‘I’m a military expert – World War 3 is already here and this is when it really started’

Military experts Mark Toth and former US intelligence officer Col. Jonathan Sweet have shared they believe the Third World War has already begun, with the invasion of Ukraine.

Experts have warned the world is already at war for the third time – and has been for some time.

When people think of war, many will bring up images of the First and Second World Wars, with the likes of trench warfare or fierce battles fought in the towns and cities of Western Europe. But in today’s day and age, it can be far simpler with the digital arena replacing scenes of destruction at home.

Other signs are less subtle as people in Ukraine can attest. Indeed, experts say the Third World War began with Russia’s invasion of their friendly neighbours in 2022.

National security expert Mark Toth and former US intelligence officer Col. Jonathan Sweet told MailOnline they believe the world is already at war. They said: “This third global conflagration doesn’t look or feel like what Hollywood envisioned.

“No mushroom clouds or apocalyptic wastelands. Rather, it is war by a thousand cuts, conducted across multi-regional and multi-domain battlefields.

“Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was the opening stage (of World War Three). It was his marker to the global community that the world order as it had existed since the end of the Second World War was no longer.”

In another sign, this weekend it was reported that Russian hacking software has been allegedly used to steal hundreds of Ministry of Defence computer log-ins in a major security breach. The MoD is now investigating the incident which saw emails and passwords belonging to almost 600 employees – including UK Armed personnel, civil servants and defence contractors – being stolen and leaked on the dark web by cybercriminal groups since 2020.

The stolen data includes email addresses, as well as other log-in information needed to access the MoD’s Defence Gateway portal, an online platform for British military personnel. The system doesn’t contain classified information but is used by some staff for communication and to get access to human resources and health data.

The MoD told The Mirror the system is not an integral part of its operations and it is accessed via two-factor authentication. It is believed most of the exposed employees are based in the UK, but some details of MoD staff based in Iraq, Qatar, Cyprus and mainland Europe have also been stolen, which could present a significant security risk.

Last week Russia revealed mass production of its feared Oreshnik ballistic missiles has begun . The new intermediate-range ballistic missile was used in an assault on Dnipro, destroying a factory and bringing it to ruins. In reaction to its launch, Putin claimed the weapon is “unstoppable” and said even the US air defence systems would be powerless to stop the new missile, which flies at Mach 10 and is named after the Russian word for hazelnut tree.