Boris Johnson wants to hand over Ukrainian antiship missiles

Britain is insisting on allies to hand over to Ukraine anti-ship missiles that would give it the opportunity to repel the Russian invasion from the sea side, including the attack on Odessa," he stated "The Sunday Times" citing government sources.

According to the newspaper,, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told ministers that he wanted to deliver a weapon that would work at sea as effectively as the light anti-tank missile launchers of the United Kingdom NLAW operated on land, stopping the Russian attack on Kiev.

"We expected this powerful tank column to pass through very flat terrain and Kiev will be captured in three days. The NLAWs stopped it. This part of the war isn't over yet, but it's been stopped. (Russians) are now focusing on the south. The next target is Odessa. There will be no tanks on Odessa, but ships. The NLAWs don't work against ships, so what can work? (Ukrainians) want something that can destroy ships. The Prime Minister is willing and determined to help them find it. We do not have everything they need in the next stage, but we have become the default coordinator for other countries," says the government source quoted by The Sunday Times.

Odessa is strategic. important for Ukraine as it passes through half its imports and exports. It is also the only large town in the south on the stretch between Cherson and the border with Romania, and its occupation by Russia would bring it closer to controlling the entire coast of Ukraine.

According to The Sunday Times, some countries, including the US, Germany and France, want to wait to hand over another deadly weapon for provocation from Russia, but Johnson made it clear that he felt it should be made available immediately. "Boris says we don't need another stimulus. He (Wladimir Putin) has already crossed the border. For whatever (Volodymyr) Zelenski asks, he will get if we have it" - added the quoted government source.

The Ukrainian president called on the West to provide Ukraine with anti-ship missiles, including Harpoon, which are used by the British Royal Navy. According to the "The Sunday Times", this week American officials signalled that this issue was being discussed by NATO members, and an increase in British arms supplies was also to be discussed at the National Security Council meeting on Friday. These supplies could include missiles with sensors which can track ships stationed off the coast of Ukraine and which could destroy artillery missiles fired from Russian cannons.

Source: PAP