A Ukrainian serviceman fires an NLAW anti-tank missile<\/p>\n
British SAS troops have been training Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv<\/strong><\/a> in how to use British-supplied NLAW anti-tank missile launchers, it has been reported.<\/p>\n The training marks the first time British forces have been instructing their Ukrainian counterparts since Russia’s Vladimir Putin<\/strong><\/a> launched his invasion on February 24.<\/p>\n Two officers from separate battalions stationed both in and around the country’s capital told The Times<\/strong><\/a> that British Special Forces had trained their troops on two occasions over the last fortnight.<\/p>\n ritish military trainers have had a presence in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, but were withdrawn in February as the likelihood of Putin ordering an all-out invasion of Ukraine<\/strong><\/a> increased.<\/p>\n Reports of the British training came after Russian TV warned that Western involvement in the war – such as supplying weapons to Ukraine and training its military – meant that World War Three had already begun.<\/p>\n The newspaper said it had spoken to two Ukrainian commanders – Captain Yuriy Myronenko and a Kyiv special forces commander who goes by the nickname ‘Skiff’.<\/p>\n