Ukraine 112
February 17, 2022

UK to send more troops and tanks to Estonia, to NATO’s eastern flank

UK will double the number of troops in Estonia as part of NATO deployment. This was stated by Britain’s Ministry of Defense….

“The UK is doubling the number of personnel in Estonia and sending additional equipment, including tanks and armored fighting vehicles. The troops and equipment will begin to move to Estonia today,” according to the statement.

The announcement comes during Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace’s visit to Brussels to discuss the situation in Ukraine with North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies.

“Alongside our NATO Allies, we are deploying troops and assets on land, sea and air to bolster European defenses in response to the build-up of Russian military forces on the border of Ukraine,” Wallace said in the statement.

The Royal Welsh battalion, which includes armored vehicles and personnel, will begin to arrive in Estonia in the coming week, the statement said, adding that Apache helicopters will “soon” be conducting exercises with NATO allies and partners in Eastern Europe.

Four additional UK Typhoon jets have landed in Cyprus and will begin to patrol the skies in the region alongside NATO allies, the statement added. The UK has put 1,000 additional British personnel “at readiness in the UK to support a humanitarian response, if needed.”

The majority of the 350 Royal Marines of the 45 Commando unit committed to Poland have already arrived, the ministry said.