 DCUK-INTELWeekly public intelligence brief on UK foreign & security policies: For members of Declassified UK only Issue 51 – Week to 10 March 2022 EUROPE Russia/Ukraine Military Defence secretary Ben Wallace told parliament the UK had so far delivered 3,615 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine and “decisions have been made in principle that we will provide” anti-aircraft missiles. He added: “Britain was the first European country to supply lethal aid”. Far-right resistance groups in Ukraine have been pictured with UK-made anti-tank weapons, Declassified revealed. The UK government appeared to be coordinating international weapons supplies to Ukraine. It was reported that a day after Russia’s invasion, a donor summit run by British defence secretary Ben Wallace garnered pledges by 25 nations to send weapons and other military aid, “placing the British government at the forefront of the historic resupply effort”. Although foreign secretary Liz Truss initially said she supported Britons volunteering to fight in Ukraine’s international legion, her ministerial colleague James Cleverly has since told parliament: “The UK is not supporting British nationals going to Ukraine to fight in the conflict. We advise against travel to Ukraine and anyone who travels to conflict zones to engage in unlawful activity should expect to be investigated upon their return to the UK”. The UK Ministry of Defence said that UK military personnel are banned from travelling to Ukraine. A small number are suspected of going AWOL for that purpose. Ben Wallace told the House of Commons any serving personnel who go to Ukraine “will be breaking the law and they will be prosecuted when they return for going absent without leave or deserting”. There were several reports of Britons going to Ukraine to fight, some with no military experience. Ben Grant, a former marine and son of Tory MP Helen Grant, is leading a group of British fighters that arrived in Lviv on Sunday, Declassified showed. It was reported that an SAS team was training in case of the need to rescue Ukrainian president Zelensky. Ben Wallace said Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed thermobaric weapons systems in Ukraine. Sanctions The UK government told parliament that 11.8% of UK goods exports to Russia would be affected by the sanctions it has imposed on the country. Foreign secretary Liz Truss said the sanctions the UK has put on Russian banks, defence, aviation and oligarchs “add up to £364 billion”. The UK then announced further sanctions, including “new powers to detain Russian aircraft and remove aircraft belonging to designated individuals and entities from the UK register”. Also included was a “ban on the export of aviation and space-related goods and technology, including technical assistance”. Seven named Russian oligarchs were sanctioned by the UK. These include Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich. The UK announced it is phasing out Russian oil imports. The Economic Crime Bill comes into force next week to help tackle money laundering. It will create a register of overseas entities that own property in the UK. It is also expected to make it easier for authorities to issue Unexplained Wealth Orders. Other issues The Foreign Office advised Britons to leave Russia. The UK government said it has “written to the major platforms, asking them to do everything they can to prevent access to RT online in the UK, as they have done in Europe”. Culture minister Lord Parkinson added: “I am pleased to say that RT has already been removed from Sky, Freeview and Freesat in the UK, meaning that Putin cannot push out his propaganda on UK television.” The UK government told parliament: “The Counter Disinformation Unit is working closely with the new Government Information Cell (GIC) to identify and counter Russian disinformation targeted at UK and international audiences.” It said “The GIC brings together expertise from across government including – but not limited to – FCDO, MoD, DCMS and CO experts in assessment and analysis, disinformation, and behaviour and attitudinal change.” And added: “We have been working closely with the major social media platforms to monitor and share information as the situation in Ukraine develops.” Boris Johnson was accused of intervening to get his Russian billionaire friend Evgeny Lebedev a life peerage, after warnings from security services. More than 10,000 people have so far applied for the UK’s Ukraine Family Scheme to enter the UK but so far, only “around 50” visas have been granted, according to the Home Office. A UK parliament cross-party motion on Kremlin-linked interference in the UK called on the government to undertake an investigation into the “security threat posed by Russia as set out in Intelligence & Security Committee of Parliament’s Russia Report”. Norway British forces took part in a NATO exercise in Norway. Exercise Cold Response involves around 30,000 troops from 25 countries. Poland UK arms corporation Babcock struck a £1.4bn deal to supply Poland’s navy with three frigates based on the Royal Navy’s Type 31 design. MIDDLE EAST Oman The chief of the UK Royal Navy staff, Admiral Benjamin Key, met Oman’s spy chief, General Sultan Mohammed al-Naamani, in Oman. Al-Naamani owns a £16 million mansion in Surrey. Saudi Arabia BAE Systems attended the World Defence Show, an arms fair, in Riyadh. Speakers at the event included Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, the head of the RAF, along with arms corporations. Senior officials from Saudi Arabia and the UK reportedly expanded talks to increase collaboration on issues including space and technology, on the sidelines of the World Defence Show. Defence procurement minister Jeremy Quin was seen with staff from BAE Systems at the event. Yemen According to the Yemen Data Project: “The Saudi coalition carried out at least 200 air raids and up to 716 individual airstrikes in Yemen in February, continuing the high rate of bombing seen since the end of October 2021 and representing the longest period of heavy bombing since 2018.” AFRICA Kenya A court in Kenya has ruled that the British army cannot claim immunity from litigation filed by local people whose land was burnt in a fire sparked by UK troops. However the judge has directed that the case should be heard first by an Intergovernmental Liaison Committee, which includes officials from Kenya and Britain.A lawyer for the afflicted Lolldaiga community, Kelvin Kubai, told KTN News: “Today’s a very happy day for us. It’s a day where history has been made. That from today henceforth our courts have jurisdiction on environmental matters.”MILITARY/INTELLIGENCEA UK government report noted it plans to promote arms exports at 35 exhibitions around the world over the next year. Catch our member exclusive brief each Thursday Have you watched When the Music Stops: Yemen, Art & War yet? It’s available for free on YouTubeYes, I’ve watched it. Select No, I’ll catch up soon! Select Declassified UK | www.declassifieduk.org |
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