The British government has announced a new package of vital military aid for Kyiv, designed to boost Ukraine‘s air defence systems.
Russia has launched a series of deadly missile attacks across Ukraine in recent days, killing over 50 people – among them children.
A strike on Lviv on Wednesday left at least seven dead and 53 injured, while another killed more than 50 people at a military training institution and hospital in Poltava the previous day.
At the weekend, a 14-year-old girl was among at least seven people killed in Kharkiv when a bomb hit a playground.
The Kremlin’s remorseless aerial bombardments have led to repeated calls from Kyiv for greater Western help in protecting its cities and civilians from the missile onslaught.
In a major boost for President Volodymyr Zelensky, the UK government said it would be delivering 650 Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) systems to Ukraine to bolster the country’s air defence capabilities.
The package is worth £162million and will be supplemented by an extra order for £300million worth of artillery ammunition that will start to be delivered by the end of the year.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “In recent days we have seen the tragic cost of Russia’s indiscriminate strikes on Poltava and Lviv.
“These new UK-made missiles will support Ukraine to defend its people, infrastructure, and territory from Putin’s brutal attacks.”
Built by Thales at their Belfast factory, the missiles are highly versatile and can be fired from a variety of platforms on land, sea, and air.
Travelling at Mach 1.5 with a range of more than 6km, the LMM is effective against a wide range of threats, including Armoured Personnel Carriers, fast in-shore attack craft and unmanned drones.
Ukraine has urged its allies to allow its army to use Western-supplied long range missiles on military bases deep inside Russia to prevent attacks on Ukraine‘s cities.
In a video posted to his social media channels, President Zelensky said: “The issue of our long-range capabilities and the necessary approvals from our partners, as well as the long-range shells and missiles we could use, is critical.
“Russian strikes will become impossible if we have the ability to destroy the occupier’s launch sites, military airfields, and logistics hubs where they are located.
“Granting Ukraine these approvals and providing us with this weaponry would be the biggest step toward a real, just end to this war.
“Russia simply doesn’t know how to fight without terror—terrorist strikes and their ability to create destruction have replaced tactics and strategy for the Russian leadership in this war.”