London assured that the M270 MLRS systems will “significantly increase the capabilities of Ukrainian forces” to counter advancing Russian troops
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The United Kingdom will supply M270 MLRS rocket launcher systems to Ukraine (REUTERS/Ints Kalnins)
Following new threats from Vladimir Putin, the UK will supply Ukraine with rocket launchers with a range of 80 kilometers to counter the Russian offensive, the ministry announced on Monday of Defense, following the example of the United States.
These M270 MLRS systems “will significantly increase the capabilities of the Ukrainian forces”, the ministry said in a statement.
The decision was made in “close coordination” with Washington, which last week announced the supply of Himars equipment with a range of 80 kilometers, that is, multiple rocket launchers mounted on light armored vehicles.
The Ukrainians had been asking for rocket launchers for some time to be able to attack Russian positions while disposing their batteries further from the front.
Putin assured that the US decision will not fundamentally change the balance of power in the ground, as Russia believes that the supply of arms by the United States and other countries to Ukraine serves to replace the arms losses suffered by kyiv during the hostilities.
Ben Wallace, British Defense Minister (REUTERS/Peter Nicholls)< p class=”paragraph”>However, US President Joe Biden has ruled out providing Ukraine with long-range rocket launch systems that can reach Russia, despite repeated requests from kyiv for such weapons, to prevent the United States from being seen as a co-belligerent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Sunday that Moscow would attack new targets if the West supplied long-range missiles, claiming current arms deliveries are intended to “prolong the conflict.”
Putin warned that if Ukraine receives long-range missiles, “then we will draw the appropriate conclusions and use our weapons (…) to attack targets that we have not hit so far,” during an interview with the Rossiya-1 channel. p>
The Russian president did not specify what kind of targets he was referring to.
“If the international community maintains its support, Ukraine can win ”, defended the British defense minister, Ben Wallace.
“Russia’s strategy is changing, and our support must change too,” he added, stressing that the new weapons will allow Ukrainians “to better protect themselves against the brutal use of long-range artillery, which Putin’s forces have used indiscriminately to raze cities.”
Russian troops concentrate their attacks on eastern Ukraine (REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko)
UK military support to Ukraine so far amounts to more than 750 million pounds (937 million dollars, 874 million euros).
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Malyar, asked this Sunday for a greater effort from Western countries in sending military aid. “We have entered a war of attrition and we need constant support. The West must understand that its help cannot be punctual, but constant until our victory”, he told the local press.
Previously, the mayor of kyiv Vitali Klitschko< /b> had reported early morning bombardments against two city neighborhoods, the first against the Ukrainian capital since April 28. According to Ukrainian officials, the Russian missiles hit railway infrastructure.
Russia assured that, with this attack, it destroyed armored vehicles delivered to Ukraine by Eastern European countries.
“High-precision, long-range missiles fired by the Russian aerospace forces over the kyiv suburb destroyed T-72 tanks delivered by Eastern European countries and other armor that were in hangars”, declared the spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, Igor Konashenkov.
With information from AFP