More than 2,600 British troops are being sent to NATO‘s eastern frontline in a show of strength intended to intimidate Vladimir Putin.
They will take part in the alliance’s Exercise Steadfast Dart 25, billed by defence officials as a demonstration of readiness, capability and commitment.
The move is supposed to rehearse NATO’s rapid response to an invasion of its territory by Russia.
Romania and Bulgaria will host the manoeuvres with the British contingent being drawn from this country’s 1st Division (1 Div) based in York.
The mission rehearsals will coincide with the third anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine next month.
Kremlin troops continue to occupy a fifth of the country’s territory. Ukraine also remains under constant bombardment from Russian drones and glide bombers.
Last night, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said: ‘This government wants the UK to be NATO’s leading European nation.
‘Exercise Steadfast Dart demonstrates our unshakeable commitment to NATO and highlights the UK’s key leadership role in the alliance.
British troops driving Jackal combat vehicles descend from M3 amphibious rigs of the German/British Amphibious Engineer Battalion 130 after crossing the Vistula River during the NATO Dragon 24 military exercise on March 4, 2024
The mission rehearsals will coincide with the third anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine next month (pictured: Russian president Vladimir Putin)
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate signals to the pilots of the MV-22 Osprey assault support aircraft, assigned to 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, as it departs off the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) on June 8, 2022
A soldier of the United Kingdom’s 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian infantry unit storms an enemy position in a simulated attack during the NATO ‘Brilliant Jump’ military exercises on February 26, 2024 in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland
‘As we approach the three-year anniversary we must continue to strengthen our collective defences to deter Putin effectively.’
In additional to more than 2,600 personnel, 730 British vehicles, including Foxhound patrol vehicles and Jackal mobility vehicles, will also take part.
1 Div’s headquarters element will command all of the NATO troops on the exercise.
The UK is widely considered to be incapable of deploying an armoured division on its own – a commitment of around 15,000 troops.
As the Mail recently revealed, NATO chiefs are locked in talks with UK defence officials over whether to drop Britain’s pledge of a division to the alliance.
The move is in part due to reductions in the size of the Army over recent decades. Shortages of UK tanks is another factor.
Ex Steadfast Dart will also simulate the coordination and cooperation of tens of thousands of NATO soldiers as part of one force responding to a Russian attack.
Together, these soldiers comprise NATO’s Allied Reaction Force, that can operate across land, sea and air and come together at short notice.