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  6.  » British troops are sent to Ukraine: Hi-tech weapons and ‘training personnel’ are dispatched amid fears of Russian invasion

Pictured: members of the Kyiv Territorial Defense Unit train in an industrial area of Kyiv

But Berlin BANS the RAF planes from German airspace and repeats vow to ‘do everything to avoid escalating the crisis’

  • Britain is supplying Ukraine with ‘self-defence’ weapons and military training 
  • It’s hoped to increase defensive capability ahead of a possible Russian invasion
  • Defence minister Ben Wallace said the weapons will ‘pose no threat to Russia’
  • He said they will be to protect Ukraine in the face of any Russian aggression 
  • But Germany insist it will continue to refuse to provide Ukraine with weapons
  • Flight data shows British aircraft avoiding German airspace en route to Ukraine 

Mark Nicol, Chris Matthews and Will Stewart – Daily Mail Jan 17, 2022

Britain last night sent troops and hi-tech weapons to Ukraine in a bid to thwart a feared Russian invasion.

In a clear signal to Vladimir Putin, two RAF transporters flew badly needed missile systems to Kiev’s forces. Troops were aboard the planes and will remain in Ukraine to teach their counterparts how to combat Russian tanks.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the deployment came ‘in light of the increasingly threatening behaviour from Russia’.

Up to 100,000 of Moscow’s troops are stationed along the border, sparking fears that an invasion could be days away.

The Kremlin insists it has ‘no plans’ to attack but the build-up of its troops, tanks and artillery pieces suggests otherwise.

Warning President Putin against ‘what could be a very, very bloody war’, Mr 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.’

However, Germany hasn’t moved from its position of refusing to provide Ukraine with weapons, according to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

She warned on a visit to Kiev that ‘any further escalation would carry a high price for the Russian regime – economic, political and strategic’ – and emphasized the need to continue negotiations.

‘We are prepared to have a serious dialogue with Russia, because diplomacy is the only way to defuse this highly dangerous situation,’ she added.

Baerbock said Germany has offered to send cybersecurity specialists to Ukraine to help investigate last week’s cyberattacks, which Ukrainian authorities have blamed on Russia.

‘We made clear that we will do everything to avoid escalating the crisis,’ she said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on a visit to Spain that ‘we expect clear steps from Russia to deescalate the situation,’ adding that ‘military aggression against Ukraine would entail serious political and economic consequences.’

Click to enlarge

As the Bundestag continues to oppose involvement, flightpath tracking data shows how British aircraft are avoiding German airspace en route to ferrying anti-armour weaponry to Ukraine.

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