The writer, a retired General in the British Army and author of ‘2017 War with Russia’, was Nato’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

FT - 25 02 22, Richard Shirreff

At a single stroke, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has announced a new era for Europe. Russia’s unprovoked attack on its democratic neighbour is nothing less than the return of what Otto von Bismarck called “the politics of iron and blood” to Europe. The world that we knew before February 24, in which the rights of sovereign states to live in peace was guaranteed by a respect for international law without armed force, has gone for ever.

This is the return of warfare on a scale we have not seen since the second world war, a return to state-on-state warfare, a massive, premeditated, merciless and cruel assault by an ageing, isolated, nuclear-armed autocrat determined to re-establish Russian power in the former Soviet empire and to bend their populations to his will.

Let us not be fooled. This is no limited attack to bite off a chunk of Ukraine. It is a massive, multi-axis conventional assault from north, east and south designed to destroy the Ukrainian armed forces, capture the state of Ukraine, install a puppet government and then incorporate it into the Russian Federation. Expect to see untold human suffering: appalling civilian and military casualties; massive destruction of cities and towns; countless refugees and a humanitarian catastrophe.

The implications could not be more far-reaching — and not only for the people of Ukraine. First, it is a real and present threat to the Nato alliance. War has a dynamic of its own which, once embarked on, cannot be controlled. We should be ready for the worst: an attack by Russia from an occupied Ukraine or from Putin’s puppet state Belarus against a Nato member state. Here, after all, is the man who called for a new Yalta deal as “the most appropriate security settlement for Europe” — code for the re-establishment of Russian control in the former Warsaw Pact countries of eastern Europe, all of which are Nato members.

If one Russian soldier steps across an inch of Nato territory, it means that all 30 member states will be at war with Russia. Under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, “an armed attack on one is an attack on all”. It also could mean nuclear war because Russia integrates nuclear thinking into every aspect of its military doctrine. Witness Putin’s chilling warning this week that anyone “who tries to stand in our way” will face “consequences you have never encountered in your history”.

The only way to preserve the peace left in Europe is effective deterrence; conventional and nuclear. Under strong and unswerving US leadership Nato must man the ramparts on its eastern flank. The alliance must demonstrate unequivocally that it is ready and able to defend its land borders, airspace and sea lines of communication with capable, credible armed forces — and it must communicate that message to Putin.

Thus far we have seen only token reinforcement. Mobilising and moving the levels of force required is a major challenge for Nato. Thanks to the cumulative disarmament in Europe of the past decade and half, there is not a single Nato nation, apart from the USA, which could put into the field the minimum requirement of a fighting division of three brigades plus all the combat support and logistics (around 25,000 men and women) at anything like the speed needed to deter Putin. Nonetheless, this is the challenge which must be met, whatever the cost.

Next, we must support Ukraine. We cannot put Nato forces on the ground there or into the air above it. That would guarantee the start of the third world war. But we can provide equipment and other indirect support for as long as the Ukrainian armed forces can keep up the fight. Thereafter, assuming that Russia will eventually prevail, it means supporting, equipping and financing a resistance movement to set Ukraine ablaze and tie down the Russians in a long-term fight against an insurgency they can never win, and which will ultimately lead to Putin’s downfall.

Meanwhile the pressure must be kept up on the diplomatic front in the UN and, on the economic and financial front, with sanctions. The latter must go for the Russian financial and economic jugular. And if these sanctions are harsh enough to hurt us in the west too, then that is part of the cost we must pay to undermine the Putin regime. We must not forget that we face an existential fight and, accordingly, we must be prepared to make sacrifices.

This unprovoked and vicious assault has changed everything. And western allies are in for the long haul. At best, we should expect a new cold war for at least a generation on Nato’s eastern flank. At worst, we must be prepared for outright war with Russia. Above all, remember the line from the Roman general Vegetius: Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum — therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

That's an interesting question

Art to me is a hobby, a place to switch off, relaxing, a get way from normal stuff, a little like exercise. i don't think of it as an income, an issue other than fun. if, to You it's more than that, then yes maybe get out of it and turn it to cash, but art will always be art, don't blame art.

The rise was caused by heavy military vehicles stirring contaminated soil in the 4,000-sq-km (2,485 sq-mile) exclusion zone surrounding the abandoned plant, Ukraine's State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate reported .

The biggest spike was recorded close to the damaged reactor.

You know almost nothing about both Russians and Ukranians. Hope it will ends soon.

This is an art forum first and lets keep it art related please.

You. Previously last online 2014.

Posting location, Moscow.

Oh shit! Yea I do.

If you’re so in the know, inform. People that desire to Silence discussion do not reflect the artists that are foundational to this art forum.

What do you want to know? It's all very complicated and I see a lot of healthy comments here.

I have few questions but appreciate your openness. As an aside
I was wrong about your engagement here. The profile page lied.

I’m just curious about general Russian sentiment with regard to the conflict. I ask a general question as I’m here to learn.

Praying without ceasing for everyone involved, makes me sick to my stomach...

Ukraine was part of USSR until 1991. Since then independent. Like I said most Russians don't want this conflict. If you think we're happy with it you're all nuts, sorry

I was born in Moscow, USSR, had USSR passport, now I live in Moscow, Russia. Same city, different country. My father was born in Kyiv, USSR. Had passport of USSR country.

Hope everyone involved will be safe

Sorry I didn't get your last question. 6am here

A lot of double speak and obfuscation. Everyone involved (does this also include for you the Russian aggressors?) won’t be safe. Your USSR is gone and your Russia is attacking and killing Ukrainians. . Don’t believe everything you read
#putinproud

This is a very dangerous situation which may in the end lead to nuclear weapons (God I hope not). With Putin being the aggressor and the possibility of any kind of hint at nuclear engagement which Putin has already alluded to my question is simply this: How can any Russian citizen believe in what Putin is doing? He is putting all of their lives on the line for his fucked up evil ego. If the nuclear shit hits the fan yes we are all fucked including all the Russians. He is playing with their lives like a toy. I would think there would be more protests in Russia from Russian exclusively for self preservation. Remember that song that Sting did " Russians" I think the Russians love their children but Putin doesn't give a shit about them. So again, how can the Russian people support any of this Putin aggression?