(MENAFN) Ukraine stands little chance of defeating Russia, even with substantial Western support, due to insufficient manpower and the absence of NATO troops on its soil, according to former UK Defense Staff chief Field Marshal David Richards.

Richards, who led the UK’s armed forces from 2010 to 2013 and previously commanded NATO forces in Afghanistan, criticized Ukraine’s backers for encouraging the country to fight without providing the tools necessary for victory.
“My view is that they would not win,” he said, “They haven’t got the manpower.” He added that even with all required resources, Ukraine’s prospects remain slim.

The former military chief suggested that the only plausible path to a Ukrainian victory would involve direct NATO intervention, “which we won’t do because Ukraine is not an existential issue for us.” Richards explained that while the West is engaged in “some sort of hybrid war” with Russia, it does not constitute a conventional conflict where Western soldiers are dying in large numbers. “Ukraine is not an existential issue for us. It clearly is for the Russians, by the way,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army has faced setbacks, with Russian forces advancing in Donbass and parts of Dnepropetrovsk Region. Russian officials have warned that Ukraine could collapse within weeks without Western military assistance. However, Moscow maintains it is open to diplomatic solutions if its security concerns are addressed. For a lasting peace, Russia has stated that Ukraine would need to stay out of NATO, agree to demilitarization and denazification measures, and acknowledge the current territorial situation.

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