Britain to bolster Ukraine's air defense
Photo: British Defense Secretary John Healey (Getty Images)
The United Kingdom will supply Ukraine with multirole missiles to enhance its defense against Russian drones and rocket strikes, according to Reuters.
The UK will deliver 650 light multirole missiles worth £162 million ($213.13 million) to assist in protecting Ukraine from Russian drone attacks and bombardments.
The announcement was made during British Defense Secretary John Healey's participation in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
"This new commitment will give an important boost to Ukraine's air defenses," Healey said in a statement.
The missiles, produced by Thales Group, have a range of over 6 kilometers and can be launched from various platforms on land, sea, and air.
The first batch of missiles is expected to arrive by the end of the current year.
Ramstein meeting
At the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, around 50 Western countries, led by the United States, formed the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. The initial meeting took place at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, and subsequent meetings have been named accordingly.
The next Contact Group meeting is scheduled for September 6.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend the meeting, adding a significant political dimension.
Specifically, Zelenskyy plans to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Additionally, ahead of the Ramstein meeting, Zelenskyy held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Massive shelling of Ukraine
In recent weeks, Russia has significantly increased its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
The latest major attack occurred overnight on September 4. In the morning, a series of powerful explosions hit Lviv as the city was targeted by cruise and ballistic missiles. The attack resulted in seven fatalities, including children, and 47 people were injured.
On the night of September 3, Russian forces struck the Communications Institute building in Poltava with two ballistic missiles. The attack resulted in over 50 deaths and more than 300 injuries.
On August 26, Russia launched its most extensive attack of the full-scale war, firing over a hundred missiles and drones at Ukraine. Many energy infrastructure sites were affected.
