Enforcing a no-fly zone above Ukraine could lead to a “third world war” and even nuclear attacks, a top General and the UK Defence Secretary suggested today.
Cabinet minister Ben Wallace defended the UK’s decision not to stop Russian jets carrying out air strikes on Ukrainian civilians.
Hinting at the possibility of nukes, he reminded listeners that Russia is a “nuclear-armed power” which “seems to know no limit”, and pointedly said the Kremlin “may view escalation of all means”.
General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, Nato's former deputy supreme allied commander, added it would lead to “the third world war in anybody’s language”.
The general told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is not like Iraq; we're up against sophisticated enemy with very capable air defence assets.
"This becomes a struggle between the forces of Nato and the forces of Russia, on the ground, quite probably from the sea, in the air, in the space domain, in the information domain and in the cyber domain.
"This is war. It amounts to 30 countries against Russia.”
It comes after Ukraine pleaded for a no-fly zone, with President Zelensky saying the UK should join efforts against Russia.
Ukrainian journalist Daria Kaleniuk confronted Boris Johnson at a press conference yesterday in tears, saying: “You’re coming to Poland - you’re not coming to Kyiv, Prime Minister. You’re not coming to Lviv.
“Because you are afraid. Because NATO is not willing to defend. Because NATO is afraid of World War 3 - but it has already started."
Kharkiv resident Glib Mazepas told the BBC: "Please close the skies for Russian missiles and for Russian airplanes. Because they will just bomb the whole city to the ashes."
But Defence Secretary Mr Wallace said NATO forces shooting down Russian jets would trigger Article 5 - in which all 30 member countries must come to the defence of one under attack.
“The triggering of that Article 5 would lead to a war against Russia across the whole of Europe. That is not a position that members of NATO are prepared to go,” he told Sky News.
“The question is how far does Europe want us to get towards a war across Europe with Russia.
“How far does the British public want us to go against a nuclear-armed power who may view escalation of all means.
“So I think we have to be realistic here.”
Mr Wallace said Britain has been at the forefront of trying to get Ukraine into NATO - which needs all 30 nations’ support - and trained troops there.
But he added: “I’m afraid I’m not going to sit here and say I’m going to put at risk the rest of Europe by triggering a major, potentially, war across the whole continent.”
He went on: “People who suggest a no fly zone should be really clear what they’re trying to achieve and how it will be enforced. Because I don’t see them actually coming up with any logical details behind it.”
Speaking to Times Radio, he added: “It will favour the force with the massive armed forces, which will be Russia, because they will be able to carry on regardless.
“They also have lots of long range missiles. So they can substitute air attack with missiles attacks. So from a military point of view, it wouldn't help Ukraine.”
Boris Johnson yesterday ruled out sending British troops to Ukraine, despite UK ministers admitting Russian forces will slowly surround and besiege cities.
Speaking at a military base with UK NATO forces in Estonia, Mr Johnson said: "I want to be crystal clear. We will not fight Russian forces in Ukraine.
"Our reinforcements, like these reinforcements here in Tapa, are firmly within the borders of NATO members and that is profoundly the right thing to do."
Britain today warned Russia will continue carpet-bombing Ukraine’s cities to “break” them in a slow siege of brutality.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said built-up areas will be targeted “indiscriminately” and “tragically” in the escalating war.
He said Vladimir Putin "seems to know no limit to how much violence they will use", adding: “They will slowly but surely try to surround the cities and then either bypass them or bombard them.
“And that is the brutality that I’m afraid we are witnessing, and it’s going to get worse.”
Last night a US official told CBS News Kyiv is set to be surrounded in a week - but it could take four to six weeks for Russian troops to take the city.
There was a standing ovation in the US Congress, where President Joe Biden said “dictator” Putin “has no idea what’s coming” in his State of the Union address.
The UK Ministry of Defence warned Russian artillery and air strikes continued in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and Chernihiv overnight.
More than 660,000 civilians have now fled and the UNHCR said 136 civilians were killed - including 13 children - up to yesterday.
