Give Ukraine More Missiles, Urges Boris Johnson, as Ukraine Hammers Russian Black Sea Fleet at Anchor With Strikes

The United Kingdom should keep handing over its stocks of advanced cruise missiles, former Prime Minister and key Zelensky ally Boris Johnson has said, as Ukraine continues to strike Russia’s navy.

The West needs “strategic patience” and a “far greater sense of urgency about our programme of military assistance” towards Ukraine, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has written for a British news magazine, as he urged more missiles for Ukraine, and as soon as possible. The shopping list of missiles he has in mind is broad, from UK Storm Shadow cruise missiles, ‘ATACM’ tactical missiles, man-portable air defence missiles, and more Patriot air defence missile batteries.

This is because, Johnson says, Ukraine is capable of pushing back Russia and needs more support. He said: “Even if they can’t do it in the next few weeks – or however much remains of the 2023 fighting season – they can certainly do it next year.”

This is realistic, the ousted British Conservative leader said, because Zelensky says he needs “just 200 more” ballistic missile systems. Fail to stand foursquare behind Ukraine to the end, Johnson warned, and the West would show the world it “flunked it”, signalling democracy could no longer stand up to autocracy.

As reported this week, the U.S. is apparently on the verge of agreeing to send those tactical missile systems soon.

KYIV, UKRAINE – SEPTEMBER 8: Former UK prime minister speaks at the 18th meeting of the Yalta European Strategy “The Future is Decided in Ukraine” on September 8, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Johnson’s call for more weapons comes as Ukraine uses the British Storm Shadow cruise missiles it has already received as part of its campaign to disable the Russian Black Sea Fleet. A series of strikes this week have reportedly damaged several ships and burnt a shipyard, including a pre-dawn attack on Wednesday against Sevastopol, the home of the Russian fleet.

Ukraine claims the attack destroyed a Russian warship and a submarine: the fact both ships were at dry dock undergoing repairs may have aided the strike, as they were by necessity totally immobile. Images published to social media show what could be the burnt wreckage of a Russian Ropucha-class assault ship, which is claimed to be the ‘Minsk’, a ship of the Baltic Sea Fleet relocated to the Black Sea last year.

The strike early Wednesday morning was by ten cruise missiles and three drones, reports CNN. While Russia claims to have shot down some of these, evidently others got through the anti-air screen. Russia has also claimed it will be able to fully restore the two ships to working condition.

There have also been attempts to take out Russian warships at sea with swarms of drone boats. Russia claims these attempts — at least one on Wednesday and Thursday morning each — were repelled.