LONDON: Vehicles donated by the UK to Ukraine have been deployed as part of Kyiv’s continued incursion into Russia, English press reported on Thursday.
According to Sky News and other English outlets, this is the first time Challenger 2 vehicles have been engaged in active conflict on Russian place.
The vehicles were no specified in their reports as to how many were allegedly deployed by Ukraine during its surprise attack on Russia’s Kursk place, which started on August 6.
The UK Ministry of Defense declined to comment on the particular weapons Ukraine was using, but noted that “operations inside Russia” had not been blocked as a result of the donation of vehicles and other weapons to Kyiv.
” There has been no shift in UK state policy”, a government official said.
” Under Article 51 of the UN Charter Ukraine has a distinct right of self-defence against Russia’s illegal strikes, that does not preclude businesses inside Russia.
We make it clear during the loaning process that the gear must be used in accordance with international law.
Nine days earlier, Ukraine sent troops and armored vehicles into the Kursk region, claiming that some dozen villages had been taken in the most significant cross-border assault on Russian ground since World War II.
” Completely reputable,”
In response to the ongoing Russian assault, Moscow on Thursday announced it had send more troops to protect the neighboring border area of Belgorod.
Storm Shadow boat weapons and a regiment of 14 Challenger 2 vehicles that were deployed early next year have been provided to Kyiv since Russia invaded more than two years ago.
Former British defense secretary Ben Wallace reported on Wednesday that The Times had learned that during his career, he had given permission for Ukraine to attack priorities inside Russia using “whatever weapons ] were given to it.”
Nevertheless, he noted that regulations had been placed on the use of the long-range Storm Shadow weapons.
If the attack was intended to target transportation and network supporting Moscow’s war, the paper added that he thought it was “perfectly reasonable” for Ukraine to use other UK-gifted arms within Russia.
Britain’s present Defence Secretary John Healey, who took up the article in early July after Labour swept to authority, has said the English remains” united for Ukraine”.
” As the new military Secretary, I will guarantee that we reinvigorate Britain’s help by stepping up supplies of critical military assistance, “he said within weeks of being appointed.
