RussiaтАЩs GRU military intelligence unit and Spetsnaz crack troops are believed already to be in Ukraine preparing for war. Britain has given thousands of NLAW anti-tank missiles to KyivтАЩs forces
A British military instructor trains Ukrainian service members to use the next generation light anti-tank weapon, NLAW (
Image: via REUTERS)
Russian special forces and spies are in Ukraine in тАЬsignificantтАЭ numbers – in the starkest warning of oncoming war, Britain has revealed.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said MoscowтАЩs elite forces have advanced across the border ahead of the main force of combat troops.
The Mirror has learned RussiaтАЩs GRU military intelligence unit and Spetsnaz crack troops are believed already to be in Ukraine preparing for war.
They are seen as an advance party appearing to plot an attack by 126,000 regular forces gathered at UkraineтАЩs eastern flank as well as thousands more in Belarus.
It came as British special forces are preparing for a mass evacuation of more than 1,000 British nationals if they become stranded.
Ben Wallace said Moscow’s elite forces have advanced across the border
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Image:
via REUTERS)
They are being told to register with the skeleton embassy left in Kyiv, from where they will be air-evacuated or bussed by road 350 miles east to Poland.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned British troops could soon be sent to eastern Europe to help bolster NATO against Russia.
Mr Wallace told the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee there were individuals already in Ukraine тАЬlinked to the Russian state in ways that are not conventionalтАЭ and тАЬthat should give cause for concernтАЭ.
He added: тАЬWe are becoming aware of a significant number of individuals that are assessed to be associated with Russian military advance force operations that currently are located in Ukraine.
тАЬAnd that is what we expect to see next and what weтАЩre seeing now.тАЭ
Boris Johnson warned British troops could soon be sent to eastern Europe
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Image:
PRU/AFP via Getty Images)
UkraineтАЩs SBU intelligence and security agency is working round the clock to seize Russian spooks trying to pinpoint the countryтАЩs defences.
Several have been arrested in the contested Donbas area in recent months and Ukraine forces have massively locked down security.
Russian covert operatives in Ukraine will be preparing espionage, sabotage operations and anything to undermine UkraineтАЩs defences.
Britain has given thousands of NLAW anti-tank missiles to KyivтАЩs forces to help them hold back a Russian armoured attack, along with 100 UK military trainers.
Russian forces in artillery drills
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Image:
Zvezdanews/East2west News)
Mr Wallace added: тАЬAny crossing into Ukraine, whether small or large, would be viewed as a breach of that sovereignty, against international law and an invasion.
тАЬYou canтАЩt be half-pregnant, you are either invading a country or you are not.тАЭ
On Tuesday Mr Johnson warned the UK may deploy troops to protect Nato allies in Europe should Russia invade, saying Vladimir Putin faces тАЬferociousтАЭ Ukrainian resistance.
The PM said the UK and its allies stand ready to impose тАЬheavy economic sanctionsтАЭ on Russia, amid fears of тАЬbloodshed comparable to the first war in Chechnya or BosniaтАЭ.
Service members of the Ukrainian armed forces at combat positions near the line of separation from Russian-backed rebels outside the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk Region
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Image:
REUTERS)
Mr Johnson told the House of Commons: тАЬIf Russia pursues this path, many Russian mothersтАЩ sons will not be coming home.
тАЬThe response in the international community would be the same and the pain that would be inflicted on the Russian economy will be the same.тАЭ
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party тАЬstands resoluteтАЭ in supporting Ukraine.
Mr Johnson added: тАЬThe British Army leads the Nato battle group in Estonia and if Russia invades Ukraine, we would look to contribute to any new Nato deployments to protect our allies in Europe.тАЭ2
Keir Starmer said his party supports Ukraine
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Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
He went on: тАЬThere is nothing new about large and powerful nations using the threat of brute force to terrify reasonable people into giving way to otherwise completely unacceptable demands.
тАЬBut if President Putin was to choose the path of bloodshed and destruction, he must realise that itтАЩd be both tragic and futile, and nor should we allow him to believe that he could easily take some smaller portion of Ukraine – to salami-slice – because the resistance would be ferocious.тАЭ
The SAS-led UK evacuation mission is already in Ukraine preparing for an emergency evacuation, along with the Special Forces Support Group.
Foreign Office advice was posted stating: тАЭBritish nationals in Ukraine are requested to register their presence in Ukraine. This will allow us to provide the latest information but it is still advised that British nationals continue to read and follow FCDO Travel Advice.тАЭ
The request for UK nationals to register their details is a тАЩstandard operating procedureтАЩ by the FCDO when they planning an evacuation such as in the Lebanon, Sierra Leone and more recently Kabul.
A senior source said: тАЬIt could be a simple operation if we can get people to the airport and fly out, but if Moscow imposes an air embargo it will be a nightmare.
тАЬWe know the Germans and other countries are also planning to airlift their people and we are looking at using a road route to the Polish border, but will be the FCDOтАЩs call.тАЭ
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