https://sputnikglobe.com/20240404/which-western-countries-are-mired-in-ukraine-proxy-conflict-1117737653.html
Which Western Countries Are Mired in Ukraine Proxy Conflict?
Which Western Countries Are Mired in Ukraine Proxy Conflict?
Sputnik International
Which Western countries are involved in NATO's proxy war in Ukraine?
2024-04-04T17:16+0000
2024-04-04T17:16+0000
2024-04-04T17:16+0000
ukraine
nato
rishi sunak
emmanuel macron
olaf scholz
united kingdom (uk)
european union (eu)
proxy war
military
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While Russia notches up battlefield successes in NATO’s proxy war, grinding through billions-worth of sophisticated weaponry funneled to Kiev, the West is again mulling raising the stakes.Some NATO countries are openly discussing the possibility of sending their troops to fight in Ukraine.French President Emmanuel Macron was the first to let the cat out of the bag in late February. At the time, European leaders rushed to dismiss such plans. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that NATO had no intention of sending its troops to Ukraine. But on the 75th anniversary of the alliance, US State Department consultant Edward Luttwak weighed in on the debate. The bloc's member-states “will soon have to send soldiers to Ukraine, or else accept catastrophic defeat,” he wrote for current affairs site Unherd.“The British and French, along with the Nordic countries, are already quietly preparing to send troops — both small elite units and logistics and support personnel — who can remain far from the front,” he wrote on April 4. He added that NATO units “could also relieve Ukrainians currently tied up in the recovery and repair of damaged equipment, and could take over the technical parts of existing training programmes for new recruits.”In reality the presence of NATO military personnel in Ukraine has long been an open secret to the whole world. Sputnik presents some facts and figures that prove this.United StatesThe Biden administration provided approximately $44.2 billion in military aid to Ukraine since early 2022, along with intelligence support. In November 2022, Washington said it would send military "weapons experts" to Ukraine. US media revealed in February 2023 that the Pentagon planned to insert US commandos in the form of "control teams" in Ukraine. Last April an apparent Pentagon leak revealed that at least 97 special forces soldiers from five NATO countries — including 14 US military personnel — have been operating in Ukraine. Furthermore, a NYT report revealed that a network of 12 CIA secret bases have been operating in Ukraine since 2014. NATO special operations teams have been seen in Ukraine on multiple occasions, Sputnik quoted sources as saying this February. Foreign military specialists are believed to be operating NATO-supplied weapons, as well as in the ranks of signalmen, pilots and military consultants.Furthermore, around 1,113 mercenaries have flocked from the US to Ukraine since the start of the conflict, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense stated on March 14, 2024. By the time of the report, 491 of them had been killed.United KingdomThe British government has similarly provided billions-worth of military aid to Ukraine. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged Kiev £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in military funding this year. This will take London’s arms spending on Ukraine to over £7 billion since February 2022.Sunak has also confirmed that there are a “small number” of British army personnel “supporting the armed forces of Ukraine”. Ukrainian soldiers are also being trained at a specially constructed camp in a secret location in the east of England. Over 60,000 Ukrainian servicemen have received training in the UK since 2014, UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said in January.An estimated 822 British mercenaries have arrived in Ukraine since the conflict escalated in early 2022, with 360 killed as of mid-March, according to Russia’s MoD.CanadaCanada claims to have kept a small military presence in Ukraine to protect its diplomatic personnel. It also contributed to the training of Ukrainian soldiers through various initiatives, such as Operation Unifier since 2014. This mission was relocated from Ukraine to other countries after February 2022. However, Minister of National Defense Bill Blair hinted in an interview with Toronto Star that Canadian instructors may return to Ukraine under the newly-signed security agreement between Ottawa and Kiev "when conditions allow." As for Canadian mercenaries, they have numbered around 1,005, with 422 killed by mid-march, 2024.FranceFrance is preparing to deploy a contingent of troops in Ukraine, with the first echelon to include about 2,000 soldiers, according to information received by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.As for those French nationals already in Ukraine fighting as mercenaries, they have suffered huge losses. The Russian MoD reports that out of around 356 French soldiers of fortune, 147 have been wiped out. On January 17, the Russian armed forces destroyed a temporary deployment point for foreign fighters in Kharkov, most of whom were French mercenaries, with about 60 soldiers killed.PolandWarsaw has been an avid supporter of Ukraine, providing military aid and hosting international efforts to train the Kiev regime’s forces. On March 10, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski revealed that NATO troops were already present in Ukraine, but stopped short of clarifying their numbers or countries of origin. Poland has been at the forefront of the soldiers-for-hire trend in the conflict, with around 2,960 of its citizens reportedly fighting for Ukraine. The Russian MoD says 1,497 of them have been killed.GermanyGermany, along with Poland, has taken on the bulk of responsibility for training Kiev’s troops. It was announced last year that over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been trained in over 260 training modules on weapons systems such as the Leopard A1 tank, the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, the Patriot air defense system or the Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzer were provided by the Bundeswehr. From the 235 mercenaries that left Germany for Ukraine, 88 have since been eliminated.RomaniaMercenaries from the Romanian battlegroup "Getica" claim they participated in the recent spate of attacks on Russian border regions together with the Russian Volunteer Corps*. Of around 784 Romanian mercenaries, 349 have been killed, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in March.SpainSpain has been one of the EU's key providers of training for Ukrainian servicemen at its Toledo Training Command center. The instruction is part of the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM), set up in October 2022. As for mercenaries, out of the 149 that travelled to Ukraine, 56 were killed by mid-March.LithuaniaIn Lithuania, 1,600 Ukrainians were trained this year in 88 course programs of a training cycle conducted at the Land Force, Air Force and the Special Operations Forces, Military Police, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command an Military Academy of Lithuania.Lithuanian officials are also considering the possibility of sending Lithuanian troops to Ukraine to train the country’s troops, Kestutis Budrys, a presidential adviser, has said. Of the 147 ‘guns for hire’ that went to Ukraine, 81 have been killed.LatviaLatvia plans to train 2,000 soldiers of different ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces this year, which will be twice as many as last year, the LETA newswire reported January 21, citing the Ministry of Defense. Of its 109 mercenaries in Ukraine, 95 have since been killed.EstoniaEstonia joined the UK-led Operation Interflex to provide combat training to Ukrainian soldiers. According to Estonia’s Defense Ministry, Estonian instructors will train Ukrainian volunteers at UK military bases, while cooperating with Ukrainian soldiers under the EU’s EUMAM training mission in Estonia.FinlandFinland has also been sending its service personnel to the UK to take part in a training program for the Ukrainian armed forces. As for mercenaries, out of 135 that headed to Ukraine, 44 have reportedly been killed.DenmarkDanish military experts have been training Ukrainian technicians and pilots at the Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark to operate the F-16 fighter jets the Kiev regime expects to receive later this year.SwedenMoscow is aware of the participation of the Swedish military in hostilities on the side of Kiev regime, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on April 3. The ministry noted that, according to the Russian MoD, up to 90 Swedish mercenaries served in Ukraine, 25 of whom were killed.The Russian Defense Ministry has said on numerous occasions that the Kiev regime is using foreign mercenaries as "cannon fodder," warning that the Russian military will continue to destroy them throughout Ukraine.As for Emmanuel Macron’s comments, Moscow has reiterated that a deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine would make a direct conflict between the alliance and Russia inevitable.Macron's words were branded "unacceptable" by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko. He pointed out in an interview with Sputnik that such statements "show the readiness to follow the path of escalation at a time when the West itself is suffering a strategic defeat 'on the ground.' *a terrorist organization banned in Russia.
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Which Western Countries Are Mired in Ukraine Proxy Conflict?
French President Emmanuel Macron riled up his NATO allies, especially Germany, when he said in February that Western leaders had discussed sending troops to Ukraine. While no consensus had been reached, nothing could be ruled out, he added. Moscow warned that any threat from NATO would meet a response.
While Russia notches up battlefield successes in
NATO’s proxy war, grinding through billions-worth of sophisticated weaponry funneled to Kiev, the West is again mulling raising the stakes.
Some NATO countries are openly discussing the possibility of sending their troops to fight in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron was the first to let the cat out of the bag in late February. At the time, European leaders
rushed to dismiss such plans. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that NATO had no intention of sending its troops to Ukraine.
But
on the 75th anniversary of the alliance, US State Department consultant
Edward Luttwak weighed in on the debate. The bloc's member-states “
will soon have to send soldiers to Ukraine, or else accept catastrophic defeat,” he
wrote for current affairs site
Unherd.
“The British and French, along with the Nordic countries, are already quietly preparing to send troops — both small elite units and logistics and support personnel — who can remain far from the front,” he wrote on April 4. He added that NATO units “could also relieve Ukrainians currently tied up in the recovery and repair of damaged equipment, and could take over the technical parts of existing training programmes for new recruits.”
In reality the
presence of NATO military personnel in Ukraine has long been an open secret to the whole world.
Sputnik presents some facts and figures that prove this.
The
Biden administration provided approximately
$44.2 billion in military aid to Ukraine since early 2022, along with intelligence support.
In November 2022, Washington said it would send military "
weapons experts" to Ukraine. US media revealed in February 2023 that the Pentagon planned to insert US commandos in the form of "
control teams" in Ukraine. Last April an apparent
Pentagon leak revealed that at least 97 special forces soldiers from five NATO countries — including 14 US military personnel — have been operating in Ukraine.
Furthermore, a
NYT report revealed that a network of 12 CIA secret bases have been operating in Ukraine since 2014.
NATO special operations teams have been seen in Ukraine on multiple occasions,
Sputnik quoted sources as saying this February. Foreign military specialists are believed to be operating NATO-supplied weapons, as well as in the ranks of signalmen, pilots and military consultants.
Furthermore, around 1,113
mercenaries have flocked from the US to Ukraine since the start of the conflict, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense stated on March 14, 2024. By the time of the report, 491 of them had been killed.
The British government has similarly provided billions-worth of military aid to Ukraine. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged Kiev £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in military funding this year. This will take London’s arms spending on Ukraine to over £7 billion since February 2022.
Sunak has also confirmed that there are a “
small number” of British army personnel “
supporting the armed forces of Ukraine”. Ukrainian soldiers are also
being trained at a specially constructed camp in a secret location in the east of England. Over 60,000 Ukrainian servicemen have received training in the UK since 2014, UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said in January.
An estimated 822
British mercenaries have arrived in Ukraine since the conflict escalated in early 2022, with 360 killed as of mid-March, according to Russia’s MoD.
Canada claims to have kept a small military presence in Ukraine to protect its diplomatic personnel. It also contributed to the training of Ukrainian soldiers through various initiatives, such as Operation Unifier since 2014. This mission was relocated from Ukraine to other countries after February 2022.
However, Minister of National Defense Bill Blair hinted in an interview with Toronto Star that Canadian instructors may return to Ukraine under the newly-signed security agreement between Ottawa and Kiev "when conditions allow." As for Canadian mercenaries, they have numbered around 1,005, with 422 killed by mid-march, 2024.
France is preparing to deploy a contingent of troops in Ukraine, with the first echelon to include about 2,000 soldiers, according to information received by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.
As for those French nationals already in Ukraine fighting as mercenaries, they have suffered huge losses. The Russian MoD reports that out of around 356 French soldiers of fortune, 147 have been wiped out. On January 17, the Russian armed forces destroyed a temporary deployment point for foreign fighters in Kharkov, most of whom were French mercenaries, with about 60 soldiers killed.
Warsaw has been an avid supporter of Ukraine, providing military aid and hosting international efforts
to train the Kiev regime’s forces. On March 10, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski revealed that NATO troops were already present in Ukraine, but stopped short of clarifying their numbers or countries of origin. Poland has been at the forefront of the soldiers-for-hire trend in the conflict, with around 2,960 of its citizens reportedly fighting for Ukraine. The Russian MoD says 1,497 of them have been killed.
Germany, along with Poland, has taken on the bulk of responsibility for
training Kiev’s troops. It was announced last year that over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been trained in over 260 training modules on weapons systems such as the Leopard A1 tank, the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, the
Patriot air defense system or the Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzer were provided by the Bundeswehr. From the 235 mercenaries that left Germany for Ukraine, 88 have since been eliminated.
Mercenaries from the Romanian battlegroup "Getica" claim
they participated in the recent spate of attacks on Russian border regions together with the Russian Volunteer Corps*. Of around 784 Romanian mercenaries, 349 have been killed, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in March.
Spain has been one of the EU's key providers of training for Ukrainian servicemen at its Toledo Training Command center. The instruction is part of the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM), set up in October 2022. As for mercenaries, out of the 149 that travelled to Ukraine, 56 were killed by mid-March.
In
Lithuania, 1,600 Ukrainians were trained this year in 88 course programs of a training cycle conducted at the Land Force, Air Force and the Special Operations Forces, Military Police, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command an Military Academy of Lithuania.
Lithuanian officials are also considering the possibility of sending Lithuanian troops to Ukraine to train the country’s troops, Kestutis Budrys, a presidential adviser, has said. Of the 147 ‘guns for hire’ that went to Ukraine, 81 have been killed.
Latvia plans to train 2,000 soldiers of different ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces this year, which will be twice as many as last year, the LETA newswire reported January 21, citing the Ministry of Defense. Of its 109 mercenaries in Ukraine, 95 have since been killed.
Estonia joined the UK-led
Operation Interflex to provide combat training to Ukrainian soldiers. According to Estonia’s Defense Ministry, Estonian instructors will train Ukrainian volunteers at UK military bases, while cooperating with Ukrainian soldiers under the EU’s EUMAM training mission in Estonia.
Finland has also been sending its service personnel to the UK to take part in a training program for the Ukrainian armed forces. As for mercenaries, out of 135 that headed to Ukraine, 44 have reportedly been killed.
Danish military experts have been training Ukrainian technicians and pilots at the Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark to operate
the F-16 fighter jets the Kiev regime expects to receive later this year.
Moscow is aware of the
participation of the Swedish military in hostilities on the side of Kiev regime, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on April 3. The ministry noted that, according to the Russian MoD, up to 90 Swedish mercenaries served in Ukraine, 25 of whom were killed.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said on numerous occasions that the Kiev regime is using
foreign mercenaries as "cannon fodder," warning that the Russian military will continue to destroy them throughout Ukraine.
As for Emmanuel Macron’s comments, Moscow has reiterated that a deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine would make a direct conflict between the alliance and Russia inevitable.
Macron's words were branded "
unacceptable" by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko. He pointed out
in an interview with Sputnik that such statements "
show the readiness to follow the path of escalation at a time when the West itself is suffering a strategic defeat 'on the ground.'
*a terrorist organization banned in Russia.
