The Times: British military chief helped Zelenskyy destroy Russian war ships

29 February 2024 14:45

According to the article published in The Times newspaper, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has postponed his retirement as chief of the defence staff by a year to continue offering advice to President Zelenskyy in his battle against Russia.

The head of the armed forces will remain in post for another year after he emerged as a key player in helping Ukraine with its battle plans against Russia, it can be revealed.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, 58, was due to retire in November this year after serving three years as chief of the defence staff. However, he has been asked to stay on until autumn 2025 by the prime minister. It is understood that Rishi Sunak’s decision has been approved by the King.

Sources close to Radakin pointed to his “shuttle diplomacy” last summer between Washington and Kyiv, in which he held key meetings in person with Ukrainian military chiefs amid White House anxiety about the US appearing to be too closely involved in the war.

They said he was able to grasp the tactical detail of the land war in Ukraine while also able to link this to the bigger strategic picture and the need to align the military response with the wider economic and diplomatic effort.

He travelled without any British ministers to Kyiv to meet President Zelenskyy to discuss Ukraine’s strategy and how the West could help. A Ukrainian military source said he was liked for his “wise strategic thinking” and had been helping the country with its battle plans, without going into detail for security reasons.

However, Radakin is understood to have helped the Ukrainians with the strategy to destroy Russian ships and open up the Black Sea, with Ukraine’s maritime trade said to be returning to pre-war levels. The source said he had also been invaluable in co-ordinating support from other senior chiefs in Nato.

Radakin met Zelensky to discuss Ukraine’s strategy and how the West could help

Radakin, who was educated at state school and became first sea lord, was handed the top role just a few months before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. He was the first naval chief to hold the position for 20 years. He has since led the military through what is considered by many to be the most dangerous period since the end of the Cold War. One defence source said it was important to retain “continuity” as the Ukraine war rumbles on and with a general election coming up in the UK.

A source close to Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, said Radakin, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was “well thought of” and that they had a “good working relationship”. They added: “I think the secretary of state respects his experience and sees him as an ally in wanting to improve the armed forces and ensure it is prepared to defend our great country.”

Radakin is well-respected across Whitehall and has strong relations with allies, especially his American and Ukrainian counterparts, a military source added. “He has helped sail the ship of state through three prime ministers, the death of a monarch, and a war in Europe,” they said.

John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, said on Wednesday that under a Labour government the senior chiefs would automatically have four-year terms, rather than two or three, to ensure greater accountability.

In a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank Healey said that his party would introduce a new military strategic headquarters and appoint a national armaments director to overhaul military procurement as part of plans to improve Britain’s armed forces.

It is understood that General Sir Jim Hockenhull, head of strategic command, Admiral Sir Ben Key, head of the navy, and General Gwyn Jenkins, vice-chief of the defence staff, were all extended to four-year terms last summer.

Hockenhull, who as a junior officer was focused on Russia and was in Berlin when the wall came down in 1989, is likely to emerge as a favourite to succeed Radakin when the time comes.

The war in Ukraine has entered its third year and shows no sign of coming to an end, with Russia making slow advances on the battlefield as Ukraine faces a critical shortage of ammunition. There are grave concerns that without further US funding, there could be catastrophic implications on the battlefield for Ukraine. Estonia’s foreign intelligence service believes that Russia is gearing up for a potential armed conflict with western countries within the next decade.

However, Radakin stressed in a speech on Tuesday that he believed “Britain is safe” as he appeared to criticise General Sir Patrick Sanders, chief of staff at the army, for being “alarmist” in suggesting the UK needed to train and equip a citizen army.

Sunak is under growing pressure to announce more defence funding in the budget next week, after it emerged there were no plans for extra money despite increasing threats.

Penny Mordaunt, the Commons Leader and former defence secretary, became the latest prominent Conservative to wade into the row, telling Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, that the government’s “first duty” was to protect Britain.

Caliber.Az

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