And so, it begins.
RT:
The Biden administration is expediting the transfer of five transport helicopters to Kiev, as Washington insists Moscow is about to “invade” Ukraine any day now. The Mi-17 helicopters were originally purchased from Russia and intended for the US-backed government in Afghanistan, before it surrendered to the Taliban last August.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on Friday that Congress has been notified of the move, which will be conducted under the Excess Defense Articles program. The State Department said on Thursday this was the “fastest transfer ever” for the US government.
The helicopters are already in Ukraine, which was servicing them on behalf of the Pentagon and was supposed to send them to Afghanistan until the Taliban takeover disrupted those plans. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov requested them from the Pentagon in late November, along with ammunition also earmarked for the defunct Afghan army, Foreign Policy reported last month.
The fact that they are Russian helicopters is just a weird, novel detail.
This is the breaking of the policy of not arming the Ukraine with deadly weapons by the US government.
Meanwhile, the UK is sending special forces.
RT:
A team of 30 elite British military personnel has been deployed to Ukraine to train its armed forces in the use of new anti-tank weapons, gifted by London to Ukraine, UK TV channel Sky News has reported.
According to the outlet, 30 members of the Ranger Regiment, which was formed late last year as part of the new Special Operations Brigade, landed in Kiev this week alongside 2,000 units of anti-tank missile launchers.
Britain’s donation of weapons comes as tensions remain high on the border between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow is accused of deploying 100,000 troops to the frontier, with some Western media outlets and officials suggesting a military incursion is imminent. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied plans to invade Ukraine.
There will be more to come, probably quickly, as this is apparently a serious plan for a war.
Borders of Ukraine, bro.
It’s our values and who we are.