A British-made Starstreak missile is understood to have shot down a Russian helicopter in the weapon's first use in Ukraine. The laser-guided missile, named the 'Starstreak system', travels at more than three times the speed of sound to take down low-flying enemy jets and attack helicopters.
The video released on Friday shows the Starstreak missile in action during its first week of use in the war, a source at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) told The Times. The footage shows a Russian Mi-28N helicopter being shot out of the sky in the Luhansk region and cut in two as its tail is struck by the portable missile.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace previously said the Starstreak system – a shoulder-mounted missile that travels at more than three times the speed of sound to take down low-flying enemy jets – was ready to be used. Mr Wallace also said the first Ukrainian troops had been trained and were now deployed with Starstreak, adding that the UK was 'doing more than pretty much anyone else' to help the war-torn country.
"One of the biggest challenges is that the more you go up in sophistication of weapons systems, the more training you require to use them, which is why the real focus of effort has to be helping the Ukrainians either refurbish or locate Russian or Soviet equipment that is already in their inventory," he told the Mail on Sunday.
"Just providing British tanks wouldn't really work."
Mr Wallace also had an interview with Sky News earlier this week, where he said: "There will be more lethal aid going into Ukraine as a result of today. Ukraine needs longer-range artillery and that's because of what the Russian army has been doing, which is now digging in and starting to pound these cities with artillery.
"They are also looking for armoured vehicles of some types — not tanks necessarily, but certainly protective vehicles, and more anti-air. All of this will be forthcoming as a result of this conference."
Since the start of the conflict, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted the UK will provide further defensive support to Ukraine. Britain is currently supplying and training Ukrainian troops in the use of the high-velocity anti-air missiles as well as providing body armour, helmets and combat boots. They are also set to send a new package of 6,000 more missiles
UK defence sources also revealed last night that Kremlin forces have run out of vital weapons and cannot now replenish their stocks. The MoD gave a further update saying a fire has destroyed several oil tanks at a depot in the Russian city of Belgorod, which is close to the Ukrainian border.
The weapon seen in the video shared on Friday is by short-range missiles company Thales. It can be shot from a shoulder or stand and has a range of more than four miles.
The missile detaches into three darts mid-air, which are guided to the target by a laser operator on the ground. The use of lasers rather than being attracted to infrared energy means flares cannot counteract the three-pronged missile.
Britain has already sent thousands of anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, although Nato nations have continued to rebuff pleas from Zelensky for tanks and fighter aircraft.
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