BRIT SPECIAL FORCES MONITORING PUTIN’S THREAT TO UKRAINE
» UK crews in crisis region » Pair of US warships arrive
BRITISH forces are helping Ukraine monitor Russia’s huge military build-up amid fears of all-out war between the two neighbours.
A small team of UK special forces has deployed to the region along with specialist communications troops from a Royal Signals detachment.
And the Mirror has learned an RAF spy plane has been operating in Ukraine to soak up Russian communications for early warnings of an invasion.
Two US warships – the USS Roosevelt and USS Donald Cook – arrived in the Black Sea at the weekend to try to deter Vladimir Putin from invading.
Moscow has warned it may undertake “full scale combat operations” in
Ukraine. Close to 100,000 Russian troops are at the 1,500-mile border or are on the way. Tens of thousands of Ukraine’s regulars and reservists have been called up.
Ten of Putin’s warships are expected to arrive in the Black Sea this week to bolster the assault force.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he is “firmly opposed” to Russia’s campaign to destabilise Ukraine. He added that he and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agree “Russia must immediately de-escalate the situation”.
A senior UK military source said: “The team is there to listen and collate information, nothing more.
“Our Special Forces are operating with US counterparts and identifying areas
in the east of the country for [the spy plane] to fly over. The picture across the region is very chaotic and confused by propaganda generated by the Russians.”
Ukraine and its US and UK allies are trying to track down GRU Russian intelligence operatives in east Ukraine.
The GRU is in Ukraine whipping up support for Moscow in preparation for a further incursion over the disputed border. The British and US assess the situation is reaching “crisis point”.
Ukraine fears a Russian assault could be launched “within days”.
As many as 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between troops and separatist rebels in east Ukraine since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.