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🇮🇹 Italy /Conflict & Security

UK PM visits Kyiv, pledges missile cooperation; drone debris kills children in Russia

From ANSA · () Italian

Translated from Italian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • British Prime Minister Burnham is visiting Kyiv for Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations and to announce defense cooperation.
  • The visit includes a meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" supporting Ukraine, with a focus on accelerating missile assembly.
  • Meanwhile, drone debris in Russia's Krasnodar reportedly killed two children and injured seven others after falling on a kindergarten.

British Prime Minister Burnham arrived in Kyiv on Ukraine's Independence Day, marking his first international trip since taking office. His visit underscores continued Western support for Ukraine, with a significant announcement expected regarding defense cooperation and the potential for accelerated production of long-range missiles.

Downing Street indicated that Burnham would announce the UK's agreement for defense company MBDA to share classified information on British components for the long-range "Scalp" missile. This missile is the French counterpart to the British "Storm Shadow," both based on shared Franco-British technology. The decision aims to enable French and Ukrainian partners to speed up the assembly of these missiles within Ukraine.

Burnham is also co-chairing his first meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" in Kyiv. This coalition comprises countries actively supporting Ukraine. The meeting is being held in a hybrid format, with some participants attending in person and others remotely. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin is expected to participate via video conference.

In this 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people must have no doubt: the United Kingdom stands with you today and will remain so for as long as it takes.

— BurnhamReaffirming UK support for Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv.

"In this 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people must have no doubt: the United Kingdom stands with you today and will remain so for as long as it takes," Burnham stated, reaffirming his "unwavering" support and calling for a "just and lasting peace."

Separately, reports emerged from Russia's Krasnodar region detailing casualties from falling drone debris. Media outlets cited local authorities stating that two children were killed and seven others injured when debris from downed Ukrainian drones struck a private kindergarten. The incident also caused a large fire at a nearby Ozon e-commerce warehouse, though no staff were harmed. This marks the third consecutive day Ozon has been targeted, following Ukraine's announcement of a broader campaign against Russian logistics infrastructure.

This decision "will allow the French and Ukrainians to accelerate the assembly of this missile in Ukraine."

— Downing StreetExplaining the implications of sharing classified missile component information.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ANSA in Italian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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