Tag: military operations

1,500 UK troops join major NATO exercise in Estonia

More than 1,500 UK troops are set to train alongside thousands of personnel from NATO Alliance countries, as part of a major exercise in Estonia

  • Personnel from all three services of the UK Armed Forces are deployed in Estonia, carrying out exercises and operations as part of our commitment to NATO.
  • More than 1,500 troops have been deployed for Exercise Spring Storm, demonstrating the reinforcement of the UK-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup to Brigade-sized strength.
  • 14,000 personnel from 11 NATO countries will demonstrate interoperability in multi-domain training scenarios as part of the exercise.

More than 1,500 UK troops are set to train alongside thousands of personnel from NATO Alliance countries, as part of a major exercise in Estonia.

Exercise Spring Storm is the largest annual military exercise involving the UK-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup, comprised of both UK and French forces, with more than 14,000 personnel due to take part from 11 NATO countries.

At last year’s NATO summit, the UK committed to increase the size of its eFP commitment, with this year’s exercise marking the first time the UK has conducted a brigade-sized deployment to Estonia – involving hundreds more personnel than in previous deployments.

Spread across tough and varied Estonian terrain, ground units will be tested on realistic battlefield scenarios including trench assaults, reconnaissance missions, and light infantry tactics, moving up to armoured vehicle manoeuvres and combined arms warfare.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said: “Hundreds of UK troops from across our Armed Forces will again train with personnel from eleven NATO nations, demonstrating the strength of our interoperability with partner nations and our combined commitment to the NATO Alliance.

“While the Russian Army continues their illegal invasion of Ukraine threatening stability in Europe, the UK and our allies will continue to support Ukraine and defend our shared values and freedom.”

Beyond the land-based elements of the two-week exercise, members of the RAF will carry out training exercises in reconnaissance and air-land integration, while Royal Marines Commandos will also carry out a beach assault exercise to test the UK’s maritime strike capability.

The eFP provides a continuous NATO presence along its eastern border, with deployed troops acting as a deterrence against any aggression towards the Alliance’s borders. Recent actions carried out as part of the UK-led eFP include air intercepts of Russian aircraft by RAF fighter jets.

Personnel from the British Army’s 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team (7LMBCT) HQ and Light Dragoons Battlegroup (LD BG) join the Queen’s Royal Hussars (QRH) for the exercise, which will include Challenger 2 tanks, Warrior and CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Jackal, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, and other artillery pieces, including British GMLRS and US HIMARS.

Supporting air-based exercises will be four Wildcat and five Apache helicopters, as well as three RAF Typhoon fighter jets.

The Queen’s Royal Hussars Commanding Officer Lt Col Steve Wilson said: “The eFP is looking forward to the opportunities provided by Exercise Spring Storm. The chance to train over the terrain we might need to defend adds to the gravitas of the exercise.

“Our Battlegroup is fully integrated with 1st Estonian Brigade and brings a highly trained and capable UK and French troops to the field. We will be bringing a wide range of hard-hitting capabilities from Main Battle Tanks (MBT), anti-tank, and artillery to snipers, mortars, engineers and tactical air controllers.

“We look forward to demonstrating the capabilities and resolve of the NATO alliance over the coming days.”

The exercise is conducted in a peer-on-peer format, allowing the reconnaissance capabilities of the LD Battlegroup to be tested against the heavy armour of the QRH Battlegroup, and vice versa.

UKRAINE: IT’S WAR

RUSSIA LAUNCHES FULL SCALE INVASION

Russia has unleashed a military invasion of Ukraine, with reports of explosions near major cities across the country.

In a TV address to the Russian people early this morning, President Putin warned Western governments not to interfere.

Russia launched its military operation after recognising the self-proclaimed people’s republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine earlier this week. The breakaway pro-Russian regions later asked Moscow for military support, giving Putin an excuse, ifhe needed one, to escalate military operations.

In his announcement early this morning, Mr Putin said the military operation’s objective was to defend those people who had been subjected for eight years to “genocide by the Kyiv regime”.

In the TV statement Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia did not plan to occupy Ukraine, but said Moscow’s response would be “instant” if anyone tried to stop this.

While Western leaders have condemned Putin’s actions, NATO will not take up arms to support the Ukranian people.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the early hours of this morning.

The Prime Minister said he was appalled by the unfolding events in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian President updated the Prime Minister on the attacks taking place, and the Prime Minister said the West would not stand by as President Putin waged his campaign against the Ukrainian people.

The Prime Minister said he hoped Ukraine could resist and that Ukraine and its people were in the thoughts of everyone in the United Kingdom people during this dark time.

The Prime Minister is currently chairing a COBRA meeting to discuss developments in Ukraine.

Further sanctions are the likely outcome, but sanctions on their own will never deter an autocrat hell bent on having his own way. While NATO wrings it’s hands, Putin will be laughing all the way to Kyiv.

PM Boris Johnson gave an address to the nation on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Shortly after 4 o’ clock this morning I spoke to president Zelenskyy of Ukraine to offer the continued support of the UK because our worst fears have now come true and all our warnings have proved tragically accurate.

President Putin of Russia has unleashed war in our European continent. He has attacked a friendly country without any provocation and without any credible excuse

Innumerable missiles and bombs have been raining down on an entirely innocent population

A vast invasion is underway by land by sea and by air.

And this is not in the infamous phrase some faraway country of which we know little

We have Ukrainian friends in this country; neighbours, co-workers

Ukraine is a country that for decades has enjoyed freedom and democracy and the right to choose its own destiny

We – and the world – cannot allow that freedom just to be snuffed out. We cannot and will not just look away.

It is because we have been so alarmed in recent months at the Russian intimidation that the UK became one of the first countries in Europe to send defensive weaponry to help the Ukrainians

Other allies have now done the same and we will do what more we can in the days ahead

Today in concert with our allies we will agree a massive package of economic sanctions designed in time to hobble the Russian economy

And to that end we must also collectively cease the dependence on Russian oil and gas that for too long has given Putin his grip on western politics

Our mission is clear – Diplomatically, politically, economically – and eventually, militarily – this hideous and barbaric venture of Vladimir Putin must end in failure.

And so I say to the people of Russia, whose president has just authorised a tidal wave of violence against a fellow Slavic people

The parents of Russian soldiers who will lose their lives.

I cannot believe this is being done in your name or that you really want the pariah status it will bring to the Putin regime

and I say to the Ukrainians in this moment of agony

we are with you we are praying for you and your families

and we are on your side

And if the months ahead are grim, and the flame of freedom burns low

I know that it will blaze bright again in Ukraine because for all his bombs and tanks and missiles I don’t believe that the Russian dictator will ever subdue the national feeling of the Ukrainians and their passionate belief that their country should be free

and I say to the British people and all who have heard the threats from Putin against those who stand with Ukraine

we will of course do everything to keep our country safe

We are joined in our outrage by friends and allies around the world

We will work with them – for however long it takes – to ensure that the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine is restored

because this act of wanton and reckless aggression is an attack not just on Ukraine

It is an attack on democracy and freedom in East Europe and around the world

This crisis is about the right of a free, sovereign independent European people to choose their own future – and that is a right that the UK will always defend.