Education in the West
London is considering sending soldiers to Ukraine
October 11, 2024, 2:22 p.m
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The new government in Great Britain is particularly committed to Ukraine. Now that there are increasing signs that London wants to allow Kiev to launch long-range attacks on Russia, a report says it is also considering sending training troops.
British military chiefs are considering sending troops to Ukraine to train soldiers in “remote” locations, according to a report in The Times. Accordingly, small groups of trainers in the west of the country could offer intensive basic training for new recruits for their deployment at the front.
Russia would undoubtedly see this as a provocation and would follow up with harsh threats – but these usually fizzle out relatively quickly. The west of Ukraine is far from the front, but is also partly the target of attacks from the air.
The Times’ sources said training Ukrainian soldiers on site would solve logistical problems and save costs. A voice from the British Ministry of Defense said: “We could [die Ausbildung] carry out there faster. And it would be very far from the front line, in isolated locations, so the risk would be low.” British soldiers would also learn combat skills from Ukrainian troops and have the opportunity to test the latest weapons developed for war, it said.
NATO states such as France and Lithuania had already announced in the past that they would consider sending training troops. There was a clear rejection from countries such as Hungary and Germany. The Democratic leader in the US House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, also told CBS News in the middle of the year: “We cannot let Ukraine fall because if that happens, there is a strong possibility that the United States will have to enter the conflict – not just with our money, but also with our soldiers.”
“Good news about long-range weapons”
The new Social Democratic government in Great Britain has repeatedly attacked Russia for the brutal war of aggression against Ukraine in recent weeks and at the same time has expressed its solidarity with Ukraine. A few weeks ago, there were reports that London wanted to allow Ukraine to attack Russia with long-range Storm Shadow missiles, something that many other partners were reluctant to do out of fear of an escalation, despite strong requests from Kiev. Because of the target selection, approval for Storm Shadow attacks should also depend on the USA.
A statement from Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov once again suggested that Great Britain wanted to grant clearance. Umerov said after a meeting with his British counterpart John Healey, whom he described as a “great friend of Ukraine,”: “We also have good news about long-range weapons and robotic systems – the enemy will feel this on the battlefield.”
Another help that London will definitely provide is the deployment of AS-90 self-propelled howitzers. “More AS-90 artillery systems will be delivered to the front by the end of the year,” Umerov said. Ukraine has been using the modern artillery system for a long time. Recently there have been reports from soldiers that Ukraine overall lacks artillery systems to keep up with the Russian side. The situation regarding the supply of ammunition is said to have improved significantly.