UK announces missiles and more training for Ukrainian military

John Healey announced the extension of Operation Interflex, which has already seen 45,000 Ukrainian troops receive training on British soil, at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) at the US Air Force’s Ramstein base on Friday.

The training programme lasts a minimum of five weeks and includes weapons handling, first aid, patrol tactics and the law of armed conflict.

Mr Healey said: “Operation Interflex has provided the brave men and women of Ukraine the vital skills they need to defend their nation in the face of Putin’s illegal invasion.

“The extension of this training, which is vital for Ukraine’s defence, is another example of the UK’s ironclad commitment to Ukraine.

“As I told our allies and partners today in Germany, the UK will continue to step up our support. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

The UDCG meeting was attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky and representatives of more than 50 nations, and brought news that the UK will send also 650 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a £162 million commitment to the country’s defence against Russia.

Mr Healey said: “In recent days we have seen the tragic cost of Russia’s indiscriminate strikes on Poltava and Lviv. These new UK-made missiles will support Ukraine to defend its people, infrastructure, and territory from Putin’s brutal attacks.”

During the meeting, Mr Zelensky pressed Western leaders to allow him to use long-range weapons against targets in Russia – a demand he has made repeatedly in recent months.

He said: “We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.”

British ministers are reported to be in favour of loosening restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons, but American objections are thought to stand in the way.