The UK Government has acquired and repaired more than 20 M109 155mm self-propelled howitzers to send them to Ukraine to combat Russian aggression, reported Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, citing Sky News.
British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Sky News that the government had purchased the artillery units from a Belgian arms company and refurbished them to suit the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces.
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“…they (M109 howitzers) are starting to arrive, and they have a much longer range than 152mm,” Wallace stated.
The M109 is a US-made, 155mm self-propelled howitzer based on a tracked armoured chassis.
Given that Russia exceeds Ukraine in the count of artillery, the allies are providing long-range artillery and missile systems for the Ukrainian forces, Wallace added.
Earlier this month, Norway had announced a donation of 22 M109 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers and ammunition to Ukraine.
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By GlobalDataMeanwhile, the UK is considering sending more anti-ship missiles to Ukraine, Reuters reported, citing Wallace on Wednesday.
Last month, the UK launched a £25m campaign fund to encourage the development of new defence solutions to support the armed forces of Ukraine.
This competition is focused on improving the current provision for artillery, coastal defence and aerial systems.
Since the onset of Russia’s military incursion, the UK set aside nearly £2.8bn to provide humanitarian aid for Ukrainians.
Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden approved a further $1bn in security assistance to bolster the Ukrainian armed forces.
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, around $5.6bn has been announced as security assistance for Ukraine by the US.
