Russian envoy criticizes UK preparedness
The late arrival of the British destroyer HMS Dragon in Cyprus revealed weaknesses in London’s Middle East military strategy, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin said.
According to the Russian news agency TASS, Kelin argued that Britain’s “military network” in the region proved ineffective, noting that the rapid escalation of tensions between Iran, the US, and Israel caught British planners off guard.
Insufficient naval presence
Kelin stated that the UK has lacked adequate naval presence in the Middle East for decades. He added that the situation left Cyprus and Gulf countries hosting British bases exposed, which rely on UK protection.
UK responds
UK Defence Secretary John Healey told the House of Commons on 23 March that HMS Dragon eventually arrived to reinforce security at the RAF base in Akrotiri.
Earlier, on 3 March, Prime Minister Keir Starmer had announced the deployment of helicopters and a warship to bolster the protection of British facilities in Cyprus.
Also read: The British destroyer HMS Dragon has arrived in Cyprus
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
