Britain announced on Monday that it will give Ukraine with multiple-launch rocket systems capable of striking targets up to 80 kilometres (50 miles) away, in a move coordinated with the US in reaction to Russia’s invasion.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Britain’s support for Ukraine would alter as Russia’s tactics developed, justifying the gift of the M270 multiple-launch launchers.

“These extremely capable multiple-launch rocket systems will help our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s forces’ indiscriminate use of long-range artillery to obliterate cities,” Wallace said in a statement.

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After receiving assurances from Kyiv that the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, would not be used to hit targets inside Russian territory, US President Joe Biden announced last week that Washington would supply Ukraine with the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS.

Putin said the arms transfers were “nothing new,” but warned that if the US delivered longer-range munitions for the HIMARS systems, he would respond.

The US Department of Defense announced that it would be supplying Ukraine with four M142 HIMARS systems as well as a Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System with a range of more than 40 miles (64 km). find out more

After previously announcing that it will educate Ukrainian forces on how to utilise the new launchers, Britain indicated that it would do so in the United Kingdom.