Yesterday Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced that British intelligence had discovered the Russian president Vladimir Putin’s plan to create a pro-Moscow puppet head in Ukraine.
As Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a ‘large-scale war’ after Moscow massed more than 100,000 troops, tanks and artillery pieces along his border, Ms Truss said that Yevhen Murayev was being lined up to run the country as a satellite of Moscow.
Former Ukrainian MP Mr Murayev has defended Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
It came as Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu agreed to meet his UK counterpart Ben Wallace in Moscow for emergency talks after Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood warned an invasion of Ukraine was ‘imminent’ and that President Putin was ‘exploiting Western weakness’.
Ms Truss said the Foreign Office had established that the Russian government was looking to install a pro- Russian leader in Kiev as it ‘considers whether to invade and occupy Ukraine’, and that Russian intelligence officers involved in the planning for an attack were in contact with sympathetic politicians in the country.
MI6 intelligence warns that Yevhen Murayev, a former Ukrainian MP is set up to lead the country as a satellite for Moscow.
As Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a ‘large-scale war’ after Moscow massed more than 100,000 troops, tanks and artillery pieces along his border, Liz Truss said that Mr Murayev was being lined up to run the country as a satellite of Moscow
The Foreign Secretary added: ‘The information being released today shines a light on the extent of Russian activity designed to subvert Ukraine, and is an insight into Kremlin thinking.
‘Russia must de-escalate, end its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue a path of diplomacy.
‘As the UK and our partners have said repeatedly, any Russian military incursion into Ukraine would be a massive strategic mistake with severe costs.’
Mr Ellwood, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, warned that Mr Putin was ‘redrawing the map of eastern Europe’ and ‘it’s so important that we step forward’.
Russia has denied it is planning an invasion, but Vladimir Putin has issued demands to the West which he says concern Russia’s security, including not allowing Ukraine to join Nato
Sergei Shoigu, Russian defense minister, has agreed that he will meet Ben Wallace, UK counterpart (right), to discuss the Ukraine crisis. Senior defence sources said that Mr Wallace had made clear that he’d explore all options to resolve the Ukraine crisis and would seek stability during the talks. He also stated that his office was in constant communication with the Russian government.
Russia has denied it is planning an invasion, but Mr Putin has issued demands to the West which he says concern Russia’s security, including not allowing Ukraine to join Nato.
He wants NATO to cease military operations in the area and stop sending arms to Eastern Europe.
Boris Johnson is expected to ramp up the pressure on Russia this week by calling for European countries to join forces with the US in the face of increasing aggression and pushing for a ‘gear change’ on the Ukraine situation.
British intelligence analysts, officials and ambassadors have been tasked by No10 with driving forward a package of economic measures to debilitate Russia’s economy should the situation deteriorate further.
This follows the recent delivery of lethal assistance to Ukraine, which included 2,000 missiles as well as a team of specialist military trainers.
A No 10 source said: ‘The Prime Minister’s view is that the situation in Ukraine is the biggest test to the unity and resolve of the West and Nato in decades.
‘It would be frankly naive to assume that Russia could be mollified by changes to the European security architecture – the Kremlin’s behaviour has made that consistently clear.
An army of Russian-made armoured vehicles is seen moving along a road in Crimea on Tuesday, 18 January 2022. Ukraine has condemned Germany today for refusing to supply weapons to Kyiv. The country urged Berlin not to ‘undermine unity’ or ‘encourage Vladimir Putin’ in the face of Russian aggression.
British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Sergei Shoigu, his Russian counterpart, will meet in Moscow to discuss the Ukraine crisis. (pictured: Russian soldiers take part military drills at Rostov, southern Russia. This is less than 70 miles away from the Ukrainian border. There are fears that there might be an invasion.
‘The UK is working through Nato and in lockstep with the US to enact a policy of dialogue and deterrence, pursuing the diplomatic track but readying a package of sanctions that will pierce the heart of Russia’s economy should that fail.
‘He is very clear that countries must be free to choose their own futures.
‘The PM regards the situation as gravely dangerous. Although his resolve is less than before the December meeting with Putin, he still regards Western unity to be crucial.
‘The whole of Whitehall is ramping up preparations.’
Ms Truss warned also that China could use an invasion by Russia of Ukraine to attack Hong Kong or Taiwan.
She said: ‘I don’t think we can rule that out. Russia and China are working closer than ever before. Aggressors are working in concert, and it’s incumbent on countries like ours to work together.’