An experienced force of SAS veterans is understood to be travelling to Ukraine to fight against Russian forces that have invaded the country.
The former UK special forces soldiers have signed up to help bolster missions in Ukraine and are understood to be heading there to support defensive forces deep inside the nation.
Among the ex-paratroopers are highly trained snipers as well as those well accustomed to anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons.
The group will join other UK military specialists with the group made up of veterans aged between 40 and 60.
It is understood that the group made the call to help their Ukrainian comrades after holding meetings to discuss whether to throw their expertise behind the dangerous mission, the Mirror reports.
Snipers will also help in taking out Russian forward air spotters and Moscow’s special forces who are guiding in airstrikes on troops and local communities.
It is believed the operation is not being paid for by the British government but will be funded by a country in Europe, still to be named, via a private military company.
The plan is a way of backing Ukraine militarily but without officially sending serving troops into battle against Vladimir Putin ’s forces.
More than a dozen of the veterans have already arrived in Ukraine and another dozen will travel there this week.
Among them are warrant officers, sergeants and corporals who have fought all over the world but no Army officers have signed up yet.
It follows Ukraine President Zelensky's international call to arms for people to go to Ukraine and help defend his homeland.
So far, according to official Ukrainian figures, his troops have killed 5,300 Russian troops in ferocious battles for cities throughout the country.
The ex-SAS team have fought all over Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere globally.
One ex-SAS man told the Daily Mirror: “This has had to happen very quickly as the situation in Ukraine is now desperate and they need urgent help.
“A lot of ex-parachute regiment colleagues are also very keen to go. Many people are very keen to go and it has had to be organised very quickly.
“It is legal as none of the men going out are still serving and Ukraine has invited people to go in and help the fight militarily.
“It means some of the most experienced veterans in the world will assist Ukraine and link up with Ukraine’s force headquarters.
“And we do know that Putin has a great deal of respect of the SAS.”
Today it emerged The French Foreign Legion has given the go-ahead for its Ukrainian members to return to their homeland to help defend it - along with their full battle kit.
A squadron of serving SAS troops is in Poland already, helping to train Ukrainian troops in how to launch sabotage missions in an insurgency against Russia.
Their aim is to teach Ukrainians how to form secret resistance units to undermine an occupying force and even assassinate collaborators and Moscow sympathisers.
The British Ministry of Defence has already said no British troops will be in Ukraine to fight as this would mean Russia confronting a NATO member state directly.
It is believed serving SAS teams are in the Baltic States, with one team on standby to support a joint US -UK operation to evacuate President Zelensky by helicopter.
SAS soldiers have been pre-positioned across the Baltic States to support Nato partners and poised to react to any incident inside Ukraine that UK politicians decide needs urgent military intervention.
Operating with an American Joint Special Operations Group the British troops are ready to airlift President Zelensky if he asks for help and react to any other ‘humanitarian emergency’ - that may be approved by Downing Street.
It comes as the UK delivers hi-tech air defence weapons to the Ukrainian military in a move to help them down Russian helicopter gunships attacking Zelensky frontline forces.
It is believed serving SAS teams are in the Baltic States, with one team on standby to support a joint US -UK operation to evacuate President Zelensky by helicopter.
SAS soldiers have been pre-positioned across the Baltic States to support Nato partners and poised to react to any incident inside Ukraine that UK politicians decide needs urgent military intervention.
Operating with an American Joint Special Operations Group the British troops are ready to airlift President Zelensky if he asks for help and react to any other ‘humanitarian emergency’ - that may be approved by Downing Street.
It comes as the UK delivers hi-tech air defence weapons to the Ukrainian military in a move to help them down Russian helicopter gunships attacking Zelensky frontline forces.
Russia has lost 29 warplanes since the invasion started, 816 anti-personnel vehicles, 291 trucks and 60 fuel tankers, losses which have badly damaged the Russian onslaught.
The package of weapons includes thousands of grenades, claymore anti-personnel devices, heavy machine guns, 66 mm light anti-tank weapons, high-velocity sniper rifles.
Britain along-with other Nato forces is also providing ‘remote military advice’ to help Ukrainian commanders direct their tactics to counter Putin’s overwhelming forces with intelligence guidance.
