LONDON, April 23 (Reuters) – Russia’s Supreme State Investigation Authority said on Saturday it was investigating a Russian media report alleging that sabotage experts from Britain’s SAS special forces were stationed in western Ukraine.
The Special Air Service is an elite military force trained to conduct special operations, monitor and combat terrorism. Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency on Saturday quoted a Russian security source as saying that about 20 SAS members had been sent to the Lviv region.
In a statement, the Investigative Committee said it would follow the report that they had been sent “to assist Ukrainian special services in organizing sabotage on the territory of Ukraine.”
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A spokesman for the British Ministry of Defense said: “We do not comment on special forces.”
Britain said it had sent military instructors to Ukraine earlier this year to instruct local forces to use anti-tank weapons, but the British government said on February 17 – a week before Russia’s invasion – that it had withdrawn all troops except those needed. for protection ambassador.
It was not clear what steps the Investigative Committee planned to take in response to any SAS involvement in Ukraine. But the fact of an investigation into the possible presence of NATO forces is important, given that Russia has warned the West not to interfere with its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
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Report by Mark Trevelyan, Additional Report by William James, Edited by Timothy Heritage
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