A BBC Debate Night audience member questioned panel guests as to why the UK had not gotten involved properly in the war in Ukraine. The man criticised the UK Government for their lack of action in previous Eastern European conflicts and demanded a no-fly zone be imposed by British troops. Russian forces have been invading and trying to occupy major cities in Ukraine for a week now, Western Governments have been sanctioning Russia in order to stop the advancement of Russian forces and stop the killing of innocent civilians.
The audience member made it clear that he understood that the implementation of a no-fly zone would cause a war between the UK and Russia, but insisted that if the UK didn’t get involved a mass genocide would take place on Ukrainian soil.
He said: “Let’s rewind a wee bit, we went into Georgia we had nothing, we went into Chechnya we had nothing.
“We went into Crimea we did nothing.
“He’s changed his tactics today, he’s now flattening cities but we’re going to do nothing.
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BBC host Stephen Jardine said: “What do you think we should do?”
The man said: “At least have a no-fly zone, but that’s going to create conflict with NATO.
“But if we do nothing there’s going to be mass genocide, so it’s ok saying Ukraine might fight back, they might.
“But the chances are they’re going to lose, and how bad are they going to lose, I think it’s going to be horrendous.”
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Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already been questioned by an Ukrainian activist to impose a no-fly zone.
Western Government leaders and members of NATO have been careful to not start a bigger conflict with Russia, as imposing a no-fly zone would mean British troops actively shooting down Russian artillery planes over Ukraine.
Mr Johnson said: “I’ve got to be honest about that.
“When you talk about the no-fly zone, as I’ve said to (Ukrainian President) Volodymyr Zelensky, I think a couple of times, unfortunately, the implication of that is the UK would be engaged in shooting down Russian planes, would be engaged in direct combat with Russia – that’s not something we can do.
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“I think the consequences of that would be truly very, very difficult to control.”
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also addressed the public cries for a no-fly zone on Times Radio.
Mr Wallace said: “There’s been a lot of no-fly zone suggestions, and no one seems to actually analyse what ‘no-fly zone’ means and what it would mean for Ukrainian armed forces.
“The Ukrainian armed forces are outnumbered on the ground massively by Russian armour and Russian army.
“One of the few weapons they have against the soldiers on the ground and forces like those big armoured columns is the ability to fly their fast jets and to use [drones] to strike logistical chains and air defences.
“If you have a no-fly zone, 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 attacks with missile attacks.”
