U.K. tabloid the Daily Express on Monday reported that military top officials have drawn up contingency plans to pull British troops from Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion.
Citing a source from the British Armed Forces, the tabloid reported that British Soldiers (more than 100) deployed at the Yavoriv Combat Training Center, Lviv region, will, if necessary, move to the Polish border. A small group of British staff officers in Kyiv will have the same escape route.
According to the sources, in the near future, Army chiefs are to mount a full “review” of Operation Orbital to ensure all UK personnel can be “safely withdrawn” if Moscow orders in troops.
According to the tabloid, the decision to evacuate will be made by Chief of Joint Operations Lt Gen Charlie Strickland, who is reported twice a day about the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
“He will be looking carefully to gauge the effect of any incursion on the ability to get his troops out – he cannot allow them to be trapped there,” a source told the Daily Express.