Will solely intensify the battle: Russia after Rishi Sunak says UK to provide tanks to Ukraine

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement got here as Russian forces fired missiles at Kyiv and different components of Ukraine on Saturday.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 15, 2023 11:18 IST

In this picture launched by the Dnipro Regional Administration, smoke rises after a Russian rocket hit a multistory constructing leaving many individuals below particles in Dnipro, Ukraine, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. (Dnipro Regional Administration through AP)

By India Today Web Desk: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has introduced that Britain would supply Challenger 2 tanks and artillery programs to Ukraine amid renewed missile assaults by Russia. This comes after Russia once more stepped up its assault on war-torn Ukrainian cities for the primary time in almost two weeks, reported The Associated Press. The UK has turn into the primary Western nation to provide the heavy tanks Kyiv has been calling for.

The UK PM’s announcement got here as Russian forces fired missiles at Kyiv and different components of Ukraine on Saturday within the first main barrage in days. However, it’s not but confirmed the precise variety of tanks the UK will ship to Kyiv.

“The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine, including through the provision of Challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems,” Rishi Sunak’s spokesman was quoted by AFP as saying.

“The Prime Minister and President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed other international commitments including Poland’s offer to provide a company of Leopard tanks,” the spokesman mentioned.

“The Prime Minister stressed that he and the whole UK Government would be working intensively with international partners to deliver rapidly the kind of support which will allow Ukraine to press their advantage, win this war and secure a lasting peace,” the spokesman mentioned.

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RUSSIA ISSUES WARNING

UK’s pledge to provide tanks and artillery programs to Ukraine has prompted a warning from Russia saying that it might solely “intensify the conflict”.

“Bringing tanks to the conflict zone, far from drawing the hostilities to a close, will only serve to intensify combat operations, generating more casualties, including among the civilian population”, the Russian embassy within the UK mentioned.

Rishi Sunak made the pledge to provide the tanks and extra artillery programs as an indication of the UK’s “ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine”, in line with a readout of a telephone name with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reported information company AFP.

Ukraine’s European allies have despatched Kyiv greater than 300 modernised Soviet tanks since Russia invaded in February 2022. But up to now, they haven’t dispatched Western-made heavy tanks that Ukraine has repeatedly requested to push ahead towards Russian invaders. Earlier this month, France mentioned it might ship AMX-10 RC armored fight autos to Ukraine, designated “light tanks” in French.

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Nine folks have been killed and 64 others wounded within the southeastern metropolis of Dnipro, the place a Russian missile strike destroyed a bit of an condo constructing, mentioned Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential workplace.

Infrastructure services have been additionally hit within the western Lviv area and Ivano-Frankivsk areas, within the Odesa area on the Black Sea and in northeastern Kharkiv. Kyiv, the capital, was additionally focused.

Ukraine’s army prime commander Valeri Zaluzhny mentioned that Russia fired 33 cruise missiles total on Saturday, of which 21 have been shot down, reported AP. Explosions additionally rocked Kyiv on Saturday.

(With company inputs)

ALSO READ | Russian missile assault hits infrastructure in Kyiv, explosions in Dniprovskiy

Published On:

Jan 15, 2023