Items of Defence-related media coverage in this morning’s media include continued coverage of the Brecon Beacons inquest and articles discussing the West’s response to Russia actions in Ukraine.
Brecon Beacons
The majority of today’s papers continue their coverage of the inquest into the deaths of three soldiers in the Brecon Beacons.
The Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph report that another soldier who fell ill during the SAS selection test has told the inquest he was initially not allowed to go to a civilian hospital as “the press would have a field day”. The Sun, Guardian, and the Mirror focus on the evidence of this unnamed individual, highlighting that he said recruits were told they were wasting their time if they tried to fill water bottles during the exercise on the hottest day of the year.
Russia
In the expected story featured in today’s Daily Telegraph and the Independent, two former British ambassadors to Moscow, Sir Roderic Lyne and Sir Andrew Wood, warn that the West has been weak and unconvincing in the face of Russian aggression, and must urgently strengthen its conventional armed forces or risk the collapse of Nato and the EU.
Army wife jailed
Several of today’s papers feature the court story of Army wife Caroline Salisbury, who has been jailed following an upgrade in her sentence for having sex with a 14-year-old. The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and the Daily Mail report that the Royal Military Police initially failed to arrest her, despite being told she was having a relationship with the boy.
A Royal Military Police spokesperson:
We are aware of the comments made by the counsel for the Attorney General and in light of this the RMP is re-examining the case file.