Britain’s covert military plans to escalate Ukraine conflict exposed
By Anita Mathur
Leaked documents have revealed the inner workings of a clandestine British military initiative known as Project Alchemy, a covert cell formed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
This group, reportedly composed of senior British military figures, intelligence veterans, and private-sector operatives, was tasked with devising strategies to prolong the Ukraine conflict “at all costs.”
The disturbing findings, revealed through an investigation by The Grayzone, highlight how this shadowy cabal sought to manipulate international law, suppress dissenting media, and execute operations that blur the lines of legality.
The exposed files shed light on the UK government’s determination to not only escalate the Ukraine conflict but also to re-engineer the global order in its aftermath.
The revelations provide a rare glimpse into the covert mechanisms of modern warfare and raise significant ethical and legal questions about the role of Western nations in the ongoing proxy war against Russia.
The leaked files describe Project Alchemy as the brainchild of Lieutenant General Charlie Stickland, a senior British military official overseeing overseas military operations.
Convening the initiative just days after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine, Stickland brought together a coalition of academics, strategists, pollsters, and private contractors to craft a roadmap for defeating Russia.
The group’s overarching goal, as laid out in internal communications, was to “keep Ukraine fighting” by imposing strategic dilemmas on Russia while ensuring Moscow could not secure a swift victory.
This strategy hinged on the belief that prolonging the conflict would degrade Russian President Vladimir Putin’s domestic and international credibility and, in the process, bolster NATO’s geopolitical influence.
Among the proposals, Project Alchemy suggested measures ranging from psychological warfare and cyberattacks to outright terrorism.
These included:Targeting Crimea’s Kerch Bridge: The group reportedly developed plans to sabotage the critical infrastructure link to Crimea.
Training clandestine forces: Drawing inspiration from NATO’s Cold War-era Operation Gladio, Alchemy proposed creating a covert Ukrainian commando force capable of sabotage and partisan warfare behind enemy lines.
Suppressing dissenting voices: The group identified independent media outlets, including The Grayzone, as targets for legal and financial harassment to suppress narratives critical of Western policies.
The leaked documents also reveal the group’s willingness to push the boundaries of legality to achieve its objectives. Members acknowledged that some of their proposals violated existing British laws and recommended that the government adopt a “creative” approach to legal constraints.
The emphasis on covert operations-designed to avoid triggering NATO’s Article 5 collective defense clause-underscores the secretive nature of Project Alchemy.
Proposals called for deploying private military contractors (PMCs) and other “deniable” actors to carry out missions in Ukraine. This included creating a British counterpart to the Russian Wagner Group, capable of using sophisticated weaponry and operating under government sponsorship while maintaining plausible deniability.
One of the most controversial aspects of Project Alchemy was its reliance on tactics reminiscent of Operation Gladio, a Cold War-era NATO initiative involving covert paramilitary networks that conducted false-flag operations to combat perceived communist threats in Europe.
The Alchemy group envisioned updating Gladio-style tactics for modern warfare. Plans included disseminating “stay-behind” manuals tailored to the information age, training Ukrainian operatives in sabotage and assassination techniques, and deploying covert agents to occupied territories like Crimea.
These operatives, including fluent Russian speakers and female agents, would gather intelligence and target key infrastructure under the guidance of MI6 officers.
While the ostensible goal of Project Alchemy was to weaken Russia militarily and politically, the leaked documents hint at ulterior motives. Internal communications describe the long-term ambition of integrating a post-Putin Russia into the Western financial system under the guise of a “Marshall Plan.”
This would enable the West to regain access to Russia’s vast energy and commodity reserves, including cheap natural gas and wheat exports.
Additionally, prolonging the Ukraine conflict aligned with broader strategic interests. British officials believed that a protracted war would enhance NATO’s cohesion, diminish Russia’s influence in global politics, and weaken its alliances with countries like China and India.
Despite the grand ambitions of Project Alchemy, its strategies appear to have backfired. Far from crumbling under pressure, Putin remains popular within Russia, and his government has adapted to the economic sanctions and military challenges posed by the West.
Meanwhile, Ukraine faces mounting losses on the battlefield. Western-supplied weaponry and financial aid have proven insufficient to reverse territorial gains by Russian forces.
The prolonged conflict has also inflicted severe economic and social costs on Ukraine, further straining its population and military.
For Britain, the repercussions are equally significant. The revelations about Project Alchemy threaten to undermine public trust in the UK government and raise questions about the ethics of its foreign policy.
A particularly troubling aspect of the leaks is the group’s focus on silencing independent media. Project Alchemy viewed platforms like The Grayzone as threats to its information warfare strategy and proposed measures to “dismantle” these outlets through lawsuits, financial pressure, and online censorship.
This approach reflects a broader trend among Western governments to control narratives about the Ukraine conflict. By targeting dissenting voices, Project Alchemy sought to maintain public support for policies that have contributed to rising energy costs, inflation, and declining living standards in the UK and beyond.
The leaked files suggest that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who assumed office in July 2023, has been influenced by Project Alchemy’s maximalist approach to the Ukraine conflict.
Shortly after taking office, Starmer declared his commitment to supporting Ukraine “as long as it takes,” signaling his alignment with the group’s objectives.
However, as public discontent over the economic fallout of the war grows, Starmer has reportedly begun to distance himself from the more extreme proposals of Project Alchemy.
The exposure of Project Alchemy offers a sobering look at the lengths to which Western governments are willing to go to maintain geopolitical dominance.
From covert operations and media suppression to the manipulation of international law, the leaked documents reveal a strategy rooted in cynicism and calculated risks.
While the architects of Project Alchemy aimed to reshape the global order, their plans have led to devastating consequences for Ukraine and its people, undermined prospects for peace, and exacerbated tensions between nuclear-armed powers.
The revelations call into question the ethical foundations of the West’s role in the Ukraine conflict and highlight the urgent need for accountability and transparency in foreign policy.
As the war grinds on, the question remains: how many more lives will be sacrificed in the pursuit of these shadowy ambitions?
