Ukraine-Russia war: UK agrees to supply more weapons

Britain is increasing arms sales to Ukraine to help it defend against Russian attacks, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has said.

Before the invasion, Britain supplied 2,000 light anti-tank missiles and is now sending another 1,615.

Mr Wallace told MPs that the UK would also supply a small shipment of longer-range Javelin missiles and was considering sending surface-to-air missiles.

He added that handguns, body armor and medical supplies were also sent.

The UK has said it is helping to “facilitate” shipments of these weapons, but Western officials are giving no details on how the shipments are getting through.

There is evidence that weapons supplied by Britain have already been used to destroy Russian armor.

In the House of Commons, Mr Wallace said the Russians were “changing their tactics and so must the Ukrainians”.

In response to a request from Ukraine, he said the government is studying the possibility of deploying manned Starstreak high-speed man-portable anti-aircraft missiles.

“We believe this system will remain within the definition of defensive weapons, but will allow Ukrainian Armed Forces to better defend their skies,” he added.

He stressed that the government was “bound by the decision to deliver defense systems” and not allow the war to escalate.

Britain is not the only country sending arms to Ukraine, but most countries only began sending arms in response to the Russian invasion, which began on February 24.

A total of 14 nations have supplied arms, including Sweden and Finland, both of which have long histories of neutrality and are not NATO members. Both sent thousands of anti-tank weapons.

Germany has supplied 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 US-made Stinger missiles, a scourge of Soviet aircraft during the 1980s occupation of Afghanistan.

The Baltic states have also supplied thousands of weapons, including Stingers and Javelin missiles, one of the world’s most effective anti-tank weapons with a range of 2.5 km (1.5 miles).