Thousands of British troops head to Romania for major Nato exercise

Thousands of British troops are travelling crossed Europe arsenic portion of a large Nato grooming workout up of the day of Russia’s penetration of Ukraine.

Around 2,500 British personnel, on with hundreds of vehicles, are moving crossed the continent by land, aerial and oversea to articulation allies successful Romania.

The operation, called Steadfast Dart, aims to item Nato’s quality to mobilise astatine speed.

It comes up of the 3rd day of Russia’s penetration of Ukraine connected Friday, with overmuch of the workout taking spot successful Romania, which sits connected the Ukrainian border.

Steadfast Dart is the archetypal large deployment of Nato’s Allied Reaction Force (ARF), which replaced the Nato Response Force past year, and is intended to trial Nato’s quality to deploy nether pressure.

Speaking to the PA quality bureau astatine a Hungarian subject basal successful Szentes, Second Lieutenant Alex Coleman described the workout arsenic a “hefty undertaking”.

He said: “Steadfast Dart 25 is the Nato Allied Reaction Force’s archetypal deployment exercise, it is decidedly a important undertaking, it is simply a precise agelong roadworthy determination crossed Europe.

“Steadfast Dart shows what the British Army and Nato are susceptible of – that we tin determination ample convoys implicit agelong distances to alteration enactment wherever we request to bash that.

“There person been plentifulness of lessons learned by each progressive but we person managed to propulsion it each together.”

Lt Coleman said the convoy has travelled from the UK, done the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and volition screen a region of much than 1,400 miles (2,300km).

Hundreds of onshore unit and astir 70 vehicles arrived successful Szentes, Hungary, aboriginal connected Tuesday morning.

They volition permission for Romania connected Tuesday evening, wherever they volition behaviour combat signifier exercises.

British troops acceptable disconnected from Marchwood successful Hampshire past week, with astir 730 vehicles, including Foxhound patrol and Jackal precocious mobility weapons level vehicles, Mastiff armoured patrol vehicles arsenic good arsenic substance tankers and forklift trucks, fitted connected to 3 ferries astatine the Sea Mounting Centre.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland person been deployed for the workout successful Romania.

The 2 regiments, portion of 7 Light Mechanised Brigade – known arsenic The Desert Rats – volition signifier the main battlegroup supported by different UK forces and representatives from different Nato nations.

Speaking earlier this month, equipped forces curate Luke Pollard said: “This Government wants the UK to beryllium Nato’s starring European nation.

“Exercise Steadfast Dart demonstrates our unshakeable committedness to Nato and highlights the UK’s cardinal enactment relation successful the alliance.

“As we attack the three-year day of Russia’s amerciable full-scale penetration of Ukraine, we indispensable proceed to fortify our corporate defences unneurotic to deter (Russian President Vladimir) Putin effectively.”