An ex-NATO boss has revealed the countries he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin will order his troops to invade after Ukraine. Sir Richard Shirreff, the former deputy supreme Allied commander in Europe, warned if Russia took over Ukraine, Putin would place Kremlin puppet governments in Georgia, Moldova and Romania before turning towards the Baltics.
Sir Richard believes this will lead to direct war between European countries, including the UK and the Kremlin. The former NATO chief said Russia may unleash the same tactics it wrought on the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
He told The Sun: “It looks like the deportation of children, rape of women and the massacre of civilians, that’s what happens when Russia attacks. First will be the missiles, then the works.” Mariupol was besieged and then completely destroyed by Russian troops in the early months of Putin’s wicked war in 2022.
Moscow also forcibly deported Ukrainian children into Russia, and its troops have perpetrated acts of sexual violence against Ukrainians. Many of those crimes took place in Bucha. There, civilians were found with their hands tied behind their backs and gunshot wounds to the head.
Russia tried to claim, without evidence, that Bucha was a false flag operation. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, called it an act of genocide. Former US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges said a war against NATO could see Moscow target vital transport centres, like airports and seaports, and urged European countries to build up their defences.
Meanwhile, Sir Richard said Europe must keep arming Ukraine. He also suggested NATO countries consider conscripting soldiers. He said: “If Europe is fractured, and if Europe doesn’t step up to the mark, then I really fear for our future.”
Sir Richard said US President Donald Trump delivered a “mortal blow” to NATO following his comments about the war in Ukraine and pulling intelligence and military support to the besieged country. The US currently pays 16 % of NATO’s annual budget and its exit would leave a massive financial strain on other allies.
The US also spends more on defence than the rest of the world combined, making it one of the most potent military forces on the planet and a powerful ally. Sir Richard said any peace plan that potentially leads to Ukraine’s capitulation will only encourage Putin to rearm.
He said: “He’s never going to give up on his aim of taking over the whole of Ukraine either”. In 2021, Putin wrote an essey questioning the history of Ukraine as a separate state and said Ukrainians and Russians were “one people”.
It comes as the Polish government announce plans to prepare large-scale military training for every adult male. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there was a need for an army of 500,000 soldiers, which would include reservists to counter any potential Russian attack.
Meanwhile, the UK and France have been spearheading efforts to get countries to commit to a peacekeeping coalition in Ukraine. Not all countries would contribute troops but may support in other ways. Efforts to secure a peace deal will continue this week as talks betweent he US and Ukraine kick off in Saudi Arabia.