Military doctors and medics are exercising in large-scale casualty evacuation and the treatment of wounds. A major Russian military exercise involved practising for ‘operating on severely injured men’
Vladimir Putin has been warned to ‘step back from Ukraine’ (
Image: Alexei Nikolsky/TASS)
Russian troops are training for badly-wounded casualties if the Ukraine crisis escalates as Britain thrashed out plans for hundreds more British troops to deploy to the crisis-hit region.
Military doctors and medics are exercising in large-scale casualty evacuation and the treatment of shrapnel and bullet wounds amid fears Russia will invade Ukraine.
A major Russian military exercise involved practising for “operating on severely injured men,” commanders said in a military statement.
The drill included 1,200 military police officers who would be used in an occupying force as Russian forces increasingly appear to be preparing for an attack.
A Russian Interfax statement on the drills added: “Military police officers under the supervision of military doctors performed resuscitation procedures, both on simulated sick servicemen and on special mannequins.
The army’s new Apache AH-64E attack helicopter is displayed at Wattisham Flying Station, Suffolk
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Image:
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“Military police officers in conditions of simulated combat performed evacuation of wounded servicemen, reception and screening at a medical facility, provision of first aid to the injured, as well as performing surgeries to save critically wounded people.”
This came as British foreign secretary Liz Truss warned Putin to “desist and step back from Ukraine before he makes a massive strategic mistake.”
She said in Australia that “invasion will only lead to a terrible quagmire and loss of life, as we know from the Soviet-Afghan war and conflict in Chechnya.”
The UK military already leads a 1,200 battle group in Estonia, with 830 troops, tanks and attack vehicles plus intelligence operators and air defence systems.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) greets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov before their meeting in Geneva today
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Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
But sources say the MoD is considering bolstering the UK military presence in the Baltic states with “hundreds” more combat forces.
It is believed a further deployment would be sent quickly – although not to Ukraine.
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has already confirmed it may send more troops to the eastern flank and that it would: “Send a very clear message to Russia.”
UK PM Boris Johnson has warned that Russia faces “disaster” if President Vladimir Putin makes any sort of incursion into Ukraine.
It is one of the most advanced attack helicopters anywhere in the world
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Image:
PA)
Speaking during a visit to a diagnostics centre in Taunton, the Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s support for Ukrainian sovereignty, saying: “If Russia were to make any kind of incursion into Ukraine on any scale whatever I think that would be a disaster for not just for Russia, it would be a disaster for the world.
“The UK stands squarely behind the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine.”
US President Joe Biden said he did not believe Mr Putin wanted a full-blown war, and would pay a “dear price” if he did mount a military incursion against Russia’s neighbour.
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