UK to Send Additional Missiles to Ukraine Amid Ongoing Conflict

The UK has announced it will provide an additional 650 short-range Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) to Ukraine, aimed at bolstering the country’s air defences in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The £162 million aid package was unveiled by UK Defence Secretary John Healey during a defence summit at the Ramstein air base in Germany, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also made a fervent appeal for further support. Zelensky expressed gratitude for the aid received but stressed the urgent need for Western-supplied long-range missiles to target Russian positions.

The new missile supply, which is expected to offer a crucial boost to Ukraine’s defensive capabilities, has been met with mixed reactions. Professor Michael Clark, former director-general of the Royal United Services Institute, warned that the missiles might be quickly depleted given the current intensity of the conflict. The UK has committed £12.7 billion in total support to Ukraine since the start of the invasion in February 2022, including £7.6 billion in military aid.

President Zelensky’s plea for long-range missile capabilities was reiterated at the summit, where he urged allies to reconsider restrictions on using Western-supplied weapons against targets within Russia. Despite the support, Western allies have so far restricted the use of long-range missiles to Ukrainian territory, a policy that Zelensky and others argue hinders Ukraine’s ability to end the conflict decisively.

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