Hundreds of British Troops Parachute Into 'Russia's Backyard' to Train With Ukrainian Military
More than 200 British paratroopers parachuted into southern Ukraine between September 15 and 16 in a move that a Ukrainian general described as being a “message for Russia.”
Speaking to Sky News, Ukrainian general Yevhan Moysiuk said, “The main message for Russia is that the UK is our true and reliable partner who help us in our hardship. The UK is ready to stand up to Russian aggression with us.”
The UK’s Ministry of Defence said that it had trained 18,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2015, adding: “Following the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia … Operation Orbital is a demonstration of the UK’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.” It shared a tweet saying the troops “dropped into Russia’s backyard.”
This footage shows 250 soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade landing in southern Ukraine to conduct training with Ukrainian troops. Credit: UK Ministry of Defence via Storyful
