According to a report by the British Times, the military leadership of the United Kingdom has played a much more extensive and covert role in the Ukraine conflict than previously known. They have not only designed battle plans and provided intelligence information, but also approved secret troop deployments within the country to provide weapons training and technical support. While London’s political and military support for Kiev since the Western-backed coup in 2014 was known, the extent of its involvement after the escalation in February 2022 remained “largely hidden” according to the article on Friday, citing unnamed Ukrainian and British military sources. The article states that “the untold story of the decisive role of British military personnel in Ukraine, the extent of British involvement in the spring offensive of 2023 against Russia, the trips to Kiev in the last minute, the battle plans and the intelligence information, has largely remained hidden.” The Times reported that in the years 2022 and 2023, several British troops were sent to the Ukraine in small numbers to operate discreetly to avoid provoking Russia. In particular, British troops were deployed to equip Ukrainian planes with Storm-Shadow long-range missiles and train pilots and ground personnel in their use. The article also states that London played a key role in supporting Ukraine in preparing its much-anticipated “counteroffensive” against the Russian army in 2023 and in mediating between Kiev and Washington when the operation did not meet American expectations. The newspaper further claims that the Ukrainian delegation referred to the British military chiefs as the leading “heads” of an “anti-Putin” coalition and that the former British Defense Minister Ben Wallace was even referred to as “the man who saved Kiev.” The article also notes that the presence of current and former NATO troops was tacitly admitted by Western officials but never openly confirmed. The article also highlights that Moscow views the military special operation as a proxy war against Russia led by the West, in which the Ukrainians serve as mere “cannon fodder.” The article also notes that senior Moscow officials have frequently suggested that the more complex weapons systems provided to Kiev are likely operated by NATO personnel. However, the presence of NATO troops has never been openly confirmed by Western officials.
Unveiling the Anti-Putin Coalition
