West Ignores Russian Threats, Sends Deadly Rocket Launchers To Ukraine

Britain pledged Thursday to send sophisticated medium-range rocket systems to Ukraine, joining the US and Germany in equipping the embattled nation with advanced weapons for shooting down aircraft and destroying artillery, John Leicester and Elena Becatoros reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: Lockheed Martin M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)

Western arms have been critical to Ukraine’s success in stymieing Russia’s much larger and better-equipped military during a war now in its 99th day, with fierce fighting underway for control of the Donbas, the country’s eastern industrial region.

The Kremlin warned of “absolutely undesirable and rather unpleasant scenarios” if the latest Western-supplied weapons are fired into Russia.

“This pumping of Ukraine with weapons ... will bring more suffering to Ukraine, which is merely a tool in the hands of those countries that supply it with weapons,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 and has continued to pound towns and cities and bring in many soldiers to control the small eastern city of Sievierodonetsk.

Speaking by video link to a security conference in Slovakia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for even more weapons and sanctions targeting Russia to halt such horrors.

“As of today, the occupiers control almost 20% of our territory,” he said. Zelenskyy said Russia had fired 15 cruise missiles in the past day and used a total of 2,478 missiles since invading Ukraine. He said, “most of them targeted civil infrastructure.”

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said Britain will send an unspecified number of M270 launchers, which can fire precision-guided rockets up to 80 kilometers (50 miles). Ukrainian troops will be trained in Britain to use the equipment, he said.

The US government said Wednesday that it would supply High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to Ukraine. The two missile systems are similar, though the American one has wheels, while the British one — also US-built — runs on tracks.

Germany, which has come under criticism that it wasn’t doing enough to help Ukraine, said Wednesday it would supply Ukraine with up-to-date anti-aircraft missiles and radar systems. Sweden also announced plans Thursday to provide arms to Kyiv, including missiles, rifles, and anti-tank weapons.

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