Amidst rising tensions with Russia over Ukraine, this move will bolster UK’s defence
The United Kingdom (U.K.) is supplying short-range anti-tank missiles to Ukraine, amidst rising tensions with Russia with more than 100,000 troops present on its border.
These are lighter weapons which can knock out a tank by striking it from above. They are not as powerful as Javelin anti-tank missiles, which were supplied by the United States (U.S.) to Ukraine from 2018. The first batch of light anti-armour weapons was sent on Monday, January 17, 2022. A small team of British troop will also be going to Ukraine to train the Ukraine soldiers.
This comes at a time when Ukraine fears invasion from Russia and there have been no major progress during the talks between U.S., North Atlantic Treaty Organisations (NATO) and Russia. However, Russia denies any invasion plans and accuses the West of aggression.
Meanwhile, dozens of British troops have been in Ukraine since 2015 to help train their armed forces. U.K. is also helping Ukraine in rebuilding its Navy, following Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014.
The Secretary of State for Defence, U.K. – Ben Wallace said that U.K. would be providing extra help with security in the light of Russia’s “increasingly threatening behaviour.”
Wallace said, “Ukraine has every right to defend its borders and this new package of aid further enhances its ability to do so.”
He further said, “Let me be clear: this support is for short-range and clearly defensive weapon capabilities; they are not strategic weapons and pose no threat to Russia; they are to use in self-defence.”
He warned that U.K. will not shy away from imposing sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine. He also expressed his desire to be friends with the Russia as they have been for hundreds of years.
The Ukrainian Ambassador to U.K. – Vadym Prystaiko welcomed the U.K.’s decision to send weapons and extra troops, but also said that what Ukraine needs at this time most is the NATO membership.
Vadym Prystaiko. said, “We wanted to be in Nato… we are facing the biggest army in Europe by ourselves.”
Russia is against NATO giving membership to Ukraine. Russia has accused NATO members of providing weapons to Ukraine. It wants NATO to not to extend membership to any new nation. However, NATO remains firm that it is upto Ukraine and NATO to decide whether it will offer membership to Ukraine.
Separately, Canada has reportedly deployed a small contingent of special forces to Kyiv. Turkey has also sold TB2 anti-tank drones to Ukraine. Post this, the President of Russia – Vladimir Putin spoke to the President of Turkey – Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and termed the arms sale as provocative.
