Russian war machine weakened

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s blunt warning that the US is determined to ensure Russia is “weakened to the degree” that it will never again be able to invade another country adds a new strategic dimension to the war in Ukraine. The Biden administration insists Mr Austin’s statement, made during a highly symbolic visit to Kyiv, does not reflect any change from its repeated insistence that the US will not directly intervene in the war and US boots will not be on the ground. But the Defence Secretary’s warning came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow, spoke ominously of “the real threat” of a third world war. The US’s declared target of degrading Russia’s military machine will deepen the serious tensions between them.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Kyiv with Mr Austin, added to the Biden administration’s toughening stance. Standing beside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce hundreds of millions of dollars of extra military equipment for Kyiv to add to the $US3.4bn ($4.7bn) already sent, Mr Blinken said Russia had failed in its war aims: “We don’t know how the rest of this war will unfold, but we do know that a sovereign, independent Ukraine will be around a lot longer than Vladimir Putin is on the scene.”

A White House National Security Council spokesman noted: “We have said for months we intend to make this a strategic failure for Russia.” Even if, as the spokesman also said, that does not imply “going toe to toe with Russia”, it is of immense significance that the US has spelled out its objective in Ukraine and, by implication, those of its NATO allies and other nations backing Ukraine.

The Russian President’s lawless invasion in defiance of the rules-based world order, and his merciless rampage against Ukraine’s civilians, demand that he is never again in a position to launch a similar assault. His military has been weakened. British intelligence reports that more than 15,000 Russian troops have been killed so far and 2000 of Russia’s armoured vehicles and 60 helicopters and fighter aircraft captured. British military experts believe it will take Russia years to recover from its losses.