Britain is scrambling to send hi-tech missile defence systems to Ukraine to counter Vladimir Putin ’s bloody and brutal attack on civilians.
Russian missiles smashed into more than 40 cities yesterday killing 13 civilians and injuring 37 in what one expert called “moronic” attacks.
The Kremlin forces launched cruise missiles, air-to-surface bombs, drones and even anti-aircraft guided missiles.
Now the UK is to rush the Advanced Medium Range Air To Air Missiles defence rockets, capable of blowing cruise missiles out of the sky.
The AMRAAMs are part of a massive defence package – including artillery guns and drones – to be used as Putin seeks revenge for a blast Kerch Bridge linking Ukraine with annexed Crimea.
Britain’s missiles will be fired using US-supplied NASAMS ground-to-air firing systems by Ukraine’s anti-missile teams.
Defence secretary Ben Wallace, ahead of yesterday’s NATO meeting in Brussels, said: “ Russia ’s indiscriminate strikes on civilian areas in Ukraine warrant further support.
“These weapons will help Ukraine defend its skies from attacks.”
Use of anti-aircraft weapons on ground targets is a sign Russia is running out of missiles.
A British security source said: “Putin’s generals must be becoming frustrated at this monstrous targeting of civilians.
“Apart from the cruel nature of these attacks, there is no strategic value in killing non-combatants.
“It’s just an attempt to bow Ukraine with terror. As a military strategy while losing a war,it is moronic.”
NATO allies met to thrash out plans to beef up Europe’s air defences. Seven people died in overnight shelling of Mykolaiv as an S-300 missile hit a five-storey building.
Ukraine has reported a spate of the Shahed-136 drones, some believed to have been fired from Belarus.
And more horrifying evidence of Russian atrocities emerged with reports Moscow’s troops had planted land mines around civilian mass graves in Kharkiv.
Alexander Venediktov, deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, chillingly tried to warn Kyiv against trying to fast-track into NATO, claiming: “Such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to a World War Three.”
