Tag: BEN WALLACE

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UK govt to send helicopters to Ukraine  

The Northern Group is a UK initiative which aims to promote more coherent, efficient and effective defence and security co-operation in northern Europe…reports Asian Lite News

An additional 10,000 artillery rounds will be provided by the UK to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s illegal invasion, the Defence Secretary has announced on a visit to Norway.

The rounds will enhance Ukraine’s defensive capability and come as the first delivery of Sea King helicopters arrives in Ukraine to provide key search and rescue capabilities.

The Royal Navy provided a six-week programme of Sea King training in the UK for 10 crews of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and associated engineers.

The additional military aid comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Kyiv at the weekend, where he announced a £50 million package of defence aid. That package included 125 anti-aircraft guns and technology to counter deadly Iranian-supplied drones, including dozens of radars and anti-drone electronic warfare capability.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said, “Our support for Ukraine is unwavering. These additional artillery rounds will help Ukraine to secure the land it has reclaimed from Russia in recent weeks. The Defence Secretary is visiting Norway where he will host a meeting of the Northern Group of defence ministers onboard the UK’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. The meeting is expected to cover the implications of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, security developments in Northern Europe, and Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership applications.”

The Northern Group is a UK initiative which aims to promote more coherent, efficient and effective defence and security co-operation in northern Europe. It comprises 12 nations; Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the UK.

The UK is also supplying winter kit to Ukraine’s troops as they continue to battle to liberate their country from Russian forces as winter rapidly approaches – when temperatures are known to sink to minus 20°C and below in parts of the country.

Heavy duty sleeping bags and roll mats, combined with heated accommodation and personal winter clothing, will help to prevent cold-related injuries and ensure troops can operate effectively and efficiently.

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Wallace against sending tanks to Ukraine

Defense Secretary said emphasising that equipment from Soviet-era should be repaired instead as it would require less training, reports Asian Lite News

Providing Ukraine with British tanks “wouldn’t work”, UK Defense Secretary said emphasising that equipment from Soviet-era should be repaired instead as it would require less training.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Ben Wallace highlighted that the more “you go up in the sophistication of weapons system, the more training you require to use them.”

Therefore, the real focus should be on helping Ukrainians in refurbishing or locating Soviet weaponry that they could use in their fight against Russians. 

Meanwhile, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued for the second week, Putin’s forces have now switched to attrition warfare. The cities of Mariupol and Chernihiv continue to remain under siege.

Russians also bombed Lviv, the cultural capital of Ukraine on Saturday in what its mayor said was a warning to visiting US President Joe Biden.

Kremlin troops have continued their attacks on Kyiv suburbs but they said that their focus is now shifted to the liberation of the separatist-held Donbas region.

Meanwhile, Wallace said that the UK is “doing more than pretty much anyone else.” Just recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had urged western powers to bolster their supply of tanks and weaponry to support his troops in the ongoing war.

On Sunday, the British lawmaker said that UK’s Starstreak man-portable air defence system is ready to be deployed in Ukraine adding that Ukrainian troops have already been trained to use them.

Earlier this week, the United Kingdom announced it will provide £3 million to Ukrainians involved in academic research.

The government, amid the heightening tensions between Russia and Ukraine, has announced that Ukrainian nationals involved in academic research will benefit from a £3 million package of support to continue their vital work in the UK. The statement shared on Sunday reads,

“The new Researchers at Risk Fellowship Programme will support Ukrainian researchers fleeing the conflict, as well as those already in the UK who are unable to return home.” The Fellowships will provide a salary, research, and living costs for up to two years for these researchers, and will be available across all disciplines for postdoctoral researchers or those with equivalent experience.

YouTube removes Russian hoax call videos

YouTube has removed an account publishing videos of hoax calls with Cabinet ministers who were targeted by imposters allegedly linked to the Kremlin.

The video-sharing giant blocked the account as part of its investigation into “influence operations linked to Russia” after days of pressure to block the clips.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel both featured in videos that have been trickling out on the Vovan222prank channel since Monday.

The pair thought they were talking to Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal, but were in fact speaking to an imposter in what officials believe is a Russian disinformation campaign.

The Google-owned firm did not find that the videos breached its “community guidelines”, but removed it following an investigation into whether it was running an influence campaign.

A YouTube spokesman sad: “We have terminated the YouTube channel Vovan222prank as part of our ongoing investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia.”

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UK News

Wallace to visit Moscow for 2+2 talks

According to Downing Street, London is ready to work on a diplomatic solution to the existing differences with Russia…reports Asian Lite News

Defense Minister Ben Wallace will arrive in Moscow on Friday to take part in the 2+2 talks between the UK and Russian foreign and defence ministers, Downing Street said.

On Wednesday, the UK Embassy in Moscow told RIA Novosti that Wallace planned to meet with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on February 11.

“The Foreign Secretary is in Moscow today and the Defence Secretary will be there tomorrow for talks with their counterparts. They will stress the only way forward is for Russia to cease its aggressive campaign of hybrid warfare and engage in meaningful talks,” Downing Street said in a statement.

According to Downing Street, London is ready to work on a diplomatic solution to the existing differences with Russia.

“The UK is ready to work for a diplomatic way forward and we believe this can be achieved. But it can only be based on existing international agreements and the fundamental principles of a Europe whole and free,” the statement added.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that NATO needs real diplomacy to ensure the security of every member of the alliance.

“What we need to see is real diplomacy, not coercive diplomacy. As an alliance we must draw lines in the snow and be clear there are principles upon which we will not compromise. That includes the security of every NATO ally and the right of every European democracy to aspire to NATO membership,” Johnson said, as quoted by Downing Street.

In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of concentrating troops near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for an invasion.

Russia has repeatedly said that it has no intention of invading Ukraine, while stressing that it has the right to move forces within its own territory.

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