Give Ukraine long-range missiles, UK urges
Cleverly pushes for war to end quickly as he stresses that Kyiv must have ‘tools needed to get the job done’
‘We have got to adapt our support just as Ukrainians evolve and adapt tactics to defend themselves’
THE UK is pushing for Ukraine to be sent missiles and rockets capable of striking 200 miles away in what would be the longest range weapon to hit the battlefield.
It comes as James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, visited the Atlantic Council in Washington where he pledged Ukraine would be “victorious” in its war with Russia. According to a notice on International Fund for Ukraine (IFU), a British government website, industry suppliers have been invited to submit expressions of interest to provide equipment such as missiles or rockets with a range of up to 186 miles to launch from land, sea or air. The appeal, which has closed, asked for responses regarding the sophisticated weapons system within three days.
In Washington, Mr Cleverly said: “There is a strong argument that we shouldn’t leave our respective military cupboards bare. My answer is that, you know, if we’re saving stuff up for a rainy day, this is the rainy day.”
He said Ukraine needed to be “victorious quickly”, as he stressed “the best way of doing that is to give them the tools that they need to get the job done”. Mr Cleverly said the UK understood the importance of air defence for Ukraine as he added: “The bottom line is we have got to adapt our support just as Ukrainians evolve and adapt their tactics to defend themselves.”
Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, previously made it clear that he wants the UK to be the first nation to send longer-range missiles to Ukraine.
At the Munich Security Conference in February he said: “Together we must help Ukraine to shield its cities from Russian bombs and Iranian drones, that’s why the United Kingdom will be the first country to give Ukraine longer-range weapons.”
Mr Sunak stopped short of stating what the weapons would be, however it is felt that Storm Shadow, the RAF’S long-range cruise missile, would deliver the desired effect of disrupting Russian logistical chains. It costs about £2.2million and can be fired from a fighter jet at targets as far as 350 miles away.
A defence source said Ukraine had asked for long-range missiles and, as a result, the UK was looking at what could be done. However, they said the fund “moves slowly” and it could take “months” to see capabilities made available. They added that the UK has “often led the charge” in supporting Ukraine, citing thousands of Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapons and the 14 Challenger II tanks sent to Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian pilot training on RAF fighter jets.
In January, Ukraine said it expected the West would send long-range missiles capable of striking almost 200 miles behind Russian lines.
They would be used to target Russia’s fragile supply chains, hitting ammunition depots, warehouses and other infrastructure critical to its invasion. With Ukraine’s spring counteroffensive looming, it is understood the IFU executive panel, which consists of the UK, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, will consider what weapons will be sent.
A defence source suggested the IFU was not the right system to send a weapon such as Storm Shadow. Some fear a risk of escalation if the Storm Shadow is delivered to Ukraine, which is one of the reasons that Joe Biden is resisting Ukraine’s requests for longer range munitions.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “Any decision to proceed with procurement of a particular capability will be made by the IFU Executive Panel, an international board which oversees the governance of the fund.”
♦ Britain is to formally proscribe the Wagner group of Russian mercenaries as a terrorist organisation, The Times reported. Proscription would make it a criminal offence to belong to the group, attend its meetings, carry its logo in public or encourage support for it, as well as imposing financial sanctions which would have implications for its ability to raise funds. The group would be barred from using UK courts to stifle criticism from journalists and campaigners.