Ben Wallace said the M270 multiple-launch rocket system will help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.

The government has not confirmed how many weapons will be sent, but the BBC understands it will be three initially.

The decision comes after the US announced last week it was also supplying a rocket system.

The move by the US to send its own M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) has already angered Moscow and on Sunday Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to expand the list of targets Russia will attack in Ukraine if Western countries send long-range weapons to Kyiv.

The UK government said the Ukrainian military will get training in the UK in the coming weeks on how to use the launchers.

The multiple-launch rocket system can fire 12 surface-to-surface missiles within a minute and can strike targets within 50 miles (80km) with pinpoint accuracy - far further than the artillery Ukraine currently possesses.

Mr Wallace said the UK was taking a leading role in supplying Ukrainian troops with the "vital weapons they need to defend their country from unprovoked invasion".

He said: "As Russia's tactics change, so must our support to Ukraine.

"These highly capable multiple-launch rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against the brutal use of long-range artillery, which Putin's forces have used indiscriminately to flatten cities."

The UK and US have led the way in supplying weapons to Ukraine, but giving it advanced long range rockets marks a significant shift, said the BBC's defence correspondent Jonathan Beale.

It is also a recognition that Ukraine is struggling to compete against Russia's vast artillery arsenal, he added.

Last week, Washington said it would supply four HIMARS multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine - following receipt of guarantees they would be used for defensive purposes only and not to strike targets inside Russia. The same restriction applies to the use of the UK's M270 system.

In an interview on Russian state TV on Sunday, Mr Putin said: "In general, all this fuss about additional arms supplies, in my opinion, has only one goal - to drag out the armed conflict as long as possible."

The Russian leader said that if missiles with longer ranges did arrive in Ukraine, his country would "draw appropriate conclusions" and "strike at those targets that we are not striking yet".

The warning came as explosions shook parts of Kyiv on Sunday in the first assault on the capital city for weeks, while fierce fighting for control of key towns and cities in the eastern Donbas region continues.

Russia refocused its military efforts on the Donbas at the end of March after pulling back from the Kyiv region.

Some of the fiercest fighting is currently in the eastern city of Severodonetsk. Capturing the city would deliver the Luhansk region to Russian forces and their local separatist allies, who also control much of neighbouring Donetsk. The two regions form the heavily industrial Donbas.

On Sunday, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said he had visited front-line troops in the eastern Donbas region to the city of Lysychansk and the town of Soledar.

Britain and the US have been among the leading nations giving arms to support Ukraine since Russia invaded in February.

The UK has also delivered more than 5,000 next generation light anti-tank weapons - known as Nlaw - which analysts believe have been critical to Ukraine driving back Russian ground assaults since the war began.

Other weapon systems delivered by the government include short-range Brimstone 1 missiles, Mastiff armoured vehicles and Starstreak missile air defence systems - with the overall military support to Ukraine costing £750m so far, the government said.

Several other countries have pledged to send advanced weapons to Ukraine. Germany has promised to send its most modern air defence system - the Iris-T - to enable Ukraine to shield an entire city from Russian air attacks

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61701055?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_custom2=twitter&at_custom3=%40BBCWorld&at_campaign=64&at_custom4=9DE3EA84-E540-11EC-B59E-71D04744363C&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_medium=custom7

Mynd44 Lalasticlala Seun

12 rockets per minute and with an 80km range

Wahala no dey finish. This is sweet.

Now Putin should live up to his threats of shelling Western suppliers of long range missiles to Ukraine if he thinks he can

Lol many Ukraine people and usa citizens have ask

The past weapons they sent what have Ukraine done with it.

Mind you you can buy stinger from the black market in Ukraine.

All USA weapons that are carried by one man you can buy them in Kyiv because the currupt military men are selling it and avoiding war front line lol

All this things will be blown up by Russia jet as you can see in this video..

https://youtube.com/shorts/qrTQodPD4Fk


Infact Russia will use it as target practice lol.

No weapons from USA can make any difference in this military operation.

God bless putin God bless mother Russia.

That guy above Sha

He consoles himself with the comment " no weapons from USA can make any difference in this war" yet for a war tauted not to Las more than 72hrs we are now in day 103 which is 2472 hours that means the 72hrs has extended by 2400 hrs

Russia has lost over 32,000 soldiers with an estimated 90,000 injured but he consoles himself that no weapons would make any difference

Russia has also virtually lost Sievierodonetsk and some parts of Kherson now with Russia shouting and crying that USA plus other Western countries should stop sending weapons to Ukraine otherwise they would strike them too but one werey above is saying no weapons would make any difference

He should tell that to Putin who has been crying and lamenting since about same weapons from USA because unlike him, Putin knows much better

Aww, if only US used this in Afghanistan, they wouldn't have ran like escapees

Elvictor:


Aww, if only US used this in Afghanistan, they wouldn't have ran like escapees

Ran away after 20 unfruitful yrs

I pity Russian troops in advance. They lost 30,000 men to what is largely defensive arms in the hands of unprepared Ukraine.
No wonder Putin has suddenly remembered his stale nuclear threat lines.

More death

This is good news, send them long range missiles so they can target russia directly.

I go like see wetin Russia go do in return. By now ukrain suppose don fully join Nato abi wetin dey cause delay.

What's the range of Russian cruise missiles? 1550 - 6000 miles. Now, subtract this UK-made missile's 50 miles from that.