The United Kingdom has sent troops and hi-tech weapons to Ukraine in a bid to help the former Soviet republic against a feared Russian invasion ‘in a matter of days’
In a clear signal to Russia’s president Vladimir Putin who has amassed over 100,000 troops to Ukraine’s border with Russia while also reportedly engineering a cyber attack on Ukraine last week, the UK flew two RAF transporter carrying missile systems to Kiev on Monday night, January 17.
UK Troops were aboard the planes and will remain in Ukraine to teach their counterparts how to combat Russian tanks, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said.
The Kremlin has said it has ‘no plans’ to attack but the build-up of its troops, tanks and artillery pieces suggests otherwise.
Reminding President Putin that fighting Ukraine will ‘be a very, very bloody war’, Wallace told MPs:
‘The UK is providing a new security assistance package to increase Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. We have taken the decision to supply Ukraine with light, anti-armour, defensive weapon systems.
‘A small number of UK personnel will also provide early-stage training for a short period of time before then returning to the United Kingdom.’
But Germany, surprisingly didn’t allow the UK planes use it’s airspace in transporting the missile systems to Ukraine.
Germany says it will refuse to provide Ukraine with weapons, according to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.