Britain sends armored rocket launchers to Ukraine to beat up Putin’s army

Britain will send armored missile launchers to Ukraine after Russia begins its all-out offensive to seize the eastern Donbass region, reports say.

The Stormer weapons were reportedly demonstrated to Ukrainians by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) two weeks ago on the Salisbury plains and can be flown to the front lines within days.

The 13-ton rocket launchers fire Starstreak, a high-speed British-made missile that destroys targets with three laser-guided darts, The Sun reports.

Earlier this month, footage emerged from the Luhansk region claiming to show a Russian helicopter being sliced ​​in two by a Starstreak missile.

The weapon is designed for close-range anti-aircraft defense and can also be fired from a standing or shoulder launcher to take out jets, helicopters and drones within 7km.

It comes as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a “significant part” of the Russian army was focused on an offensive in the predominantly Russian-speaking Donbass.

In the eastern region, Moscow-backed separatists have proclaimed two independent republics, recognized by Russia.

President Zelensky has asked Western powers to give him more firepower, with Boris Johnson previously saying he was “looking at what further military assistance we can provide”.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also pledged Britain would “step up” arms supplies as she joined NATO allies in Brussels.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden approved $800 million (£610 million) in military aid to Ukraine, including artillery and helicopters, to bolster its defenses.

On Monday, Russia bombed the western city of Lviv, killing at least seven people, and scores of other targets across Ukraine in what appears to have been a stepped-up attempt to wear down the country’s defenses.

UK government figures show that around 16,400 people had entered the UK under Ukraine’s visa regime as of last Monday.

About 13,200 came as part of the Ukrainian family program and 3,200 as part of the “Houses for Ukraine” sponsorship program.

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