Britain has supplied 3,615 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine 'during their darkest hour' – Defence Secretary

Britain has supplied 3,615 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine 'during their darkest hour' – Defence Secretary
09 wallace antitank
Gareth Milner

By Gareth Milner


Published: 09/03/2022

- 13:37

Updated: 09/03/2022

- 15:05

The UK is looking at sending Starstreak high-velocity manned portable anti-air missiles

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said this is Ukraine’s “darkest hour” as he told the House of Commons that Britain has now supplied 3,615 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.

He added the UK will shortly be supplying a small consignment of Javelin anti-tank missiles and is looking at sending Starstreak high-velocity manned portable anti-air missiles.


He said: “Few of us would not have been moved by President Zelenskyy’s speech yesterday. His people are fighting for their very survival. His country is united against the aggression, and it is indeed his country’s darkest hour.

“President Putin should be and can be in no doubt that the international community is united against his actions. It remains strong and will not back down. As well as providing direct military support to Ukraine we continue to bolster our contribution towards NATO's collective security.”

He said the UK is “doing its bit in providing military support and reassurance to its allies”, and is supplying “significant air power to NATO, including increase in air patrols” under NATO air policing, and he also outlined the deployment of UK naval ships.

Mr Wallace added: “We have put more than 1,000 British troops on readiness to support humanitarian responses in the bordering countries.

“It’s important at this time that in order to maximise our reassurance and resilience… we co-ordinate through NATO.

“As long as we stand united, both as a House and as the international community, then the Kremlin’s threats cannot hurt us.

“I know many of our constituents and our colleagues are fearful of what happens next.

“President Putin and the Kremlin continue to threaten countries who offer help to Ukraine. Their military campaign will, I’m afraid, get more brutal and more indiscriminate.

“But it is my firm belief that our strength to stand up to such bullying comes from our alliances.

“We should take strength from the peoples right across Europe who are standing shoulder to shoulder to protect our values, our freedom, our tolerance, our democracy and our free press. That is our shield."

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