UK defence secretary Ben Wallace has announced that further arms will be sent to bolster Ukraine’s defensive forces as Russia continues its military offensive in the country.
The UK provided Ukraine with 2,000 light anti-tank missiles prior to the assault, and a further 1,615 will now be sent.
Wallace added that a small number of long-range Javelin missiles would also be given to Ukraine, and that the Ministry of Defence was exploring the prospect of sending surface-to-air missiles also.
The defence secretary informed MPs that small arms, body armour and medical supplies will also form part of the latest package of military aid, but details of how the supplies will reach Ukrainian forces have not been provided.
The UK simply says it is helping “facilitate” the arrival of its weapons on the ground in Ukraine.
The UK is now one of 14 countries to have supplied Ukraine with weaponry, which includes traditionally neutral powers and non-NATO members Finland and Sweden. They have supplied Kyiv with thousands of anti-tank arms.
Meanwhile, Germany has sent 1,000 individual anti-tank weapons and 500 American-manufactured Stinger missiles to Ukraine's army. Stinger and Javelin missiles have also been provided to Ukrainian defence forces by allies in the Baltic.
Wallace told the Commons that the latest package of weaponry was promised at a time when Russian forces were “changing their tactics” meaning that “the Ukrainians need to too”.
The government is also considering sending high-speed Starstreak manned portable anti-air missiles to Ukraine, following a request from Volodymyr Zelensky’s government in Kyiv.
Wallace said: “We believe that this system will remain within the definition of defensive weapons but will allow the Ukrainian forces to better defend their skies.”
He also stressed that the UK was “bound by the decision to supply defensive systems” and not escalate the conflict with further aggression.
Photo by Karollyne Hubert on Unsplash
