BRITAIN is livid with the Germans after an air force chief let slip our boys are secretly on the ground in Ukraine.

Berlin’s bungling top brass discussed our help to President Volodymyr Zelensky on an unencrypted video chat.

Furious talks were being held yesterday — with Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron due in the German capital today.

The head of the Luftwaffe, Ingo Gerhartz, told officers Britain is delivering Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.

But he also said British troops were “on the ground” — a highly confidential move that Russia said shows Nato is “preparing for war”.

The Kremlin intercepted the 38-minute call, conducted on an off-the-shelf video chat platform, which was then broadcast across Russian state television.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the leak was “very serious” and that a probe was now under way over it.

Downing Street insisted the incident was “a matter for Germany”, which remained “a very close Nato ally”.

But the UK refused to comment on the specifics of what our troops are doing and where, saying only all steps would be taken to protect their safety.