons the UK would introduce "the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions that Russia has ever seen".
Meanwhile, Moscow has claimed its forces have taken control of the village of Tabaivka in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region. Peter Ricketts, the UK’s former national security adviser, joined us to discuss the Ukraine crisis. The question remains as to why the Foreign Office had a comparatively low number of staff focused on the region prior to Russia’s invasion – and the extent to which that hindered the UK’s response. A year after Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, five IfG experts examine the impact of the war on the UK. She has advised Estonians to stay calm and says there is no threat currently on Estonian borders. Several European countries bordering Ukraine are already preparing for the arrival of refugees fleeing the Russian invasion.

The Treasury must grapple with the end of the post-Cold War ‘peace dividend’
Ukrainian counter-attacks were holding Russians back from taking full control of Avdiivka, the UK Ministry of Defence said in its latest intelligence report. Russian forces have suffered heavy personnel and armoured vehicle losses, frequently caused by Ukrainian uncrewed aerial vehicle munitions. The ‘global’ in Britain was reflected in an ambition to more deeply engage in the Indo-Pacific, to adapt to China’s growing power and climate and global health objectives. Another risk is that Sunak’s can-kicking over budgets postpones the serious investment needed in military supplies.


Conscription requires young men and women to serve for a limited time in uniform. It means that some of the population will have had some military training - and can then be assigned to reserve units should war break out. Unfortunately, the attacks on Tuesday morning were just the latest of a series of acts of wanton destruction by Russia in Ukraine since we last gathered for a Permanent Council in December.


If the US abandons the military alliance, it will fall to European countries to ensure a Ukrainian victory, Mr OBrien says. European countries have largely outsourced much of their military capacity and thinking on strategy and security to the States through NATO. Phillips P OBrien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews, wrote in an analysis piece that the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House could see the US "neuter" the Western military alliance. Since the beginning of the Ukrainian revolution and Pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, the United Kingdom has actively supported Ukraine and publicly condemned Russian actions. The UK supports Ukraine in becoming a member of the EU and NATO.[11][12] In this context London has implemented a series of sanctions and restrictive measures both in unilateral and multilateral formats. The war has strengthened political consensus that domestic renewables offer the cheapest and most secure form of energy.


Mr Putin has accused the West of ignoring Russia's demands to prevent Ukraine from joining the western Nato military alliance and offer Moscow security guarantees. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accused Mr Putin of "bringing war back to Europe" and warned a raft of "massive" sanctions would be proposed later aimed at Russia's economic base and its "capacity to modernise". The UK is providing additional military support to eastern Nato member states and will support Ukrainians in their defence of their homeland, he added. On https://euronewstop.co.uk/what-is-a-false-flag-operation-in-ukraine.html , the UK announced a package of sanctions against Russia as part of a co-ordinated Western response to the crisis. Events in Ukraine have also seen global share prices fall and the price of gold rise - as investors worry about the possible impact of the conflict. He said the UK and its allies will launch a "massive package" of sanctions - commercial and financial penalties - to "hobble" Russia's economy.

Nato has a strong partnership with Ukraine (even though the country is not an official member) so it’s not surprising prime minister Boris Johnson has also joined in with Western allies in calling for an immediate de-escalation from Putin. "We will not reopen that divide by agreeing to overturn the European security order because Russia has placed a gun to Ukraine's head." The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has pledged to make the findings of Moscow’s crash investigation public. Gen Sanders said that within the next three years the British Army needed to be 120,000 strong with the addition of reserves. The US has ordered relatives of its embassy staff to leave, saying an invasion could come "at any time".
Website: https://euronewstop.co.uk/what-is-a-false-flag-operation-in-ukraine.html