A former head of the Royal Navy has issued a stark warning that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine could escalate into a nuclear confrontation, stating that Britain is already 'effectively at war' with Vladimir Putin's Russia.
'Grey Zone' Warfare and the Path to Conflict
Admiral Lord West, who served as First Sea Lord, pointed to a series of hostile acts falling outside traditional armed conflict, known as 'grey zone warfare'. He highlighted specific threats, including Russian sabotage of undersea cables and repeated drone incursions along Nato's eastern flank.
Speaking on the Lord Speaker's podcast, Lord West expressed deep concern about de-escalation. "It's quite difficult to see how one's going to get out of this (conflict) because one doesn't want a full war between Nato and Russia," he stated. He fears that in a scenario where Russia faces defeat, it might make the 'stupid mistake of going nuclear'.
Britain 'Under-Prepared and Under Attack'
This dire assessment was echoed by former Nato General Secretary Lord Robertson, who declared that Britain is 'under-prepared, under-insured, under attack and not safe'. He lamented that this grave reality is not apparent to the public or in Parliament, but the nation is actively being targeted.
Lord Robertson pointed to a wave of recent cyber outages, asserting they cannot all be coincidental. "The organisation of sabotage right across the continent of Europe has undoubtedly been organised by the GRU, the Russian military," he told the podcast.
Security experts have previously warned of escalating Russian plots against the UK, which include:
- Cyber hacking campaigns
- Spy flights near UK airspace
- Fire bombings and submarine incursions
Sir Ken McCallum, the Director General of MI5, confirmed last month that Russia remains 'committed to causing havoc and destruction' globally, though it now relies more on expendable proxies after its official spies were expelled from European embassies.
Putin's Wider Ambitions and the Need for Support
The warnings extend beyond immediate sabotage. Lord Robertson stressed that Vladimir Putin's ambitions are not limited to seizing territory in eastern Ukraine, a fact causing alarm in neighbouring countries like Moldova and Azerbaijan.
"They are much bigger than that and much more fundamental to our security than that," he added, emphasising that continued support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is 'absolutely crucial'.
The ultimate goal, according to the former Nato chief, is to persuade Putin that he cannot win. "And at the moment he's not winning," Lord Robertson noted. "He's only making tiny territorial movements." This stalemate, however, increases the risk of further, more dangerous escalation.
