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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Michael Fallon: UK to send troops to Baltic region | Michael Fallon: UK to send troops to Baltic region |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Britain will make a "long-term" deployment of troops to the Baltic region, the defence secretary is expected to announce. | Britain will make a "long-term" deployment of troops to the Baltic region, the defence secretary is expected to announce. |
| Michael Fallon, who is in Brussels for a Nato meeting, will say a small number - about 100 personnel - will be sent. | |
| Nato states have expressed concern over Russia's backing for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine and its bombing campaign in Syria. | Nato states have expressed concern over Russia's backing for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine and its bombing campaign in Syria. |
| RAF Typhoons have been deployed to the Baltic region each year since May 2014. | |
| In June, Typhoons, which are due to return to the UK in 2016, were scrambled from Amari Air base in Estonia to intercept and shadow two Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea. | In June, Typhoons, which are due to return to the UK in 2016, were scrambled from Amari Air base in Estonia to intercept and shadow two Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea. |
| Mr Fallon will also announce an increase to the number of UK training personnel based in Ukraine. | Mr Fallon will also announce an increase to the number of UK training personnel based in Ukraine. |
| Nineteen UK teams in Ukraine have trained nearly 1,600 members of the Ukraine Armed Forces (UAF) at eight training sites. | Nineteen UK teams in Ukraine have trained nearly 1,600 members of the Ukraine Armed Forces (UAF) at eight training sites. |
| The operation is on course to have trained more than 2,000 UAF troops by the end of the financial year. | The operation is on course to have trained more than 2,000 UAF troops by the end of the financial year. |
| A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed about 100 UK military personnel will be involved in the rotational deployment to the Baltics and another 25 will be involved in continuing the training mission in Ukraine. | |
| Arriving at the meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels, Mr Fallon said the UK deployment was "further reassurance for our allies... for Nato, for the Baltic states and for Poland." | Arriving at the meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels, Mr Fallon said the UK deployment was "further reassurance for our allies... for Nato, for the Baltic states and for Poland." |
| "That is part of our policy of more persistence presence on the eastern side of Nato to respond to any further Russian provocation and aggression," he said. | "That is part of our policy of more persistence presence on the eastern side of Nato to respond to any further Russian provocation and aggression," he said. |
| The move forms part of the US-German Transatlantic Capability Enhancement and Training initiative, which was announced at the Nato defence ministerial in June to co-ordinate military training and exercises in the Baltic States and Poland. | The move forms part of the US-German Transatlantic Capability Enhancement and Training initiative, which was announced at the Nato defence ministerial in June to co-ordinate military training and exercises in the Baltic States and Poland. |
| 'Much more dangerous' | 'Much more dangerous' |
| Later, Mr Fallon is expected to say: "We are committed to supporting the sovereignty of the democratic nations of Eastern Europe. | Later, Mr Fallon is expected to say: "We are committed to supporting the sovereignty of the democratic nations of Eastern Europe. |
| "We are already deploying RAF jets to the Baltics and providing crucial training to the Ukrainian armed forces. | "We are already deploying RAF jets to the Baltics and providing crucial training to the Ukrainian armed forces. |
| "Now we will have a more regular drumbeat of troops deploying in the Baltics and Poland, and will step up our training effort in Ukraine." | "Now we will have a more regular drumbeat of troops deploying in the Baltics and Poland, and will step up our training effort in Ukraine." |
| Sir Andrew Wood, a former British ambassador to Russia and an associate fellow at international affairs think tank Chatham House, said Russian president Vladimir Putin would see the stationing of British troops in the Baltic states "as a provocation". | |
| "Whether it means he will actually try and do something about it, I don't know," he said. | |
| Russia's growing military involvement in the Syria conflict is also expected to be high on the agenda of the Nato meeting after member Turkey said Russian jets had violated its airspace. | Russia's growing military involvement in the Syria conflict is also expected to be high on the agenda of the Nato meeting after member Turkey said Russian jets had violated its airspace. |
| BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus says Nato aims to make clear it will respond to any challenge. | BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus says Nato aims to make clear it will respond to any challenge. |
| On Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war, Mr Fallon said Russia was "making a very serious situation in Syria much more dangerous". | On Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war, Mr Fallon said Russia was "making a very serious situation in Syria much more dangerous". |
| Russia says its air strikes, which are backed by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, are aimed at so-called Islamic State, also referred to as ISIL, and "other terrorists". | Russia says its air strikes, which are backed by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, are aimed at so-called Islamic State, also referred to as ISIL, and "other terrorists". |
| 'Risk of a clash' | 'Risk of a clash' |
| But the US and its allies say other "moderate" rebel groups have been targeted. | But the US and its allies say other "moderate" rebel groups have been targeted. |
| Mr Fallon said: "We'll be calling on Russia specifically to stop propping up the Assad regime, to use their influence constructively to stop Assad bombing his own civilians. | Mr Fallon said: "We'll be calling on Russia specifically to stop propping up the Assad regime, to use their influence constructively to stop Assad bombing his own civilians. |
| "And themselves to avoid the use of unguided munitions in areas that are not being controlled by ISIL." | "And themselves to avoid the use of unguided munitions in areas that are not being controlled by ISIL." |
| Sir John Sawers, former head of Britain's MI6 foreign intelligence agency, said Russia's intervention in Syria was "a major step up" in its level of support for Assad's regime. | Sir John Sawers, former head of Britain's MI6 foreign intelligence agency, said Russia's intervention in Syria was "a major step up" in its level of support for Assad's regime. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "reticence" of the West, in the wake of Iraq and Afghanistan, to deploy military power "had left a space into which Putin has inserted himself". | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "reticence" of the West, in the wake of Iraq and Afghanistan, to deploy military power "had left a space into which Putin has inserted himself". |
| But he said "a degree of co-ordination" between Russia and the West would be needed, warning: "You can't really have two air forces fighting different campaigns aimed at different objectives over the same territory without a real risk of a clash." | But he said "a degree of co-ordination" between Russia and the West would be needed, warning: "You can't really have two air forces fighting different campaigns aimed at different objectives over the same territory without a real risk of a clash." |