(London) In a change from not supplying the Ukraine with weapons, the British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace informed Parliament on Monday , that due to the ever increasing threat to the Ukraine from Russia, he has Ok’d the supply of short range anti-tank weapons to the country with the first dispatch landing Monday evening at Kiev on board a British C17 transport aircraft along with military staff who will teach the Ukrainians how to use the weapons. Whilst he did not specify the number or type of weapons that were being sent, he stated: "
"These are short-range.... but nevertheless it would make people pause and think what they were doing and if tanks were to roll into Ukraine, invade it, then they would be part of the defence mechanism. They are not strategic weapons and pose no threat to Russia. They are to use in self-defence."
Interestingly the C17 flew around Germany to the Ukraine due to Berlins stance not to support Kiev with weapons.
The only short range anti-tank weapon the British uses is the Main Battle Tank and Light Anti-tank Weapon (MBT LAW), also known as the NLAW, it is a joint British and Swedish disposable short-range fire-and-forget anti-tank missile system which builds upon the innovative Swedish Bill missiles which taking note of the heavy armour and explosive plates in use by Russian armour, decided that striking the vehicle from above targeting the much weaker armour would afford a much better solution of taking it out.Of note is the fact that the British aircraft are avoiding German airspace. pic.twitter.com/EzldtHNP67
— George Allison (@geoallison) January 17, 2022
