RUSSIAN communists claimed today that the conflict in Ukraine has proved to be a proxy war between Moscow’s forces and Nato, with Western countries competing to supply arms to the region. 

Vyacheslav Tetekin, a former member of the State Duma defence committee, gave a detailed assessment of the impact of the war in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on February 24.

Arms have continued to flow into the country from Nato member states, with The Times reporting a total of $3.2 billion (£2.5bn) worth of lethal aid arriving from the United States alone since the start of the war.