2000 UK anti-tank weapons attacked Russian border to help Ukraine in fight
against Russia. British surveillance aircraft have also been spotted as part
of a quiet but notable build-up of support to ukraine's military by the UK.
A group of around 30 elite british troops has arrived in ukraine to help
train the ukrainian armed forces on new anti-tank weapons gifted by the UK
amid fears of an imminent, new russian invasion, Sky News understands.
The members of the ranger regiment part of the army's newly formed special
operations brigade, flew out on military planes that also airlifted a total
of some 2000 anti-tank missile launchers to the country during the course of
this week.
British surveillance aircraft have also been spotted as part of a quiet but
notable build-up of support to ukraine's military by the UK. Open source
flight tracking software has plotted royal air force C-17 transport aircraft
flying back and forth between the UK and Ukraine.
Sky News understands that several flights have taken place since monday.
George Allison of the UK defense journal a website focused on defense news
posted on twitter a time lapse of the flights which he said began on monday.
The UK is understood to have gifted the Next Generation Light Anti-tank
Weapon (NLAW) which is described by its manufacturers as the first ever
single soldier missile system that rapidly knocks out any main battle tank
in just one shot by striking it from above.
The movement of weapons came after defense secretary ben wallace announced
to parliament on monday that Britain would increase its military support to
ukraine, which also included an increase in british military personnel on
the ground as trainers.
"We have taken the decision to supply ukraine with light anti-armor,
defensive weapon systems," he said.
A small number of UK personnel will also provide early stage training for a
short period of time within the framework of operation orbital, before then
returning to the UK.
Operation orbital is the name of a British training mission in ukraine that
was set up in 2015 following russia's annexation of Crimea the previous year
and backing of an insurgency in the east of the country.
Mr Wallace added let me be clear this support is for short range and clearly
defensive weapons capabilities. they are not strategic weapons and pose no
threat to Russia. They are to use in self-defense and the UK personnel
providing the early stage training will return to the uk after completing
it.
but russia viewed the move with suspicion, the Russian embassy to the UK
posted on twitter it is crystal clear that UK shipment of lethal weapons to
Ukraine will only fuel the crisis.
