Home Europe UK sending more howitzers, guns and anti-tank weapons to Ukraine

UK sending more howitzers, guns and anti-tank weapons to Ukraine

L118 gun
British Army file photo of soldiers operating an L118 light gun that will be among equipment sent to Ukraine.

The UK will be sending an additional 50,000 artillery shells and hundreds more anti-tank weapons to Ukraine in the coming weeks, defense secretary Ben Wallace has revealed.

As outlined, the UK will supply scores of artillery guns, hundreds of drones and hundreds more anti-tank weapons to Ukraine to aid its defense against the Russian invasion.

More than 20 M109 155mm self-propelled guns, which the UK armed forces do not operate – but are buying and refurbishing for Ukraine, and 36 L119 105mm artillery guns will soon arrive from the UK, the defense secretary announced in an update to Parliament on Thursday. Counter-battery radar systems and more than 50,000 rounds of ammunition for Ukraine’s existing Soviet era artillery will also follow, he added.

The UK will also send more than 1,600 more anti-tank weapons in the coming weeks, along with drones, including hundreds of loitering aerial munitions. The defense ministry did not say which loitering munitions would be transferred.

So far, 6,900 NLAW, Javelin, Brimstone and other anti-tank weapons, as well as 16,000 artillery rounds, six Stormer vehicles fitted with Starstreak anti-air missile launchers and hundreds of missiles have been sent to Ukraine.

The UK has also supplied maritime Brimstone missiles, multiple launch rocket systems, 120 armored fighting vehicles and large quantities of non-lethal aid including more than 82,000 helmets, 8,450 sets of body armor and over 5,000 night vision devices.

“The scale and range of equipment we are providing demonstrates the strength of our resolve. Together with our international partners, we will ensure Ukraine has the tools to defend their country from Putin’s illegal invasion,” Wallace said.

The uplift comes after UK prime minister Boris Johnson announced in June that the UK would provide another £1 billion of military support to Ukraine.

The funding, which brings UK military support and broader regional activity since the outbreak of war to £2.3bn.

The defense ministry added that the next phase of military support, paid for with this additional funding, would include even more sophisticated air defense systems, uncrewed aerial vehicles and innovative new electronic warfare equipment.

It comes after the UK launched a major training operation for Ukrainian forces, with the potential to train up to 10,000 soldiers.