London, 29 December 2023 (PA Media/dpa/MIA) - Hundreds of British-made air-defence missiles are being shipped to Ukraine, the UK government has revealed.

It comes as Russia continues its assault on the country, with hundreds of drones and missiles believed to have been launched overnight on cities including Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa.

The package includes around 200 air-defence missiles and aims to increase Ukraine’s defence capability.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps have condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin following the aerial barrage, with Shapps branding the attacks “murderous airstrikes.”

Russia launched 122 missiles and 36 drones against Ukrainian targets, killing at least 13 civilians in what military officials said was the biggest aerial barrage of the war so far.

The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted 87 of the missiles and 27 of the Shahed-type drones overnight, officials said.

In a social media post, Sunak said: “These widespread attacks on Ukraine’s cities show Putin will stop at nothing to achieve his aim of eradicating freedom and democracy.

“We will not let him win. We must continue to stand with Ukraine – for as long as it takes.”

The air-defence missiles are made in the UK by defence contractor MBDA and designed to be launched from aircraft including the UK’s Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets.

Shapps said: “Putin’s latest wave of murderous airstrikes are a desperate and futile attempt to regain momentum after the catastrophic loss of hundreds of thousands of conscripts and ahead of the humiliation of his three-day war entering a third calendar year.

“We continue to stand by Ukraine’s defence, which is why today we are sending hundreds of air-defence missiles to restock British-gifted air-defence systems capable of striking down Russian drones and missiles with incredible accuracy.

“Putin is testing Ukraine’s defences and the West’s resolve, hoping that he can clutch victory from the jaws of defeat. But he is wrong. Ukraine’s degradation of the Russian Black Sea fleet has proven it is still in this fight to win. And today’s air-defence package sends an undeniable message, in the face of Russian barbarity, that the UK remains absolutely committed to supporting Ukraine.

“Now is the time for the free world to come together and redouble our efforts to get Ukraine what they need to win.”

Fighting along the front line has been largely bogged down by winter weather after Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive failed to make a significant breakthrough along the roughly 1,000-kilometre line of contact.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spent recent weeks urging Western allies to provide the country with more air defences to protect itself against such aerial attacks.

It comes as signs of war fatigue strain efforts to keep support in place.

Zelensky said the Kremlin’s forces have used a wide variety of weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles.

“Today, Russia used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal,” Zelensky said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

UK military support to Ukraine has seen a total commitment of £4.6 billion ($5.87 billion) with £2.3 billion set aside up to the end of the financial year.

Photo: MIA archive