In his latest column, High Peak MP Robert Largan writes about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the support the UK has given to the country and its people.

According to Vladimir Lenin, “there are decades when nothing happens and weeks when decades happen.” 

It certainly feels like we’ve lived through a few decades in the last week and that has been down to the actions of another Vladimir. The Russian President, Vladimir Putin. 

In the early hours of last Thursday morning, Russia attacked Ukraine in an all-out invasion of a peaceful democratic country. An unjustifiable and despicable act by a criminal regime of thugs. 

Many civilians have been killed and clear evidence has emerged of Russian war crimes, carried out by the order of the Putin regime. This is something I’ve been flagging for a while. Last month, I wrote in this paper warning about Russia’s intentions. I also raised the risk of Russian war crimes in Parliament before the invasion. 

The people of Ukraine are putting up a fearsome resistance, that is nothing short of inspiring. Armed with British anti-tank weapons, manufactured in Belfast, Ukrainian soldiers on the ground have said “this is the best kind of support, one you can feel with your hands” and a “game-changer”. 

Britain was the first country to send such military hardware to Ukraine, when it became clear what Putin was planning. Since 2015, following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, British Armed Forces have trained over 22,000 Ukrainian soldiers. 

I am very proud our support is making a real difference, accounting for a large number of Russian tanks destroyed and helping to even the odds in Ukraine’s struggle to maintain their freedom and defend their homeland. 

I am pleased that our friends in other NATO countries are following our lead and are also sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine. 

We’ve also led efforts to coordinate tough international sanctions, successfully convincing countries like Germany to agree to suspending Russia from SWIFT, effectively blocking the ability of Russian banks to trade internationally. 

We’re also hitting Putin’s cronies, those Russian oligarchs who prop up Putin’s regime, freezing their assets and those of Russian banks. I’m pushing for even tougher sanctions and stepping up our efforts to tackle money laundering, with corporate transparency reforms, to cut off dirty money from Russia and elsewhere. 

I know that many local people are keen to help the people of Ukraine directly. Amazing local charities like Little Cherubs in Chapel and Buxton Baby Bank are holding collections for children’s clothing and toiletries. 

The Government are working closely with countries like Poland to help the refugees coming across their border, providing £40million of humanitarian aid and deploying experts to help on the ground. They are also working to establish safe humanitarian routes for Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK. But we need to act quickly and go further to support refugees. I am pushing the Government hard to do the right thing. 

It has never been more important that we stay united and stand up for what is right. Слава Україні!

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