Ukraine Receives British Anti-Tank Weapons Amid Tensions with Russia

The Ukrainian army is set to receive short-range anti-tank weapons and training to defend itself from any form of Russian invasion if it ever happens.

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov angrily rejected U.S. claims that Moscow was preparing a pretext to invade Ukraine if diplomacy failed to meet its objectives.

On Monday, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the British Parliament that the UK had “taken the decision to supply Ukraine with light anti-armour defensive weapon systems”. He added that the first weaponry had been delivered to Ukraine and that a small number of British personnel would provide training for a short period of time. Wallace did not specify the number and type of weapons that were being sent.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov welcomed the UK’s support, saying in a Twitter post that his country “highly appreciates Britain’s decision to provide a new security package with light, anti-armour, defensive weapon systems!”

Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia could launch an attack on their country from various directions, including from the territory of its ally Belarus. Russian troops have also reportedly started arriving in Belarus for joint large-scale military drills next month.

Russia has accused Kyiv of hatching plans to use force to reclaim control of the Russian-backed rebel-held territories in eastern Ukraine, a claim rejected by Ukraine.