PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s leadership reaps the consequences of its strategic mistakes – UK statement to the OSCE [September 2023]

Thank you, Madam Chair. It is a sobering time to be appointed as the UK Military Advisor to the OSCE. This is an organisation designed to promote stability, peace and democracy in a region of over 1.3 billion people. It is truly tragic that Russia, through its illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, has wilfully violated our shared principles. Russia has attempted to conduct a multi-pronged attack on another sovereign nation, in an operation designed to subjugate Ukraine to Moscow’s will. The intention was that this would be achieved within a few days and yet, over one and half years later, Russia is now fighting a defensive battle in which it has found itself severely wanting.

From Russia’s perspective, the campaign can only be viewed as an abject military failure. Russia has failed in all of its strategic objectives. In the last week alone, the strategic situation in the Black Sea area has significantly changed. A Russian landing ship has been destroyed and a Russian submarine is probably catastrophically damaged, whilst the dry docks in which they were located will be inoperable for many months. But, to be clear, this is a situation of Russia’s own making.

Against any semblance of what the OSCE stands for, Russia has wilfully violated the values, principles and norms that it has committed to, and it has chosen to violate the basic principles of international relations. In an act of extreme desperation, Russia’s answer to the strategic entanglement into which it has voluntarily placed itself is to turn to North Korea, a State that Russia has supported UN sanctions against.

Madam Chair, in this context, what is remarkable is not so much Russia’s military debacle but something that gives cause for hope and optimism: how this situation has been confronted by the people of Ukraine. 13 September marks one year since Russia’s first recorded use of an Iranian-made Shahed drone. Russia is now manufacturing its own one-way attack drones, and these are causing widespread death and destruction. To date, over 2000 such one-way attack drones have been deployed. And yet, the enduring message that continues to emerge from Ukraine is not of a people subjugated, bowing to the will of Russia, but of a resilient people, proud and determined to stand up to this most heinous act of aggression. We hear of a people fighting for the ideals of democracy and the right to self-determination.

For they know the importance of these values. The ideals for which the brave people of Ukraine continue to fight are ideals of hope, they are ideals of peace and democracy, they are the ideals to which all members of this forum are signatories, including Russia. There can be no other option for any rational actor, therefore, but to support Ukraine in its fight against tyranny. Perhaps one day, the Russian leadership will come to realise once again, how far it has drifted from the values it also once espoused.

Until such a time, the UK, along with its international partners, will continue to stand with Ukraine in its efforts to restore Ukrainian sovereignty and demonstrate that aggression will not prevail. Thank you.