War games with an increasingly belligerent axis of powers has placed the West in its gravest peril since the end of the Second World War, a top US military official and adviser to Donald Trump has warned.
The threat of direct conflict with Russia over the war in Ukraine has escalated in recent days following the decision to allow Kyiv to fire long-range missiles deep into Russia – prompting a stern warning of nuclear retaliation from Moscow.
General Jack Keane, former vice chief of the US army, told The Times that the war in Ukraine will remain a top priority for the incoming administration, despite fears Donald Trump could withdraw vital American support for Ukraine’s war effort.
He described North Korea‘s decision to reinforce Russia’s lines with troops as ‘the biggest escalation in the war’, warning the burgeoning alliance between Russia, North Korea, Iran and China presents ‘the most serious and dangerous challenge’ to the West in nearly a century.
‘Putin is accelerating things. I’m in favour of negotiating with when it is in Ukraine’s best interest. But I don’t think he wants to negotiate a deal. He would rather take the whole country,’ he warned.
Donald J. Trump (L) shakes hands with retired US General Jack Keane (R) after awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in Washington, March 10, 2020
Smoke billows following a reported medium-range ballistic missile strike on Dnipro, Nov 21
Ukrainian service members attend military exercises during drills in Chernihiv, November 22
Burnt cars lie near a apartment building damaged by a Russian drone’s strike on November 22
The frontline city of Chasiv Yar in ruins after heavy fighting, on November 11
Tensions have ratcheted up in the wake of Russia’s use of what appeared to be an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile on Dnipro on November 21.
The missile – dubbed the Oreshnik – carries multiple warheads, is believed to be nuclear-capable, and travels at a speed and trajectory that makes it difficult to intercept.
Analysts have warned the missile was designed to send a message of ‘back off’ to the West after the US finally conceded Ukraine the right to use its ATACMS missiles to hit deep into Russia as Ukraine looks to slow the momentum of advancing troops.
Ukraine is still holding its ground in Russia’s Kursk region, but Putin’s forces have made gains in recent weeks with support from some 10,000 North Korean troops reported to have been deployed to help repel Ukraine.
Russia only yesterday claimed to have captured the settlement of Novodmytrivka in Donetsk region, their latest gain in what Defence Minister Andrei Belousov described as an accelerated advance.
General Keane warned that while Russia is struggling to make ‘major gains’ and is suffering 30,000 casualties every month, Moscow is working ‘effectively’ with its allies.
Putin said that Russia would keep testing its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile ‘including in combat conditions’ depending on the ‘situation and the nature of the security threats that are created for Russia’ in televised comments on Friday.
Amid mounting concern about the prospect of direct confrontation with Russia, NATO chief Mark Rutte held talks with President-elect Donald Trump in Florida on the ‘global security issues facing the alliance’ on Friday.
In his first term Trump aggressively pushed Europe to step up defence spending and questioned the fairness of the NATO transatlantic alliance.
Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister, had said he wanted to meet Trump two days after Trump was elected on November 5, and discuss the threat of increasingly warming ties between North Korea and Russia.
Trump’s thumping victory to return to the US presidency has set nerves jangling in Europe that he could pull the plug on vital Washington military aid for Ukraine.
NATO allies say keeping Kyiv in the fight against Moscow is key to both European and American security.
‘What we see more and more is that North Korea, Iran, China and of course Russia are working together, working together against Ukraine,’ Rutte said recently at a European leaders’ meeting in Budapest.
‘At the same time, Russia has to pay for this, and one of the things they are doing is delivering technology to North Korea’, which he warned was threatening to the ‘mainland of the US (and) continental Europe’.
Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with the Ministry of Defence leadership, representatives of the defense industry and missile systems developers, in Moscow, Russia November 22
The British Army’s new Archer Mobile Howitzer gun, as British Army soldiers take part in training near Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle, Finland, on November 19
British Army soldiers take part in training in the Arctic Circle, Finland, on November 19
American isolationism could present an existential threat to Europe if leaders are unable to rise to Russia’s challenge with heightened security and defence spending.
European military officials have warned that the West is at risk of falling behind poorer nations in the development of new weapons technology after decades of spending stagnation and cuts.
General Alfons Mais, head of the German army, called for considerably higher defence spending to allow Western countries to protect themselves after reports emerged of Russia’s strike on Dnipro.
Speaking at the Berlin Security Conference, he said: ‘It’s our task to convey the message that the threat is real. Our way of life is in danger.’
‘To maintain the cohesion of the alliance, Europe has to deliver. We cannot outsource our security to others,’ he added.
Mais said the German military was racing to catch up on new types of warfare, such as the use of drones, which have rapidly developed during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The conference also heard from the head of the UK’s armed forces, Sir Tony Radakin, who warned that Britain simply does not have ‘some of the civil aspects or planning aspects’ that some other NATO allies have ‘as part of their traditions’ to handle a war.
Nordic nations are taking pre-emptive steps to safeguard their populations for the possibility of war, stockpiling supplies and readying citizens to find shelter, give first aid and potentially take a role in national defence.
But Britain’s efforts on civil defence remain woefully light, with many Cold War-era preparations, like guidance, shelters and stockpiles, retired in the decades since.
‘We are having those conversations to learn from our colleagues and see what might be appropriate for ourselves,’ Sir Radakin told an audience of representatives from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania.
‘It’s an area where we don’t have the culture of total defence. We don’t have some of the civil aspects or planning aspects that other countries within Nato have as part of their traditions.’
Sweden announced this week that it would be sending out five million pamphlets to residents urging them to prepare for the possibility of a looming conflict amid fears of escalation within Europe.
The Finnish government published a digital booklet preparing citizens for incidents and crises, and reminded residents of their ‘obligation’ to defending the nation.
And Norway also distributed booklets with advice on how to manage in the event of a crisis. Residents have shared how they have started stockpiling iodine after being told that it could help block the absorption of radioactive iodine in the event of a nuclear war.
Ukrainian service members attend a military exercises during drills at a training ground, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, November 22, 2024
A Ukrainian service member attends military exercises during drills at a training ground, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, November 22, 2024
The Oreshnik hypersonic missile used on Thursday morning can fly at 10 times the speed of sound – around 7,600mph – up to a range of 3,100 miles, according to Russian military sources.
If again launched from Kapustin Yar in Astrakhan, a missile could hit any target in Europe, destroying targets in London in under 20 minutes. Berlin would have less than 15 minutes before impact.
Russia reportedly closed the airspace around its Kapustin Yar missile testing site today, although it was not immediately clear whether this was to launch another strike or continue non-combat testing.
‘Today, from 6:00 to 22:00, the airspace will be completely closed in the area of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) test site, Kapustin Yar, as part of testing,’ an alert read.
‘This could indicate the possible combat use of a medium-range ballistic missile. Do not ignore any alerts.’