By John Ikani
Britain is considering sending hundreds more troops to Ukraine’s NATO neighbours to act as a “deterrent” to Russia, The Times reported on Friday, citing defense sources.
Britain already has 830 troops, tanks armoured military vehicles, self-propelled artillery, air-defence, intelligence assets and engineers in Estonia, where it is leading a battle group of 1,200. More than 300 French troops are set to join them.
Poland is also playing host to 140 British troops as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence mission, while around 100 British troops are currently in Ukraine and British presence in the region could be set to increase further under plans being discussed by the Ministry of Defence.
When asked about the timing of the deployment discussed, a source told the newspaper: “If there was a NATO ally about to have Russian troops knocking on their doorstep then they (the force) would be there quickly”.
Western intelligence officials fear that the Kremlin is plotting a ‘multi-axis’ invasion that could come from the land, air and sea, with Russian troops believed to have set up in Belarus at a base some 25 miles from the Ukrainian border.
On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow does not give cause to provoke a conflict situation around Ukraine.
Accused by the West and Kiev of “aggressive actions”, Russia has repeatedly rejected the allegations and stated that it has no intention to invade any country.
However, the Kremlin has massed some 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders.
Russia has demanded an end to NATO deployments on its borders, and has said such moves are a provocation.
What does Russia want with Ukraine?
Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, which collapsed in December 1991, a country which Putin describes as the “disintegration of historical Russia”.
A clue to President Putin’s thinking on Ukraine came in a lengthy piece last year when he called Russians and Ukrainians “one nation”. He labelled Ukraine’s current leaders as running an “anti-Russian project”.
Russia has long resisted Ukraine’s move towards European institutions, and Nato in particular.
Ukraine shares borders with both the EU and Russia, but as a former Soviet republic it has deep social and cultural ties with Russia, and Russian is widely spoken there.
When Ukrainians deposed their pro-Russian President in early 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine’s southern Crimean peninsula and backed separatists who captured large swathes of eastern Ukraine. The rebels have fought the Ukrainian military ever since in a conflict that has claimed more than 14,000 lives.
What does Russia want from Nato?
Russia has spoken of a “moment of truth” in recasting its relationship with Nato: “For us it’s absolutely mandatory to ensure Ukraine never, ever becomes a member of Nato,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
Moscow accuses NATO countries of “pumping” Ukraine with weapons and the US of stoking tensions. President Putin has complained Russia has “nowhere further to retreat to – do they think we’ll just sit idly by?”
It demands no more eastward expansion and an end to Nato military activity in Eastern Europe. That would mean combat units being pulled out of Poland and the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and no missiles deployed in countries such as Poland and Romania.
Russia has also proposed a treaty with the US barring nuclear weapons from being deployed beyond their national territories.
