Some 8,000 British soldiers are scheduled to be sent to Eastern Europe to take part in military exercises designed to combat Russian aggression.
The deployment, which is one of the largest since the Cold War, will see troops stationed in countries from Finland to North Macedonia.
Dozens of tanks and more than 100 armored fighting vehicles will also be sent to the sites this summer under plans that have been beefed up since the war in Ukraine began.
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The armed forces will be joined by tens of thousands of soldiers from NATO and allies from the Joint Expeditionary Force, which include countries such as Denmark, Iceland and Norway.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the planned exercises will improve the ability of UK and Finnish troops to work together, “deterring Russian aggression in Scandinavia and the Baltic states”.
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secretary of defense ben wallace he said the move will show “solidarity and strength.”
“Europe’s security has never been more important. In these exercises, our troops will join forces with allies and partners from NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force in a show of solidarity and strength in one of the largest shared deployments since the Cold War.” . he said.
Some of the exercises are scheduled to involve parachute drops, air assaults from helicopters, Challenger 2 tanks
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“Operating across Europe, the British Army will stand alongside its partners, combining our capabilities and shared values, promoting peace and security.”
The UK deployment is expected to peak at around 8,000 people operating in mainland Europe between April and June.
Some of the exercises are scheduled to involve parachute drops, helicopter air assaults and Challenger 2 tanks.
The exercises are aimed at “showing the scale and importance of the British Army’s contribution to the defense of Europe”, the Ministry of Defense added.
A number of tanks and armored vehicles will also be sent to Europe for the exercises.
Army Field Commander Lieutenant General Ralph Wooddisse explained: “The UK makes a significant contribution to the defense of Europe and the deterrence of Russian aggression. The British Army series of exercises is critical to both.
“The scale of the deployment, coupled with the professionalism, training and agility of the British Army, will deter aggression on a scale not seen in Europe this century.”
Exercises are also taking place together with US troops in Poland.
Western powers try to show that their support for Ukraine does not wane
The Ministry of Defense says this is one of the largest military deployments since the Cold War and they are blunt that it is about showing solidarity and strength, with no prizes for guessing who the target audience is.
These exercises are to deter Russian aggression, to deter Vladimir Putin from entering a new conflict.
We understand that the military exercises in which the UK is participating will peak between now and June, with 8,000 British Army soldiers taking part.
But if you count all the troops from all the NATO countries and the Joint Expeditionary Force together, then we are talking about tens of thousands of members of the armed forces.
Of course, this comes as Joe Biden asked Congress for $33bn (£27bn) for military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
The Western powers here are trying to show that their support is not waning as the conflict enters its third month.
The Ukrainian capital is attacked after the meeting between Zelenskyy and the UN Secretary General
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian capital of kyiv has continued to come under fire, with at least one person killed and several injured during an attack on Thursday night.
Rescue officials said some civilians were trapped under rubble after the Russian attack, which came shortly after a Meeting between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
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Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Shevchenkivskyi district, in the northwestern part of the city, was attacked twice, setting fires to at least two high-rise buildings.
Explosions have also been reported in Chernihiv, which is close to the border with Belarus, and Fastiv, in the central part of the country.
Ukrainian authorities also reported heavy Russian fire in the Donbas, the industrial heartland of the east that has become a key target for Russia.
Earlier on Thursday, a Ukrainian military official said Russian forces were “exerting heavy fire” as they continued the second phase of their invasion.
Former British soldier killed in Ukraine after second Brit goes missing
comes after a British military veteran reportedly killed in Ukraine while fighting Russian forces.
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British murdered in Ukraine
Tributes have been paid to Scott Sibley, 36, who is the first confirmed British citizen to have died in the war.
A second British man, whom Sky News has chosen not to name, has been reported missing in Ukraine after traveling there to fight.
At the start of the war, the Ukrainian government urged volunteers from around the world to come and help support its armed forces as they faced the Russian invasion.
Reference-news.sky.com