British warships will sail for the Black Sea in May amid rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia, the Sunday Times newspaper reported, citing senior naval sources.
The deployment is aimed at showing solidarity with Ukraine and Britain’s NATO allies, the newspaper reported.
One Type 45 destroyer armed with anti-aircraft missiles and an anti-submarine Type 23 frigate will leave the Royal Navy’s carrier task group in the Mediterranean and head through the Bosphorus into the Black Sea, according to the report.
RAF F-35B Lightning stealth jets and Merlin submarine-hunting helicopters will stand ready on the task group’s flag ship, the carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, to support the warships in the Black Sea, the report added.
Tensions between Moscow and Kyiv have been rising amid a build-up of Russian troops along the border and clashes in eastern Ukraine between the army and pro-Russian separatists. read more
Officials at the UK Ministry of Defence were not immediately available for comment.
A ministry spokesman told the newspaper that the UK government was working closely with Ukraine to monitor the situation and continued to call on Russia to de-escalate.
“The UK and our international allies are unwavering in our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, the newspaper quoted the spokesman as saying.
(c) Reuters
Let’s hope they don’t don’t turn around when Muscovy start whining.
That’s great. Now send more. As I have previously stated, it is up to the Budapest signatories to step up fully to the plate.
Good move! Maybe this will give Biden a bit more courage to finally send in our own navy ships?
hopefully this is why the US held off sending their ships. The US ships would have had to leave by May 9th just when the ground hardens enough for operations to begin.
Having four NATO war ships in the area will be a deterrent.
Do you think 4 major NATO warships will also have the full air and intel support?
The UK carrier group is parked in the Med, full of stealth fighters and anti submarine helicopters.