The Commander of the US Special Operations Command: "British Special Forces Present in Ukraine"

General Bryan Fenton, commander of the US Special Operations Command, recently stated that British special forces are operating in Ukraine. During an interview with the Associated Press, Fenton discussed plans to restructure the Green Beret teams, based on lessons learned from the British special forces engaged in Ukraine.

Fenton explained that the Green Beret detachments, traditionally composed of 12 people, could be reinforced with new members skilled in advanced technologies, such as cyber experts, Air Force pilots, or cryptologists. These changes are inspired by the "lessons learned from the experience in Ukraine, mainly through the eyes of our British special operations partners".

According to Fenton, the British raiders have requested support from Royal Air Force pilots for drone operations and naval personnel to better understand maritime operations in the Black Sea, aspects that require specific skills that special forces alone cannot provide.

Although the activities of special forces, both own and allied, are rarely acknowledged, Fenton's statements indirectly confirm the presence of Western troops in Ukraine. Already in April 2022, Ukrainian commanders had reported to the Times of London that special forces were present to train local soldiers in the use of NLAW anti-tank missiles provided by the United Kingdom. A European defense official told the Financial Times in February 2023: "Everyone knows there are Western special forces in Ukraine, but it has never been officially acknowledged."

This presence was also confirmed in the so-called 2023 Pentagon Leaks, which revealed the presence of 50 British soldiers, 17 Latvians, 15 French, and one Dutch in Ukraine.

The Response of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence

In a statement to Business Insider, a spokesperson for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence stated: "It is a longstanding policy of our governments not to comment on UK special forces."

Fenton's revelations have brought further attention to a sensitive topic, indirectly confirming the presence of Western special forces in Ukraine and their crucial role in training and supporting local troops.