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UK to send long-range artillery to Ukraine

06.06.2022 07:30
The British government will provide several M270 rocket launchers to help Ukraine fight the Russian offensive in the east of the country.
The M270 multiple-launch rocket systems.
The M270 multiple-launch rocket systems.Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The move was announced by the UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in the early hours of Monday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

"These highly capable multiple-launch rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against the brutal use of long-range artillery, which [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's forces have used indiscriminately to flatten cities," Wallace said.

New artillery “to defend Ukraine, in Ukraine”

The M270 tracked multiple-launch rocket systems can hit targets up to 80 kilometres away, officials said. 

London has stressed that they will only be used “to defend Ukraine, in Ukraine,” not to strike targets in Russia.  

The UK said it had been working closely with the United States. 

Britain’s announcement comes days after a similar decision by Washington. 

Last week, the US said it would send Ukraine four medium-range, truck-mounted artillery systems, HIMARS.

At the same time, President Joe Biden stressed the US was “not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders,” the PAP news agency reported.

Monday is day 103 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

(pm)

Source: PAP, Reuters, bbc.com