British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has announced that a short-range anti-tank missile will be sent to Ukraine to strengthen its defense against Russia.
A small group of British soldiers will also be sent to Ukraine to train, according to Wallace’s statement to British lawmakers after Russia sent 100,000 troops to the Ukrainian border.
Wallace said there was “legitimate and genuine concern” that Russian troops might enter Ukraine to invade.
Russia, on the other hand, states that it has no such aim and blames the West for the tension.
Since 2015, dozens of British troops have been sent to Ukraine to train soldiers. At the same time, Britain promised to strengthen Ukraine’s navy after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014.
Wallace, on the other hand, stated in his latest statement that the UK sent additional aid to ensure security, as Russia’s ‘increasing threatening behavior’.
Although the type was not announced on Monday, it was stated that the first light anti-tank guns were sent.
Noting that Ukraine has the right to defend itself, Wallace underlined that these weapons are short-range and for defensive purposes, and that they do not pose any threat to Russia.
He added that international sanctions would come into play if Russia took any action that would destabilize Ukraine.
He also stated that any attack would be described as an ‘occupation’ and could cause great losses on both sides.
Tensions have existed in eastern Ukraine since 2014, despite the signing of a ceasefire between Russian-backed separatists and the Ukrainian military.
Russia, on the other hand, accuses NATO countries of sending weapons to Ukraine and the United States of increasing tensions in the region.