FOUR UK squaddies go AWOL to fight in Ukraine

08/03/2022

FOUR UK squaddies go AWOL to fight in Ukraine: MOD launches desperate battle to find 19-year-old Queen’s Guard last heard of on the Polish border and three colleagues amid fears Putin could claim Britain has entered the war if they are captured

The teenage squaddie abandoned his post and shipped off to the frontlines
He is one of four active British soldiers thought to have left to fight in Ukraine
If captured, defence chiefs fear Russia may claim Britain has entered the war
Until now, only former military personnel have joined Ukraine’s foreign legion
Click here to read MailOnline’s liveblog with the latest updates on the Ukraine crisis

Four British soldiers including a teenager paid to protect the Queen are feared to have gone AWOL to fight Vladimir Putin’s invading forces in Ukraine.

A 19-year-old member of the Queen’s Guard, whose identity has not been revealed for security reasons, reportedly dropped his ceremonial duties as a Coldstream Guardsman and signed up for Ukraine’s International Legion of foreign volunteer fighters.

The drastic move has sparked panic at the Ministry of Defence, with security chiefs racing to intercept the teenager in case Russia tries to claim that Britain has entered the war if active army soldiers are found fighting on the frontlines.

Until now, only former military personnel from the UK are thought to have signed up for Ukraine’s volunteer army, and serving members of Britain’s armed forces have been banned from joining the war effort.

A source told The Sun that the squaddie had left his post, written a note to his parents explaining his decision, and hopped on a plane due east.

Ex-Army chiefs slammed the deserters as ‘totally irresponsible’, and warned they could be jailed of they return to Britain.

Four active members of the British Army are believed to have abandoned their posts and shipped off the Ukraine to fight the Russian invaders, including one teenager who is a serving member of the Queen’s Guard (stock pic)

The 19-year-old, whose identity has not been revealed for security reasons, dropped his ceremonial duties as a Coldstream Guardsman in favour of signing up for Ukraine’s ‘International Legion’ of foreign volunteer fighters (pictured: members of Ukraine’s international legion – volunteers from US, UK, Sweden, Lithuania, Mexico and India have reportedly joined)

A friend of the teenage Coldstream Guardsman told The Sun that the rogue soldier was ‘bored’ in his current position, which is largely ceremonial.

Rather than going on tour to Afghanistan or deploying in an operational capacity, the teen was based in Windsor and was destined to go on parade in the Guards’ ceremonial dress and world-famous black bear skin hats.

The source said his friend ‘had enough of the ceremonial stuff’, arguing that soldiers don’t join the Army ‘to stand in bear skin hats and march about’.

Retired Army chief General Lord Richard Dannatt recognised that the AWOL soldiers’ hearts were in the right place, but labelled their decision as ‘totally irresponsible and ‘the worst thing to do’, arguing it could have disastrous consequences if active, serving British Army personnel were to be captured by Russian forces.

Around 20,000 people from 52 countries have already volunteered to fight in Ukraine, where they will serve in a newly created international legion, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said over the weekend.

Roughly 150 British Army veterans who thought in Afghanistan have already signed up to support Ukraine’s troops in repelling the Russian occupiers after Foreign Secretary Liz Truss last month encouraged Britons saying she would ‘absolutely support’ those who wished to sign up to fight as part of the Ukrainian armed forces.

The Government quickly distanced itself from her statements however, with Downing Street releasing a statement reiterating it strongly advises against travel to Ukraine.

And serving members of the British Armed Forces have been banned from accepting the Ukrainian army’s invitations to fight.

A post on the Army’s internal messaging service read: ‘There has been some recent media coverage relating to foreigners being welcomed into Ukraine to help fight against Russia.

A friend of the teenage Coldstream Guardsman told The Sun that the rogue soldier was ‘bored’ in his current position, which is largely ceremonial. The source said his friend ‘had enough of the ceremonial stuff’, arguing that soldiers don’t join the Army ‘to stand in bear skin hats and march about’

Images circulated on social media early this month showed international volunteers who had already arrived on the front line in Ukraine gearing up to fight alongside the Ukrainian armed forces (volunteers from Portugal and Brazil are pictured in Ukraine army fatigues)

‘To be clear, as members of the British Army, you are not authorised to travel to Ukraine to support the ongoing conflict against Russia in any form, whether you are on leave or not.

‘Please remain professional and focused on your duty and your team.’

The British Army cannot legally prevent retired personnel from travelling to eastern Europe, but full-time and reserve troops have received a stern warning not to take part in the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky put out a plea in late February in the days following the invasion, appealing for members of the international armed forces community to fly to Eastern Europe and join the war effort.

20,000 volunteers from around the globe have already signed up to fight, with roughly 16,000 already on the ground in Ukraine, including a small contingent of Brits.

Many of them say their families ‘are worried but supportive’ of their decision.

One of them, Ben Grant, who served in Iraq, flew home from the Middle Eastern country to the UK to see his wife and kids and then went straight from there to join the fight in Ukraine.

Jax, from northern England, said the ‘sickening’ attacks and Mr Zelensky’s call to people to join Ukraine in the fight motivated him to join up

He said: ‘I hadn’t seen them for a while and basically said I’m going to Ukraine. Big shock.

‘I feel a bit sorry to them to be fair. I know they were pretty upset but people need me here.’

Jax, from northern England, said the ‘sickening’ attacks and Mr Zelensky’s call to people to join Ukraine in the fight motivated him to join up.

‘Mr Grant said they really need those with miltiary experience to join and is very keen on that, he said.

‘We’re going to see and wait to see what the situation is,’ he continued, before adding that is was up to Ukraine to decide where and how they fight or if they want them to be ‘an independent unit because of their skills’.

Jax concluded: ‘We’re here because of the war crimes being committed.’

He added his family ‘was not happy to say the least’ but proud of his efforts.

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