As part of a new military assistance package, the United Kingdom has announced it will use interest accrued from frozen Russian assets—seized under sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion—to finance the transfer of up to 300 new ASRAAM missiles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This move represents a significant boost to Ukraine’s heavily tasked air defense network. Specifically, the operation is valued at £70 million and will be funded through the UK government’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) program, marking the first time such resources are used for military support to Kyiv.
The announcement was confirmed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer during the recent NATO Summit, where he stated: “Russia, not Ukraine, should pay the price for Putin’s barbaric and illegal war. It is right that we use frozen Russian assets to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses. Ukraine’s security is vital to our own.” Meanwhile, Defence Secretary John Healey said the missiles would save lives in the face of what he described as continued indiscriminate Russian attacks, adding, “Putin is not serious about peace.”
It’s worth noting that the ASRAAM missiles in question were originally designed as air-to-air weapons, but have since been adapted for ground launch by engineers from the Royal Air Force and MBDA’s UK division. These modifications allow the missiles to be fired from land-based Supacat HMT 6×6 launch vehicles—an adaptation completed in just three months. The missiles are expected to arm the eight Raven launchers already supplied by the UK, with reports indicating that another five are currently being transferred.
Additionally, this decision forms part of a much broader British commitment to support Ukraine in 2024, totaling up to £4.5 billion in military aid. It follows a March agreement worth £1.6 billion that included more than 5,000 air defense missiles for Kyiv, and comes shortly after the UK pledged a further £350 million to enhance Ukraine’s domestic drone production capabilities.
*Images used for illustrative purposes only.
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