Britain to send 200 air defense missiles to Ukraine
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The advanced short-range air-to-air missiles (ASRAAM) made in the United Kingdom are meant to be launched from aircraft such as the Typhoon and F-35 fighter planes.
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Air-to-Air ASRAAM missiles fitted to a Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jet. The AIM-132 ASRAAM is a high-speed, highly maneuverable, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile (Wikimedia Commons)
Following a series of Russian strikes, UK Defence Minister Grant Shapps stated on Friday that Britain will deliver roughly 200 air-defense missiles to Ukraine.
Shapps posted on X that the UK was "moving rapidly to bolster Ukraine's air defense," explaining that this was done to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself from Putin's barbaric bombardment,"
The UK is moving rapidly to bolster Ukraine’s air defence, in the wake of Putin’s murderous air strikes.
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) December 29, 2023
Hundreds of British made air defence missiles are being sent to ensure @Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself from Putin’s barbaric bombardment. #SlavaUkraini pic.twitter.com/eoJ1pQPpe7
The missiles would replenish Britain's air defense systems, which are "capable" of shooting down Russian drones and missiles "with incredible accuracy," according to the Ministry of Defense.
The advanced short-range air-to-air missiles (ASRAAM) made in the United Kingdom are meant to be launched from aircraft such as the Typhoon and F-35 fighter planes.
The ministry claimed that the missiles had been proven to be "very effective yet low-cost solutions to the frontline to meet urgent requirements", with a reported hit rate of as high as 90 percent against some Russian air targets.
"Ukrainian operators have become adept at their usage and have asked for more missiles to protect their country," the ministry added.
In early October, an unnamed senior British military official told The Telegraph that the United Kingdom has been depleted of weapons to send to Ukraine.
The senior official told the newspaper that the UK should not be obligated to send billions worth of military aid to Kiev, responding to a previous unanswered request of the former Minister of Defense, Ben Wallace.
Wallace had asked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to spend an additional 2.3 billion pounds to aid Ukrainian forces, stressing that the country had been overtaken by Germany as the second-largest backer to Ukraine, trailing the United States.
"Giving billions more doesn’t mean giving billions of British kit," the official told The Telegraph, adding that the UK has played a role in persuading other NATO and its allies "to give more money and weapons" to Ukraine.
How the West is 'quietly shifting' its Ukraine strategy: Politico
Citing numerous unidentified sources, Politico has reported that the US and the EU have abandoned their goal of "total victory" against Russia in favor of a negotiated settlement that may give some territory to Moscow.
Both the White House and the Pentagon have publicly said there has been no formal change in policy. However, according to Politico's Michael Hirsh, two unidentified US government officials, including a White House spokesperson, and a European ambassador expressed that this is not the case.
Hirsh detailed that American and European officials are now "discussing the redeployment" of Ukrainian soldiers away from the "mostly failed" counteroffensive and toward a defensive posture.
He also mentioned that while US President Joe Biden used to declare he would assist Ukraine for "as long as it takes," he is now saying for "as long as we can." With new aid funds stalled in Congress, the US administration is advocating for "rapidly resurrecting" Ukraine's defense sector.
An anonymous White House spokesman told Politico that discussions have always been the US endgame in Ukraine, and all help to Kiev has been designed to give it "the strongest hand possible when that comes."
Last week, Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCloud said in a letter obtained by Sputnik that the US will run out of Ukraine aid funding on December 30 after it completes a transfer of $1.07 billion to replenish US stocks of weapons sent to Ukraine.
