In the “war chest” Ukraine must defeat Russia with 200 fighter jets and 1,000 drones while Putin prepares a new invasion

UKRAINE has said it needs an arsenal of new weapons to finally defeat Russia as the feared Vladimir Putin prepares for the next phase of his invasion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for more weapons to bolster his armed forces as they bravely stand up to Moscow.

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As the West surrenders tanks, missiles and other weapons, Ukraine fears this may not be enough to defeat Putin outright.

Kyiv has previously estimated they will need up to 500 tanks, 200 fighter jets, 1,000 artillery pieces, 1,000 drones and 300 rocket launchers.

Modern tanks were the latest weapons slated for shipment – with Ukraine set to receive Challenge 2s, Leopard 2s and M1 Abrams vehicles.

But now the next diplomatic tug-of-war will be over fighter jets, with Kyiv saying they need modern jets to take on the Russians.

US President Joe Biden poured cold water on sending F-16s – but Ukraine says Poland could be ready to step in to deliver them.

Aircraft such as the ultra-high-tech F-35, Eurofighter, Tornados, French-made Rafales and Saab Gripens are on Kiev’s wish list.

Ukraine has said it needs up to 200 planes to replace its aging and obsolete planes left over from the collapsed Soviet Union.

“We are technologically inferior. That is why the need is great,” said Ukrainian Air Force officer Yuri Ignat.

It has also been reported that some US Air Force officials are interested in sending high-tech drones like MQ-9 Reaper to help Ukraine.

But according to reports last December, the Pentagon is still unconvinced.

Ukraine also wants a steady supply of missiles, rocket launchers, armored vehicles and ammunition to continue the fight against Russia.

Russia has committed cruelty and brutality since invading Ukraine – and the prospect of Putin winning is viewed by the West as disastrous.

However, Ukraine faces an uphill battle as Russia has one of the largest armed forces in the world.

And this despite Putin’s repeated failures on the battlefield with poorly trained and equipped troops.

But Western leaders must walk a tightrope as they continue to arm Ukraine.

The Kremlin is furious at the flow of arms into the nation and has accused nations like the US and Britain of waging a “hybrid war” against Russia.

And the conflict, the biggest war in Europe since the end of the Second World War, looms over the constant threat of escalation.

But yesterday NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg admitted that the best way to secure future peace is to keep arming Ukraine so it can defeat Russia.

“What we do know is that what’s happening around this table is inseparable from, and entirely dependent on, the situation on the battlefield,” he said.

“So if we really want Ukraine to assert itself as a sovereign, independent state in Europe, then we have to support it now.

“Military support today makes it possible to reach a peace agreement tomorrow.”

However, Stoltenberg also warned that Moscow is preparing for a new offensive – with at least 200,000 troops as warheads for its first anniversary on February 24.

Ukraine has said the date could be a symbolic moment for Putin to launch a new attack – and that it could be the biggest offensive since the war began.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov raged: “Ukraine is demanding more and more weapons.

“The West encourages these demands and is committed to providing such weapons.

“It’s a dead end: it’s leading to significant escalation, it’s causing NATO countries to become more and more directly involved in the conflict – but it doesn’t have the potential to change the course of things, and it won’t .”

Ukraine warned in the winter that Putin’s forces will prepare for another attack in 2023.

It has been 11 months since Mad Vlad invaded Ukraine and his troops streamed across the border to march on Kyiv.

But it wasn’t the day-long “special military operation” that Putin and his men had hoped for.

And now, according to Ukraine, more than 126,000 Russians lie dead on the muddy battlefields of the war.

The war has caused Vlad’s forces to be thrown back and all hopes of a quick victory have sunk to the bottom of the Black Sea.

But despite staggering casualties, the Russian army is said to be over a million strong, with another two million reservists who could be called up.

And Putin’s defense chief Sergei Shoigu has announced plans to increase the number of active members to one and a half million from 2023.

Putin’s future now depends on his success or failure in the war – with rumors of his health and fears of a coup.

Kyiv has warned that Russia is preparing to call up another 500,000 conscripts to bolster its depleted military – in addition to the 300,000 called up in October.

And earlier this month, Russian newspaper Volya Media reported that Russia could be preparing for a new offensive involving up to 700,000 troops.

It comes amid a flurry of speculation about what will happen next in the war – with Russia consistently lagging behind despite recent gains at Soledar.

It has been suggested that Putin may announce a second wave of mass mobilization to strengthen his army and war games are taking place between Belarus and Russia.

Russian troops and forces continue to advance into the former Soviet state ruled by Europe’s last dictator, Alexander Lukashenko.

And questions remain as to whether Putin will pressure Belarus to officially join the war against Ukraine.

The mastermind behind the new plan is reportedly General Valery Gerasimov.

Gerasimov – the chief of the General Staff – was given direct control of Putin’s invasion, ousting former commander “General Armageddon” Sergey Surovikin.

Elsewhere it was reported that Vlad Gerasimov has ordered significant progress to be made by March – including taking control of Donbass by March.

Volya reported that Gerasimov believes an attack on the western regions could end the war by forcing Ukraine’s surrender.

It has been reported that Gerasimov dreams of fighting a war on the scale of World War II – gathering thousands of soldiers, tanks and artillery pieces to “level cities”.

The outlet concluded its report by saying the slaughter in Ukraine could reach a scale “not seen since the war began” on February 24.

Russia has publicly announced plans to increase the size of its military in 2023 – from around 1 million to 1.5 million by 2026.

Russia continues to terrorize Ukraine – and yesterday it was revealed that Mad Vlad even threatened to kill Boris Johnson in a phone call before the invasion.