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Who was arming and preparing Ukraine on 17 January 2022?
Summary
A look back at British and Canadian moves to support Kyiv, and a Swedish deployment, as tensions with Russia mounted.
What were Ukraine's partners doing as fears of a Russian invasion grew? On 17 January 2022, several Western governments took concrete steps, according to reports at the time.
British deliveries
The United Kingdom began supplying anti-tank guided missiles to Ukraine amid the tensions with Russia, according to a statement from Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace. A small number of British military personnel were also to be deployed to help train Ukrainian troops.
The same day, Royal Air Force C-17 transport aircraft arrived in Ukraine carrying what were described as "light anti-armour weapons", as part of British military support for the country.
Canada's special forces
Canada deployed a small contingent of special forces to Ukraine as part of a NATO response meant to deter Russian aggression. The unit was also tasked with evacuating diplomatic personnel from the Canadian embassy in Kyiv in the event of a full-scale invasion.
Sweden's Gotland move
The day before, on 16 January 2022, Swedish Armed Forces personnel were deployed to the island of Gotland. The move came in response to fears that Russia might attempt an invasion of Swedish territory, amid tensions between NATO and Russia over Ukraine.
The picture on 17 January
Taken together, the reports showed military support for Ukraine moving from statements towards deliveries and deployments, alongside contingency planning for the safety of diplomats in Kyiv and heightened caution in Sweden.
