UK to give Ukraine 80km-range MLR systems - defense secretary

The United Kingdom will send multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine to help defend itself against Russia, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on Wednesday.

That’s according to CNN, Ukrinform reports.

Britain will send M270 launchers able to strike targets up to 80 kilometers (49.7 miles) away, offering “a significant boost in capability for the Ukrainian forces,” according to a statement from the British Foreign Office.

The move has been “coordinated closely” with the United States decision to provide Ukraine with its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) – a variant of the multiple-launch rocket systems that will be gifted by the UK, the statement added. 

“The UK stands with Ukraine and has taken a leading role in supplying its heroic troops with the vital weapons they need to defend their country,” Wallace said.

“As Russian’s tactics change, so must our support to Ukraine,” he added. “These highly capable multiple-launch rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against Russia’s brutal use of long-range artillery, which Putin’s forces have used indiscriminately to flatten cities.”

The British government also said that Ukrainian troops will be trained on how to use the launchers in the UK, so the effectiveness of the launchers can be maximized.

Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that the U.S. was sending to Ukraine its HIMARS multiple rocket launchers to help the country defend itself against the Russian onslaught.