The devastation continues

• IN August 2022 you published my letter bemoaning the government’s censoring and cancellation of the TV programme Russia Today following the invasion of Ukraine, and remarking that, despite the gung-ho mainstream media and eager support of western allies, Russia had not caved in and run.

A year on, the war and its devastation continues. With arms, aid and more sophisticated weaponry, Ukraine is able to expand its retaliation into Russian territory.

Now we learn that Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged access and use of “Space X”, a satellite system controlled by Elon Musk, to bomb and destroy the Russian fleet. Musk refused on the grounds of it marking a dangerous escalation of the conflict.

If there is a pragmatic view that Zelenskyy is obsessed in his determination to inflict such destruction and that Vladimir Putin is equally intent to crush Ukraine, then the former’s provocations will, sooner or later, result in the latter responding with catastrophic force.

The United States, United Kingdom and European Union leaders urgently need to reassess, and broker a mature settlement before a terrifying event engulfs us all.

ALAN WHEELER, NW5