Letters: Britain needs the English National Ballet

Putin’s options

Sir: I agree with Paul Wood that Vladimir Putin is on the back foot (‘Cornered’, 24 September). His actions, from partial mobilisation to nuclear threats to the rapid referenda in occupied Ukraine, indicate a psychopathic gambler who hopes that one last spin will turn Lady Fortune his way. However, there is a big gap between ‘losing’ and ‘lost’, and that is where the focus on the nuclear threat by the West is unhelpful and dangerous. As well as the partial mobilisation, Putin ordered in August a 10 per cent increase in the size of the military to more than a million combat troops. Combine this with the ‘economy of effort’ effect of withdrawing from parts of Ukraine and come next spring, Putin has the makings of a ground manoeuvre force that gives him options. How he chooses to use them is moot: a ‘coup de main’ assault on Moldova, another attempt to take Odessa, better defences in eastern Ukraine or an attack on the Baltic states – all are possible, with different levels of risk and reward.