Britain announced on Friday that it would provide Ukraine with around 200 ASRAAM anti-aircraft missiles after a massive Russian missile and drone attack this morning on targets in various parts of Ukraine, and called on allies to step up their efforts to support Kyiv militarily. , France Presse and Agerpres report.

British anti-aircraft missilesPhoto: Avpics / Alamy / Alamy / Profimedia

Russian President Vladimir Putin is “testing Ukraine’s defense and the West’s resolve (…), and today’s provision of an air defense complex sends an undeniable message that in the face of Russian barbarism, the United Kingdom remains resolute in its support for Ukraine,” he said in a statement by the British minister. defense of Grant Shapps.

He called on “the free world to unite and increase its efforts to give Ukraine what it needs to win” in the war with Russia.

ASRAAM missiles are air-to-surface missiles that are launched from combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon or F-35, aircraft that are not in service with the Ukrainian army, but the missiles of this type that will be offered to Kyiv have been adapted to be launched by anti-aircraft systems from the ground, which have already been provided to the Ukrainian army.

Massive Russian air attack on Ukraine

On Friday morning, Russia carried out a large-scale strike with drones and missiles on Ukrainian objects in the vicinity of the capital Kyiv and the cities of Lviv (west), Odesa (south), Dnipro (center), Zaporizhzhia (south). ) and Kharkiv (northeast). , with the aim of hitting, according to Moscow, the objects of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, military airfields, ammunition depots and locations of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries.

Ukraine says it shot down 114 of a total of 158 missiles and drones launched by Russia in the attack, which killed at least 30 people and injured 160.

This latest Russian airstrike caps a difficult year for Ukraine, marked by the failure of its summer counteroffensive and the return to the offensive of Russian forces, who this week claimed to have captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Marinka.

Meanwhile, Russia claims to have shot down three tactical HARM missiles fired by the Ukrainian military in response to an early morning airstrike over the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, on Friday afternoon. HARM missiles delivered to Ukraine by the USA are used to destroy radars and air defense systems.

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