LONDON, December 29. /TASS/. The United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles, Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said.

"We continue to stand by Ukraine’s defense. Which is why today we are sending hundreds of air defense missiles to restock British gifted air defense systems capable of striking down Russian drones and missiles with incredible accuracy," Shapps wrote on his X page (former Twitter).

Since the start of the Russian special military operation, the UK has provided 4.6 billion pounds ($5.9 billion) in military aid to the Kiev authorities. In particular, the British government sent Storm Shadow long-range missiles, Challenger 2 tanks, AS90 self-propelled howitzers and M270 multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine. The Russian embassy to the UK said that the shipments of a variety of weapons to the Kiev authorities showed London’s overt involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.