Boris Johnson speaks Russian in address to its citizens amid Ukraine’s invasion
British sea, land and air forces have arrived to reinforce Nato’s defences on its eastern flank in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.
It today announced that Royal Navy ships, British Army troops, and Royal Air force fighters are arriving on new deployments to bolster allied support in the East.
Defence secretary Ben Wallace said:“Our armed forces are once again being called upon in the service of our Nation and I salute the bravery and sense of duty shared by all our personnel who have been deployed to support Nato.
“Alongside our Nato Allies, these deployments constitute a credible deterrent to stop Russian aggression threatening the territorial sovereignty of member states.”
Meanwhile, the UK has pledged to continue to supply arms to Ukraine’s military.
“We know what the Ukrainians want. We are doing our best to get it to them,” UK armed forces minister James Heappey told Sky News.
It comes after defence secretary Ben Wallace chaired a donors conference on Friday with 25 nations, he said, some of whom pledged to send arms and other aid.
Labour MP receives death threat over Russia-Ukraine views
Labour MP Zarah Sultana has said she received a death threat as a result of “inaccurate” media reporting over her views on the conflict in Ukraine.
She said she contacted police after receiving a racially abusive email from someone who described her as “Putin’s whore”.
Ms Sultana one of 11 Labour backbenchers ordered by the leadership to remove their names from a statement by the Stop The War campaign on the situation in Ukraine.
Ms Sultana said she believed the abuse she received was directly linked to the way the issue had been reported in the media.
She said it included quotes from an anonymous Labour source, describing the MPs as a “mouthpiece for the Kremlin”.
“I am in no doubt that this horrific and absurd attack is the direct result of inaccurate media reports and deliberately misleading press comments,” she in a statement posted on Twitter.
“The environment this has created is an active danger to the safety of public figures, and threatens to narrow our democracy.
“Like all my colleagues, I am horrified at the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I stand with the people of Ukraine and have unequivocally condemned Putin’s actions.”
Emily Atkinson26 February 2022 14:55
UK imposes sanctions on Russian leaders Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov
Russian president Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov have been sanctioned by the UK government.
The restrictions came into force today in response to Russia’s “illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine”, the the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has announced.
The new sanctions, which are targeted personally at Putin and Lavrov, will see any UK-based assets frozen immediately and UK companies will be barred from providing goods, services or assets to them in future.
Foreign secretary Liz Truss said yesterday: “These new sanctions send a clear message that nothing and no one is off the table. These measures reflect the horror and gravity of what Putin and his regime has done, violating the territorial integrity of a sovereign nation with an illegal and unjustified invasion.”
Emily Atkinson26 February 2022 14:30
Britain cancels visas for Belarusian men’s basketball team
The UK has cancelled visas for the Belarusian men’s basketball team over their nation’s support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, home secretary Priti Patel said today.
“The UK will not welcome the national sports teams of those countries who are complicit in (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine,” Ms Patel wrote on Twitter.
She said the Belarusian team had been due to play in Newcastle in northern England on Sunday.
Emily Atkinson26 February 2022 14:19
In pictures: UK troops arrive to bolster Nato in Estonia
Emily Atkinson26 February 2022 14:09
MoD: UK troops arrive to reinforce Nato eastern flank
British sea, land and air forces have arrived to reinforce Nato’s defences on its eastern flank in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.
It today announced that Royal Navy ships, British Army troops, and Royal Air force fighters are arriving on new deployments to fortify allied support in the East.
Defence secretary Ben Wallace said:“Our armed forces are once again being called upon in the service of our Nation and I salute the bravery and sense of duty shared by all our personnel who have been deployed to support NATO.
“Alongside our NATO Allies, these deployments constitute a credible deterrent to stop Russian aggression threatening the territorial sovereignty of member states.”
What defences has the the UK deployed so far?
- HMS Trent, Merlin Helicopters and RAF P8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft are conducting Nato exercises in the eastern Mediterranean.
- HMS Diamond -a Type 45 destroyer – is also en route to the same location, after setting sail from Portsmouth yesterday.
- Challenger 2 tanks and armoured vehicles of the Royal Welsh battlegroup have arrived in Estonia from Germany, with further equipment and around 1000 troops joining over the coming days.
- RAF Typhoon fighter jets have already completed their first air policing missions across the region, with an additional four aircraft based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
- Typhoons flying from bases in Cyprus and the UK are now patrolling Nato airspace over Romania and Poland alongside Nato allies. Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft are also in support.
Emily Atkinson26 February 2022 13:58
UK forces arrive in East to bolster Nato defences
UK forces have arrived to fortify Nato defences in the East in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, say reports.
According to a tweet from Sky Newsthe Ministry of Defence (MoD) have deployed UK sea, land and air forces as tensions continue to escalate.
Emily Atkinson26 February 2022 13:30
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tweet in support of Ukraine
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have said they “stand” with the people of Ukraine as they “bravely fight” for their future.
Tweeting today, Prince William and Kate Middleton wrote: “In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine’s future.
“Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine’s people as they bravely fight for that future.”
Emily Atkinson26 February 2022 13:24
Tory calls for UK to change rules to let in Ukraine refugees
A senior Conservative MP has called on the government to “rip up the usual bureaucracy” to allow Ukrainian refugees easy access to Britain.
Julian Smith, former Northern Ireland secretary, tweeted his support for a rule change after the Home Office reiterated that Ukrainians stuck in their country would not be able to apply for UK visas.
Simon Hoare, Tory chair of the Northern Ireland select committee, retweeted Mr Smith’s message.
Liam James26 February 2022 13:13
More than 110,000 refugees flee Ukraine after invasion begins
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said almost 116,000 people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Thursday.
It said they were heading to neighbouring countries, “mainly Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Romania”.
The UK is not accepting visa applications from Ukrainians stuck in their home country but the Home Office said it was expanding capacity at application centres in neighbouring countries.
Dependents of UK nationals in Ukraine can apply at a centre in Lviv.
Liam James26 February 2022 12:54
Watch: Chaos at border as tens of thousands of desperate Ukrainians try to cross to safety in Poland
Chaos at Poland border as families with children flee Ukraine amid Russian invasion
Liam James26 February 2022 12:41