London: UK troops are unable to undergo sufficient training for drone warfare, since they are prohibited from flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over each other's heads and cannot test the use of signal-jamming equipment, The Financial Times reported.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the UK Ministry of Defense's safety and data protection rules ban drones weighing more than 250g (8.8 oz) from being flown over the heads of people during training, even if they are sitting in a tank. This regulation is reportedly affecting the preparedness of British soldiers who are deploying as part of a deterrence force to regions such as Estonia and eastern Europe, where UAV training is considered essential.

"British soldiers who are deploying as part of a deterrence force to places like Estonia and eastern Europe are going out without the kind of training and capability that is completely bog-standard in warfare now, whether it is in the Middle East or in Ukraine," UK parliament member Fred Thomas expressed, as quoted by The Financial Times. This lack of comprehensive training could impact the effectiveness of British forces in these regions.

The newspaper highlighted that during training on Salisbury Plain, British troops preparing for potential conflicts with Russia were not only restricted from flying drones but also barred from using signal-jamming equipment. This information was corroborated by two members of parliament who observed the exercise.

In March, media sources reported that French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer were working to form a "coalition of the willing," aiming to gather 37 countries ready to deploy deterrent forces to Ukraine and offer security guarantees to Kiev. However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that any foreign military presence in Ukraine would be perceived as a threat to Russia, risking a direct military confrontation.

In a 2024 interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow would not initiate an attack on NATO countries, criticizing Western politicians for using the specter of a Russian threat to divert attention from domestic issues.

Russia has consistently argued that Western arms supplies to Ukraine obstruct the peace process and implicate NATO countries in the ongoing conflict.