A military historian has told GB News that “the second cold war has already started”, following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel, Chris Newton said President Putin’s original objective was to “bring Ukraine into the Russian empire, to effectively exterminate Ukraine as a nation”.
He said without a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, the Ukraine conflict was “the first major proxy war” between Putin’s state and the alliance of nations.
“The way in which we are fighting this, the second Cold War at the moment, is in a similar way to the first Cold War”, he said, highlighting the supplying of arms to allies along with economic sanctions to undermine Russia.
FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a concert marking the eighth anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia March 18, 2022. RIA Novosti Host Photo Agency/Alexander Vilf via REUTERS/File Photo
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Mr Newton thought there was also similarities to World War 2 with “concentration or prison camps”, telling viewers “Nazis did it and the Soviets did it as well” in reference to what he called atrocities committed by Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin waves during a concert marking the eighth anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia March 18, 2022. Sputnik/Ramil Sitdikov/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.
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Adding that Russia “committed a lot of atrocities already in Syria”, Mr Newton expressed concern the case could be made that a “national genocide” was underway in Ukraine as part of Putin’s aims to overthrow Ukraine.
According to the latest MoD assessment, the Russian advance on Kyiv remains stalled in the face of determined Ukrainian resistance with the bulk of Moscow’s forces still more than 25km (15 miles) from the centre.
Nevertheless, analysts believe the capital is still the Kremlin’s main military objective although it is thought the Russians will try to force it into submission through encirclement rather than attempting a direct assault.
“Forces advancing from the direction of Hostomel to the north-west have been repulsed by fierce Ukrainian resistance,” the MoD said.
“Despite the continued lack of progress, Kyiv remains Russia’s primary military objective and they are likely to prioritise attempting to encircle the city over the coming weeks.”