Reform UK has announced a range of policies to crack down immigration, including mass deportations and increased surveillance to complement its radical overhaul of the indefinite leave to remain (ILR) system.

The plans could see hundreds of thousands of legal migrants deported from the UK, and rules severely tightened for people looking to migrate to the country.

The party’s home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, delivered a speech on Monday on its plans to create a new ‘Trump inspired’ deportation agency with the capacity to detain 24,000 migrants at a time. This will come alongside automatic home searches for anyone referred to Prevent counter-terrorism, and a ban on the conversion of churches into mosques.

In 2025, the party shared disputed figures that its ILR policy alone would save more than £200bn. This is the main route by which migrants are able to settle in the UK and is open to people who have worked and lived in the UK legally for five years.

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Reform leader Nigel Farage claimed the plans would undo the “Boris wave” of migrants ushered in by the former Conservative prime minister. This refers to around 800,000 migrants who came to the UK under “relaxed” post-Brexit migration rules introduced by Boris Johnson’s government, and who will soon begin to qualify for permanent residence. He added that this group were “going to be a huge burden on the state”.

Mr Farage also claimed the policy would save £234bn, a figure drawn from a Centre for Policy Studies report that has been withdrawn due to a dispute over the numbers. The think tank said the cost estimate should “no longer be used”.

The plans have been widely criticised by politicians, campaigners and experts, who have said the proposals are “morally wrong” and will “tear families apart”.

Here’s what you need to know about the policy:

How does indefinite leave to remain currently work?

Indefinite leave to remain is how most migrants settle in the UK, wherever they come from. It gives them the right to live, work and study in the country permanently, as well as access benefits where eligible.

It also enables their family to migrate to the UK under certain conditions.

In most cases, ILR can be applied for after five years of living and working in the UK. Depending on visa type, the applicant may also need to meet certain salary or financial requirements.

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For most workers, this will be at least £41,700 per year, or the “standard going rate” for the type of work you’ll be doing, which could be higher. After securing ILR, a person can generally apply for British citizenship after 12 months.

Last May, Labour pledged to introduce tough new restrictions on ILR, meaning most applicants will need to be in the UK for 10 years before they can apply, as well as shortening the list of eligible jobs.

What would change under the plans?

Under Reform’s plans, this settled status would be scrapped – even for those currently residing in the UK on it.

Instead, a new visa with far stricter requirements would need to be successfully applied for and renewed every five years.

The policy would reportedly also see the salary threshold to apply increased to around £60,000, nearly double the median UK salary (£31,602).

The plans would throw the lives of the estimated 430,000 people holding ILR into uncertainty, despite many having lived in the UK for decades. They would be forced to reapply and would face deportation if they do not qualify under the new rules.

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It would also see the rights and freedoms they enjoy restricted, as access to NHS services or benefits would be rescinded. The new visas would require advanced English, with strict new limits on partners and family members being able to join.

Reform is expected to confirm that the policy would be enforced by a newly-created ‘UK Deportation Command’, modelled on America’s controversial ICE agency. Mr Yusuf told The Times last year this will be like “Trump mark two”.

The party has also previously pledged to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and replace the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights. This would enable its government to carry out its pledged mass deportations of asylum seekers – plans which have also had their claimed economic benefit called into question.

Do the plans and numbers add up?

The alleged £234bn in savings would be “over the lifetime of the average migrant”. There is no further breakdown, but the average lifespan in the UK is currently around 80 years old. In this case, then the proposed savings would be less than £3bn a year (£2.9bn) on average — a far more modest number than what Reform is brandishing.

Even over a 50-year lifespan in the UK, the alleged savings could be £4.7bn a year on average – and that’s without considering the economic benefits of the migrant workforce.

It is also unclear where these savings will come from and how they have been calculated. Reform has said that almost £9bn a year in universal credit is claimed by foreign nationals. But getting rid of ILR would not stop most foreign universal credit claimants from being eligible, since the majority are from the EU Settlement Scheme, agreed under Brexit, and would still be entitled to benefits.

As of July 2025, there were 213,666 people with indefinite leave to remain claiming universal credit. This makes up just 2.8 per cent of all claimants. This small fraction would mean that the government spend around £1.7bn this year on universal credit for people with indefinite leave to remain – far off from the £234bn savings, even if extended over a 50 or 80 year timeline.

And even if 800,000 more people will be granted ILR from the “Boris wave” – as Reform claims – there is nothing to suggest that these people will go on to claim universal credit. There is also no clear figure on how many foreign nationals in the UK have indefinite leave to remain. So, as it stands, the evidence behind Reform’s £234bn savings is murky at best.

Asked about Reform’s claim that they could save £234bn over several decades last year, chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “The numbers that Reform have come out with overnight have already begun to disassemble.”

She added: “It is a difficult challenge, I think everybody can see that, but simple gimmicks like those put forward by Reform that have no basis in reality and where the numbers just fall apart – that’s not the way to tackle a very serious issue, and this Labour government are getting on and doing that.”

The Trump administration has highlighted tackling substance abuse as one of its priorities, promising to “respond to a crisis of this scale with the attention it deserves”.

The president has previously imposed tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – citing the need to stop the flow of fentanyl into the US.

Now, with US intelligence support, Mexico’s military has killed “El Mencho” – the leader of one of the country’s biggest cartels behind the trafficking of drugs such as fentanyl.

Fentanyl causes tens of thousands of deaths in the US each year. But what is the drug, and what makes it so dangerous?

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more powerful than heroin.

As a prescription drug, it is used to treat severe pain, similarly to morphine.

The fentanyl that is used illegally is most often made in labs and sold as a powder or pill.

What makes it so dangerous?

Its strength, for starters. Because it is so potent, the difference between a dose that can kill and one that won’t is thin.

Fentanyl suppresses breathing at a much lower dose than other opioids.

Drug dealers also mix fentanyl – a cheaper drug – with heroin, cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine to increase their profits.

Without knowing their drug has been cut with fentanyl, a person might accidentally take too much.

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What are the effects of fentanyl?

Fentanyl can provide pain relief and create feelings of extreme happiness.

It can also cause nausea, confusion and sleepiness, problems breathing and unconsciousness.

What happens when someone overdoses?

Overdosing on fentanyl causes a person’s breathing to slow or stop, limiting the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain.

This can lead to a coma, permanent brain damage, or even death.

An overdose can be treated with naloxone, a medicated nasal spray, which restores normal breathing.

Read more:
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How many people die of fentanyl overdoses?

In 2021, more than 70,000 Americans died from a fentanyl overdose, and almost 58,000 in 2020, according to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC).

At times, more than 150 people a day in the US were dying from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

However, overdose fatalities in the US now appear to be falling.

Overdose fatalities for all drugs in the 12 months ending 31 October 2024 fell 25% to 84,000 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to CDC data.

The drop in deaths was even sharper for synthetic opioids, the vast majority due to fentanyl overdoses.

Over the same period, synthetic opioid fatalities fell by 33% to 52,400. Something

Fentanyl is less prevalent in the UK, and that’s reflected in the numbers: 58 people died from known fentanyl poisoning in 2021. The highest number of known fentanyl deaths was recorded in 2017, when 75 people died from the drug.

However, there were 4,859 deaths related to drug poisoning overall in 2021, a 6.4% increase from 2020, and half of those involved an opiate.

The appointment comes after a landmark year for the business, which reports a 94 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue and the opening of its second bricks-and-mortar store in Southampton.

Kevin brings more than 15 years’ experience in finance, project management and leadership roles.

He joins Jorvik Tricycles from global food retailer McDonald’s, where he was part of the Assistant Business Manager team across Yorkshire.

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Jorvik Tricycles says in his new role, Kevin will play a pivotal part in supporting the company’s growth, including developing relationships with stockists and retailers to expand Jorvik’s B2B and in-store presence, strengthening internal workflows, and improving integrated systems to streamline processes and support a high-performing team.

Kevin said: “I’m delighted to have joined Jorvik Tricycles at such an exciting time for the business and the wider industry.

“I’m looking forward to working closely with the senior team to support sustainable, long-term growth and to strengthen operations across sales, technical and dispatch functions.”

Kevin’s appointment brings the total number of full-time employees at Jorvik Tricycles to eight, operating across its York and Southampton sites.

James Walker, Founder and MD of Jorvik Tricycles says of Kevin’s appointment: “We’re really happy to welcome Kevin as we bolster our leadership team.

“Kevin will act as the central point for sales, customer services, technical and dispatch teams to ensure smooth running of day to day activities, his role will be vital in supporting sustained growth and expansion across the UK.”

Founded in 2014 by James Walker, Jorvik Tricycles has grown from humble beginnings — with its first tricycles built in James’ living room in York — to a multi-million-pound retailer that has supported more than 30,000 customers worldwide.

More than a decade on, the company says its mission remains unchanged: to support people of all abilities to enjoy the freedom and joy of cycling.

Customer service, it says, continues to sit at the heart of the business, with more than 60 per cent of sales delivered through one-to-one consultations.

This customer focused approach underpins the retailer’s plans for 2026 and beyond, Jorvik Tricycles added.

To find out more about Jorvik Tricycles and explore the full range, please visit: https://jorviktricycles.com/

One of Mexico’s most notorious drug lords “El Mencho” was killed in a military operation on Sunday in Tapalpa, sparking widespread retaliatory violence.

The 59-year-old, whose real name was Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, was originally from the western state of Michoacan and had been heavily involved in drug trafficking since the 1990s.

He previously spent almost three years in a US prison after being convicted in 1994 of conspiracy to distribute heroin by a court in California.

After his release, Oseguera Cervantes returned to Mexico, where he continued drug trafficking and was indicted several times by US courts since 2017.

At the time of his death, he was one of Washington’s most wanted fugitives.

His killing is a major win for US President Donald Trump, whose administration provided intelligence support for the operation.

Read the latest from Sky News

In January, the president claimed that “cartels are running Mexico” and promised action.

The president has repeatedly said that tackling the flow of drugs, specifically fentanyl, into the US is a priority for his administration.

Mr Trump previously introduced tariffs against Mexico, China and Canada, citing the trafficking of fentanyl into the US as the emergency justification for the move.

Cartel’s innovative use of bombs and drones

In 2009, Oseguera Cervantes founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which became Mexico’s fastest-growing criminal organisation.

Jalisco is a western Mexican state which borders the Pacific Ocean.

Oseguera Cervantes’ organisation has a presence in at least 21 of Mexico’s 32 states and is active in almost all of the US, according to the country’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The group’s rapid rise was fuelled by moving cocaine, methamphetamines, fentanyl and people to the US.

The gang recruited aggressively, including online, and was innovative in its use of drones, improvised explosive devices and violence – including brazen attacks against authorities.

In 2015, the group made headlines after downing a military helicopter in Jalisco, killing some of those on board.

According to the US Department of State: “Through extreme violence, corruption and extortion, CJNG has increased its presence in Mexico, engaging in turf battles throughout the country and steadily expanding their territory and control.

“Oseguera Cervantes has rapidly grown CJNG from a regionally based drug trafficking organisation into an international organised crime power, involved with the production and distribution of narcotics throughout the world.”

The CJNG attempted a spectacular, but unsuccessful, assassination of Mexico City Police Chief Omar García Harfuch, who is now Mexico’s federal security secretary.

Two of Mr Harfuch’s bodyguards were killed in the attack, with the then police chief being taken to hospital with gun wounds.

Mr Trump’s administration designated the cartel and others as foreign terrorist organisations a year ago.

A $15m (£11m) reward had been offered by the US State Department for information that led to Oseguera Cervantes’ arrest.

His death will have created a power vacuum, and it is unclear if any one successor will emerge to take his place as the boss of the clan he founded more than 16 years ago.

His absence could limit the gang’s rapid expansion and leave it more at risk from other groups, particularly their main rival – the feared Sinaloa cartel.

However, Sinaloa is locked in its own internal power struggle since its leader, “El Mayo” Zambada, was transferred to the US in 2024.

The operation and its aftermath

The Mexican army claimed that during an operation aimed at capturing Oseguera Cervantes, troops came under fire.

In the subsequent shootout, federal forces killed four members of the criminal group and wounded three others, including its leader, who later died during transfer by air to Mexico City, according to a statement.

Three soldiers were also injured, and two suspects were arrested by government forces.

Rocket launchers capable of shooting down aircraft and destroying armoured vehicles were seized at the scene.

The removal of cartel heads has previously led to an explosion of violence as power struggles emerged.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has criticised this “kingpin” strategy of previous administrations that often led to the gangs splintering into warring factions.

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Following Oseguera Cervantes’ death, gunmen unleashed violence across the country, with cars torched by cartel members in 20 Mexican states, often blocking roads.

Residents locked themselves in their homes in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city and Jalisco’s capital, and school was cancelled on Monday in several states as security forces were placed on alert all over the country.

Neighbouring countries, including Guatemala, reinforced security on the border with Mexico.

The violence led to a wave of airlines cancelling flights and the UK government urging Britons in parts of Jalisco state, including Puerto Vallarta, to stay inside and to only travel during daylight.

Liverpool breathed new life into their push for a Champions League place with Alexis Mac Allister’s late strike seeing off Nottingham Forest but the Argentine has been slammed since

Alexis Mac Allister has been told he played the ‘worst game’ of his Liverpool career against Nottingham Forest despite his late goal. The Argentine midfielder was the hero for the Reds at Anfield, scoring in stoppage time.

His goal came only minutes after he had seen another goal chalked off by VAR. And while Mac Allister proved to be decisive for Liverpool, he has been criticised by former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf for his performance.

Speaking to ESPN, he said: “Sometimes life is not fair and when you see how horrendous some players have been. I highly rank the player I’m going to mention, Mac Allister.

“I think he is a world-class player and a World Cup champion. Since he has been at Liverpool, he has been a very influential player but [Sunday] was the worst game I’ve ever seen Mac Allister[play]. But he scored the goal and that, for me, is what football is not fair.”

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Mac Allister’s strike against Forest was his first goal in the Premier League this season, albeit he has managed to score three others in Europe. Asked about the midfielder’s form, Liverpool boss Arne Slot said: “I think what he needed is what he showed in the last six, seven or eight games – a run of games where he’s getting back to his usual level that he showed so many times last season.

“And he had that level also in the first half of the season but it went a bit with ups and downs, as the team went in terms of performances with ups and downs.

“But I see much more consistency recently – not only in Macca’s performance but in the team performance and many individual performances. But I think it’s always nice for a player to score, especially if it’s in extra time of extra time.”

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Mac Allister spoke out after his winning goal against Forest. Asked if the ball had touched his arm ahead of the disallowed goal, he replied: “It did, but it’s harsh. Because it hit my back as well. I understand the rules but it’s football, it’s very harsh.”

On his eventual winner, the Argentine midfielder added: “I knew I would get another one [chance]. Before the throw-in, I told Hugo [Ekitike] it would be our situation. But I had another opportunity and I am glad it went in.”

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Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage

A 20-year-old man has died after falling from a bridge near Cambridge. Officers and paramedics were called to the northbound carriageway of the A11 at about 8:15pm on Sunday (February 22).

A 20-year-old man from Cambridge was pronounced dead at the scene near Fulbourn.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage. Anyone who saw the man to use reference 431 of February 22 and report it through the force website of 101.

Sergeant Claire Marland said: “I am appealing to anyone who may have seen the man, either walking to or in the vicinity of the bridge, to get in touch with us.”

Casemiro is set to become a free agent when his Manchester United contract expires at the end of the season, after a decision was made not to trigger a one-year option

Major League Soccer (MLS) has emerged as a potential next destination for Manchester United midfielder Casemiro when his contract expires and he leaves Old Trafford at the end of the season.

United confirmed last month that Casemiro, 34, will depart the Reds this summer after four years at the club. During his time in Manchester to date, the Brazilian has made 150 appearances, scoring 22 goals.

While there was talk that United might extend Casemiro’s contract due to his up-turn his form across the last 12 months, the Reds have opted not to trigger the one-year option they have on his current deal.

It does mean, however, that Casemiro is set to become a free agent and there is significant interest in the five-time Champions League winner. Indeed, according to The Telegraph, MLS clubs are eyeing up a move for Casemiro, who is said to be drawn to the prospect of playing football in the United States.

Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Beckham are among the high-profile players that have moved out to the MLS in recent years, and Casemiro, who was recently on holiday in Miami, could be the next.

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But, despite the interest from the MLS, United interim head coach Michael Carrick believes Casemiro can still play at the highest level, which could open the door for him to play against the Reds next season.

Carrick has been impressed by Casemiro since his appointed as United’s head coach, with the ex-Middlesbrough boss crediting the veteran for raising the level in training and setting an example to his team-mates.

“I’m sure he can, he’s playing as good a level as he’s played at for some time at the moment, and it’s great to see in so many ways,” Carrick said, when speaking about Casemiro still playing at the highest level.

“The experience, technically, game understanding, just composure in certain moments, he’s in a really good place.

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“I’ve got to say, Cas has been fantastic since I came really, on and off the pitch. Experience is a great thing if you use it in the right way, and again, I think over time being a senior player here is almost the responsibility of the example, and helping the younger players, helping the rest of the boys, and passing on your experiences in a positive way. He’s been top since I came, in so many ways, and he’s been a pleasure to work with.”

Casemiro has started in each of Carrick’s first five matches since returning to the United dugout. The ex-Real Madrid man has scored once and grabbed one assist in that time, with both coming in the 3-2 win against Fulham.

United head to Everton on Monday night looking to extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches in the Premier League. The Reds last tasted defeat in the top flight back on Sunday, December 21 in a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa.

They sit fifth in the Premier League table, level on points with fourth-place Chelsea and Liverpool in sixth. But the Reds will open up a three-point gap on their Champions League rivals with a crucial win at Everton.

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The teenage boy was attacked by a group in the early hours of Sunday morning

A teenage boy has sustained facial injuries including a broken nose following an assault in Co Derry over the weekend.

The assault happened in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, February 22, in the vicinity of Shipquay Place near Guildhall Square in Derry city centre.

Deputy Mayor Niree McMorris was contacted by the teenager’s mum about the incident, and said “his only crime was that he was a Protestant.” Police said they are treating the assault as a sectarian-motivated hate crime.

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“I have just been contacted by a distraught mum whose son was attacked in the town by approximately 20 youths. His only crime was that he was a Protestant,” Ms McMorris said.

“The young guy who was only 16 received severe facial injuries and has had to get medical attention in hospital. All too often we hear of these mindless attacks happening and it concerns me that someday these attacks will lead to a fatality.

“No one should be attacked because of their religion or for any other reason. I have spoken to the PSNI who will be investigating this attack and hopefully they will identify the attackers on the CCTV cameras, as these attacks need to STOP. If anyone has any information, please get in touch or speak directly to the police.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police in Derry/Londonderry, investigating a report of an assault on a boy in the city centre area during the early hours of Sunday, 22 February, are appealing for witnesses and information.

“The assault is reported to have occurred at around 2.35am in the vicinity of Shipquay Place area, and a number of people are reported to have been present at the time.

“The victim, aged in his teens, is reported to have sustained injuries including a broken nose as a result of the assault, which is being investigated as a sectarian-motivated hate crime.

“Police are working to establish the circumstances and appeal to anyone that can assist their enquiries to call 101, quoting reference number 1068 of 22/02/25, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“A report can also be made online via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org/.”

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A court in Hong Kong has upheld the convictions and sentences of pro-democracy activists in the biggest case brought under a Beijing-imposed national security law.

The appeals were part of the so-called “Hong Kong 47” case, in which many leading pro-democracy activists and politicians were arrested in early 2021 and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion.

Hong Kong‘s government said the court’s decision showed that anyone endangering national security would be punished in accordance with the law.

The case centred on an unofficial primary election organised by pro-democracy campaigners in mid-2020 to select the strongest candidates for a council election.

The prosecution alleged they were conspiring to win a majority in order to paralyse the government by blocking the city’s annual budget, in a bid to force Hong Kong’s leader to resign.

The mass prosecution of 47 activists crushed much of the city’s once-thriving pro-democracy movement, which saw massive anti-government protests in 2019.

Forty-five of the defendants were sentenced to between four and 10 years in 2024, drawing criticism from foreign governments and rights groups.

Eleven activists who appealed their convictions lost their bids.

They included former politicians Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Raymond Chan and Helena Wong.

All appeals over their sentences, brought by 10 of them and another activist, were also dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

Lawrence Lau, a pro-democracy former district councillor, was one of two activists acquitted in the case.

Judges upheld his acquittal following an appeal from the prosecution.

After hearing the result, the defendants appeared calm and waved to their families and supporters.

Some people had waited outside since Saturday to secure a seat in the courtroom.

After the ruling, Chan Po-ying, the wife of activist Leung Kwok-hung, said: “What crimes have they committed?”

So far, 18 of the 45 convicted democrats have been released after serving their jail terms, including former district councillors Jimmy Sham and Lester Shum.

Officials in Hong Kong and Beijing insist that they received a fair trial, and say the national security law in 2020 helped restore order following the mass pro-democracy protests.

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But a spokesperson for Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas said the court “missed a critical opportunity to correct this mass injustice”, adding that “peaceful opposition to a government is not a crime”.

The Australian government’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, also expressed concern that its citizen, Gordon Ng, had lost the appeal over his conviction.

I could hear the takeoff detonation being filmed live and broadcast around the world in my earpiece along with my TV colleague’s on the ground report of the Russian attack – on the morning Vladimir Putin ordered a full scale invasion of Ukraine.

Standing in the pre-dawn freeze on a terrace overlooking Kharkiv’s Freedom Square four years ago, it took less a minute before I was reporting on those rockets when they exploded on impact.

The skyline bulged orange, then came the concussive thump, then the cracks of the rockets exploding. They’d been fired from inside Russia into Ukraine’s second biggest city.

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The BM-30 Smerch were among the worst. They scattered cluster bombs, spattering the city with deadly golden balls. BM-212 Grads, the old-fashioned Stalin’s Organ multiple rocket launchers, were terrifying too.

They screeched from the sky in swarms like spears upon residential areas, killing and burning ahead of advancing Russian infantry.

Over the next couple of days, Russian troops stormed north from Crimea towards Kherson and soon beyond. They blasted out of Donetsk, and turned up on the streets of Kharkiv.

I could hear the sounds of firefights, machine guns screaming like chainsaws and the crash of rocket propelled grenades. The assumption was that the Russians would capture this city, and the capital, in a few days.

That assumption got a lot of Russians killed.

We heard of a reconnaissance group that had wandered closer to Freedom Square and been ambushed by local police with RPGs and rifles. A Russian soldier fell from his vehicle on fire. A group of babushkas (grannies), almost certainly Russian speakers, rushed up to the burning man.

They beat him to death with broom sticks.

That was a metaphor for Ukraine’s defence of itself.

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First invaded by Putin in 2014, Crimea was captured. Back then, Ukraine’s allies reneged on security guarantees to the young democracy and many, like the UK and the US, banned Kyiv from buying lethal weapons.

British and US intelligence knew that the Kremlin’s ambitions were for the conquest of all of Ukraine in 2022. They warned Volodymyr Zelensky that the Russians were coming in 2022. He didn’t seem to listen and his armed forces were very relaxed on the border just north of Kharkiv.

“I don’t see many preparations to defend against an invasion,” I said to a colonel I met two days before the Russians launched into Ukraine.

“You’re not supposed to,” he replied. But there were no signs of defences being raised at all. Because there were none.

Ukraine was sent reeling. But its population recovered their country’s balance.

Some military units scrambled to put up fights that western advisers thought incredible – such as the punishing defence of Hostomel air base against a mass airborne attacks by paratroops and Spetznatz forces just north west of Kyiv.

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Elsewhere, young veterans from the earlier years of combat reformed themselves into small teams in pick-up trucks, organised their own families inside occupied territory to spy on the invaders, and took on Russia’s mass columns of armour and infantry.

Around the world, footage of the ambushes on these columns emerged and gave small signs that tiny amounts of British and American military aid were having staggering effects. American Javelin and British NLAW anti-tank missiles slammed into armoured columns and crippled their advance.

Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kyiv were saved by swashbuckling units in Second World War SAS-style raids, which had far more strategic significance than any operations carried out by Britain’s nascent special forces in their early years.

In the south, villages organised their own counter attacks and Ukraine harnessed the horrors of Moscow’s mass starvation of their people in the early 1930s into an “over my dead body” rage that held them together.

By the summer of 2022, the national forces had regrouped, launched a counter offensive, and recovered vast tracts of land in lightning operations.

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Since then Ukraine has settled into a near stalemate of grinding horror – followed by the nerve-jangling new dimensions of drone conflict in which both sides have been reinventing the modern form of war.

Throughout all this, Ukraine has been defending Europe’s eastern flank against Russia on the ground.

In the political realm, though, Ukrainians have been dying in large numbers in a war to stop the idea that “might is right” dead in its tank tracks.

No one here had any idea that Donald Trump would so enthusiastically support the Darwinian doctrine of the Kremlin. But he has. He likes to back a winner. He appears to have chosen one.

Without question, Trump’s administration caused more deaths in Ukraine by ending American military aid for the country and set back its ability to defend itself than if he had continued to support Kyiv.

Meanwhile the rest of the west has been slow to comprehend the strategic danger Putin’s land grab poses – and the political horror that the Putin-Trump doctrine can lead the world towards.

First, Ukraine’s allies were slow to agree to send any kind of weapons, but when the anti-tank missiles arrived they were put to good an immediate use.

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Men like “Grumpty” a former software engineer taught himself how to drive a Russian T-82 tank from looking at Youtube videos. Along with “Achilles”, who was killed in the summer of 2022, and a small band of men, Grumpty destroyed 14 Russian armoured personnel carriers and tanks in one night not far from Sumy.

The Russians were found by the wife of one of the team, Achilles spotted the targets and called in coordinates to Grumpty who fired over and over again on the invaders.

This kind of act captured the public imagination. But did not deliver Ukraine the weapons it needed to win – barely enough to survive.

While Russia pounded Kyiv’s forces with hundreds of artillery pieces, it took months for small donations of ancient guns to come from the democratic west.

Long range rockets were restricted in how they could be used.

In Bakhmut, Ukrainians and foreign volunteers fought waves of Russian prisoners and conscripts forced into “meat attacks”. One American volunteer, Kevin, described with disgust how, for a week, he reckoned he killed “20-40 a day”.

But Russia hit Ukrainians with bombs from aircraft and long range missiles fired from Russian soil that were out of bounds to Ukrainians using any foreign equipment.

Forced to adapt or die, Ukraine is now the world leader in drone warfare and controls the Black Sea without having a navy made up of old-fashioned ships and sailors.

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With losses at around 1.2 million casualties, Putin’s war has been a disaster for Moscow. And Nato is now bigger as Finland and Sweden have joined the alliance.

Europe has covered the loss of America’s military support with €250 billion pledged compared to the US total spent of $115 billion. Much of this money goes on air defences.

Putin has switched his strategy to hitting civilians, blasting Ukraine’s energy systems and trying to break the will of its people.

Outside Ukraine he has managed to shape much of the debate over diplomacy – creating a narrative that Ukraine cannot win, should sue for peace, and give up at least 20 per cent of its territory.

Travelling from Nikopol to to Kharkiv through the fortress belt now demanded by Russia in return for thinking about a ceasefire, it is clear that most Ukrainians now want peace.

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But not one of them said that Ukraine’s security is worth the trade for peace.

Zelensky, and his European allies, insist that Ukraine needs security guarantees to ensure that Russia never attacks again, never returns to Putin’s public intention to re-colonise the country.

They claim that the only way to do that is to get America to be Ukraine’s protector.

But there’s no chance that the US could be relied on to keep watch over Ukraine, let alone send troops to fight if it got reinvaded.

That has to be the job of Ukraine’s European neighbours and wider allies in the West. Ukraine has shown what it can do with very little. Imagine what it could do with a little more help from its friends.