Putin is on the ropes – it’s time to launch the Storm Shadow missiles

That Britain is no longer leading the West in support of Ukraine is a devastating blow to our national pride and international standing

Ukraine’s audacious counter-strike into Kursk not only surprised Putin but also caught all of us so-called experts completely off-guard too. This underlined to me something that we should all do well to remember: that President Zelensky and his generals understand the principles of war and are applying them much better than the enemy – and also far better than some of Ukraine’s key supporters.
With Vladimir Putin on the ropes, we must now enable Ukraine to reinforce success and deliver the killer blow which will lead to a ceasefire on Kyiv’s terms, not Moscow’s. We must unshackle the Ukrainians and not continue to insist he fights with at least one hand tied behind his back over worries of ‘escalation’. Why the US needs to approve the use of a British weapon is beyond my comprehension, but it is clear that Russian disinformation and propaganda is trying to make these waters as muddy as possible, and apparently with some success?
So, to hear from Zelensky, the architect of this stunning move, that Britain is no longer pulling hardest and leading the West in support of Ukraine is a devastating blow to our national pride and international standing. Zelensky’s comments yesterday that “there are no summer holidays in war” only underscores the perception that the Cabinet’s slowness to respond is, at least in part, due to so many of its members sunning themselves on holiday at a time of crisis for Europe.
Understandably, of course, Keir Starmer is investing much time and effort searching for peace in the Middle East, at least in part due to pressures from the pro-Palestine advocates powerful inside and outside the Labour party. But it bears repeating that Hamas and Hezbollah are not threatening these islands. The new Government, however inexperienced in matters military and security, must realise that peace in eastern Europe is absolutely their number one priority, domestic and international. There are no Russian red-lines that should cause any concern to us now, and Putin has had many instances when he could have used his nuclear arsenal – not least thank to Kursk – according to the extant Russian doctrine in this area, but has done little more than shout vacuous and hollow threats across Europe.
It is time to show whether the faith in Starmer, evident by his victory in this year’s election, is well-founded or we have all been hoodwinked by the devastating ineptitude of some of his predecessors. It is time for the PM to stop throwing rabbit punches and put the boot in, as thousands of Russian refugees from Kursk head towards Moscow sowing discord.
The new Government is mad not to give carte blanche to Kyiv to use our donated Storm Shadow missiles to their greatest effect, keeping Russian reinforcements and resupplies 100 or so miles from the new Ukraine salient in Russia.  If Starmer and his team don’t grasp the nuances of these tactical military actions, someone in the Ministry of Defence or elsewhere needs to set them straight immediately. 
Secondly, we must vocally express our unwavering support for Ukraine loud enough to rattle the Kremlin’s shutters, even if some of our new leaders are lounging on the beach. 
Finally, when everyone is back from their holidays, we must ensure that the UK military is once again capable of defending this country, rather than being a token force that future tyrants like Putin can easily dismiss.
Labour’s overwhelming majority at the polls, built on promises of sunny uplands, may allow them to appease the unions and raise taxes with impunity for the next five years, but it also means they must make the tougher decisions necessary to ensure this country’s security. We can’t placate the Kremlin by singing the “Red Flag” at a conference. Putin respects only strength and will exploit any weakness with ruthless efficiency. 
If the new Government wants to see out a full five-year term, it must empower Ukraine to vanquish the Russian forces. That means providing weapons without strings today. And tomorrow, every tank and round of ammunition we have left gathering dust on Salisbury Plain and elsewhere. 
Otherwise, we might find ourselves fighting those Russian forces in a few years time.