Boris Johnson news – live: UK to double up on force levels in Estonia as flights banned from Russian airspace

Boris Johnson news – live: UK to double up on force levels in Estonia as flights banned from Russian airspace

The UK will double up on force levels in allied Estonia “earlier than planned” as Russia’s air strikes continue to rain down on Ukraine’s capital.

In response to an urgent question, defence minister James Heappey told the Commons: “In addition to the Royal Tank Regiment battle group that has been in place in Estonia for the last six months, the Royal Welsh battlegroup will be arriving in Estonia earlier than planned to double up our force levels and those doubled-up force levels remain indefinitely.

“They will be augmented by the headquarters of 12 Mechanised Brigade, meaning that the United Kingdom will have an armoured brigade in Estonia reassuring one of our closest Nato allies.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s civil aviation authority has announced that UK flights have been banned from its airspace.

It comes in response to the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) ban on Russian flights to and over Britain, effective from midnight tonight.

Boris Johnson confirmed yesterday that any plane on a scheduled service “which is owned, chartered or operated by a person connected with Russia, or which is registered in Russia” cannot enter or exit UK airspace.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-news-live-…