British troops will be allowed to fire on Russian forces if they come under attack while peacekeeping in Ukraine, Western officials reveal

British troops could fire on Russian forces if they come under attack in Ukraine while operating as peacekeepers, Western officials have said. Western troops deployed to Ukraine could return fire in self-defence if confronted by Moscow's forces, though any such threat would more likely come from drones than direct gunfire. This is because any such peacekeeping mission would only enter the country after Russia's war in Ukraine had ended and peace had been established. As a result, British troops would be unlikely to come into direct contact with Russian forces, with any threat more likely to come from long-range drone attacks. The force named the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U) would then be welcomed into the country under Ukraine's invitation.It comes as 300 soldiers from the British Army's 7 Brigade are set to deploy to Poland this month to rehearse how they could one day support Ukraine if and when the war ends.Meanwhile, as diplomatic efforts to end the war gather pace, the Kremlin confirmed today that Russia will hold three-way peace talks with Ukraine and the United States this month. The drill is the first of its kind for the MNF-U, which is led by the UK and France and is the military arm of the Coalition of the Willing group of nations. Some 300 soldiers from the British Army's 7 Brigade are heading to Poland to rehearse how they could one day support Ukraine if and when the war ends (file image) Firefighters work at a site of an apartment building damaged during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipro, Ukraine, todayThe test comes amid warnings Russia may seek to 'oppose' the effort, with Western officials insisting the task group was ready to defend itself 'across the full spectrum of threats'.'Clearly, we will protect our force against any aggression and the principles of defending ourselves and being able to secure the force we have will remain,' one official told journalists.They added: 'The reality is that Russia may choose to oppose and challenge the MNF-U in a variety of different areas. One may well be in the information domain. However, we will be able to respond as necessary in order to protect our forces and deliver our mandate.'A total of 2,800 personnel, from across 11 countries, will take part in Exercise Koalicja. Running between November 9 and 22, it will test how troops move, protect and supply a force to help rebuild the Ukrainian armed forces once fighting stops.Defence chiefs have insisted the multinational force is not an 'offensive one'. And with the war still raging past its fifth year, it is unclear when or even if the coalition group would ever deploy.However, British commanders have said they need to prepare their troops for the potential of going into Ukraine, should hostilities end and politicians call upon them to do so.Lieutenant General Tom Bateman, the British commander leading the MNF-U, said: 'This exercise will show that the Multinational Force-Ukraine is a real, capable, readily deployable force that represents a serious commitment from Coalition of the Willing nations to Ukraine's long-term stability and security.'The MNF-U will be more ready every day to support Ukraine when the fighting ends, ensuring the Armed Forces of Ukraine are in the strongest possible position to deter future aggression.' Emergency services work at the site of a building damaged during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipro, Ukraine, todayLt Gen Bateman added the Anglo-French led force was 'not a Nato force… nor is the MNF-U a peacekeeping or ceasefire-monitoring mission'.'Its purpose is to provide reassurance and support the regeneration of Ukraine's Armed Forces, strengthening their ability to deter and, if necessary, defend against future Russian aggression,' he said.The MNF-U will not rely on US weapons or technology including Elon Musk's Starlink when it deploys Exercise Koalicja, it is understood. There was also no mention of any US inclusion in the mission. Such a deployment seems highly improbable, given Moscow would have to sign off on it as part of any US-brokered peace deal.It comes as Ukraine, the US and Russia prepare for two-day peace talks from November 10.Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, will serve as Moscow's chief negotiator at the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call.US negotiators have been seeking a breakthrough in the war, now in its fifth year. The last US-mediated peace talks took place in February, before the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran.US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Monday that the United States would bring together delegations from Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi next week to discuss post-war security agreements and de-escalation.Russian forces lost ground for a second month in a row, according to analysis by the Institute for the Study of War.It claims Putin's soldiers lost 167.14 square kilometres of territory in Ukraine in October 2026.At the same time, the number of Kremlin troops killed or wounded reached its highest monthly figure since the war began, with 54,400 casualties reported.It's the fourth consecutive month more than 40,000 Russian personnel were lost, showing the growing brutality of the war.In an update on Monday, Ukraine's military claimed that since the invasion began in February 2022, Russia has suffered 1,592,770 casualties. Over the summer, Western officials said Russia had lost 1.5million soldiers, with 500,000 killed.