UK to send first long-range missile systems to Ukraine
London, Jun 6 (EFE).- The United Kingdom will send its first long-range missile systems to Ukraine, the British defense ministry said on Monday, a day after Russia attacked the outskirts of Kyiv for the first time since April.
Defense Minister Ben Wallace said Britain will send an unspecified number of M270 multiple-launch rocket systems, which can strike targets up to 80 kilometers away with precision-guided rockets, a longer range than any missile technology currently in use in the war.
“The UK stands with Ukraine in this fight and is taking a leading role in supplying its heroic troops with the vital weapons they need to defend their country from unprovoked invasion,” he said in a statement.
“If the international community continues its support, I believe Ukraine can win. As Russia’s tactics change, so must our support to Ukraine,” he added.
Ukrainian troops will be trained in the UK on how to use the equipment, the minister said.
The UK defense ministry said that the decision to provide the launchers was closely coordinated with the United States.
Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to hit new targets after the US recently announced that it would send advanced rocket systems to Ukraine.
His warning was followed by Russian strikes on the Ukrainian capital on Sunday for the first time since Apr. 28.
Russian forces have also maintained pressure in the eastern Donbas region with artillery and air strikes. EFE
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