UK Prime Minister has announced the UK will send Challenger 2 main battle tanks and AS90 self-propelled artillery to aid the Ukrainian offensive.
“Sending Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine is the start of a gear change in the UK’s support,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
According to a press release, a squadron of 14 tanks will go into the country in the coming weeks after the Prime Minister told President Zelenskyy that the UK would provide additional support to aid Ukraine’s land war.
Also noted that around 30 AS90s, which are large, self-propelled guns, operated by five gunners, are expected to follow.
“The Prime Minister is clear that a long and static war only serves Russia’s ends. That’s why he and his ministers will be speaking to our allies across the world in the days and weeks ahead to ramp up pressure on Putin and secure a better future for Ukraine,” a spokesperson added.
The Defence Secretary will provide further details of this support in the House of Commons on Monday.
The UK will begin training the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use the tanks and guns in the coming days, as part of wider UK efforts which have seen thousands of Ukrainian troops trained in the UK over the last six months.