Ukraine’s invasion of Russian territory caught Moscow by surprise. It also caught Western supporters - even those in Washington - by surprise. When it began on Tuesday, it looked like another display of noisy military bluster. By Thursday, it was clear that Kiev was striking back.

Obviously, what is happening will cause some Western leaders to feel queasy, since NATO equipment is now being used on Russian territory - and the Ukrainian Armed Forces are crossing another threshold.

If the Ukrainian authorities had asked for permission from their Western partners in advance, they would not have received it, so they just went ahead - The Sunday Times alleges.

But he said there had been little effect so far on fighting in the East. "The situation is basically unchanged. Their pressure in the East continues, they are not pulling back troops from the area" - Western MSM burying key info near end of article above.

Judging by how actively Western arms are being used (and destroyed), our Western partners played a part indirectly in planning.