UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited Kyiv on August 24, his first overseas trip as prime minister.
The visit coincided with Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day and included talks on continued British support.
Burnham announced that Britain would provide Ukraine with blueprints for producing long-range Storm Shadow missiles.
Defence company MBDA has been authorised to declassify specifications for UK-made components used in the Anglo-French missile.
The move could help Ukraine and France advance plans for domestic assembly of the weapons in Ukraine.
Britain has previously supplied completed Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.
Burnham also launched Project Brakestop to accelerate the development of affordable long-range strike weapons for Ukraine.
Russia strongly criticised the decision. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Britain of supporting Kyiv and “adding fuel to the fire.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov separately warned Britain of possible consequences over Ukraine’s use of UK-made drones.
During his visit to Kyiv, Burnham laid a wreath at Ukraine’s national military cemetery and attended Independence Day ceremonies.
He was also scheduled to chair a meeting of the 34-nation “coalition of the willing.”
The group is focused on supporting Ukraine’s security arrangements in the event of a future truce with Russia.
