Ukraine will gain access to technical blueprints for the long-range Scalp missile after the UK agreed to declassify information on domestic components, the government says. The transfer, cleared for defence firm MBDA, is part of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s first foreign trip, a visit aimed at deepening military cooperation and underlining London’s commitment as Kyiv marks 35 years of independence.
Burnham met Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, and will chair the first meeting of the "coalition of the willing", the grouping created by the UK and France under his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer. He is scheduled to accept an award on behalf of the British people that recognises UK support for Ukraine and to take part in independence day events, a senior UK delegation said.
The missile technical package concerns the Scalp, the French equivalent of the UK’s Storm Shadow. The weapon weighs 1,300kg, measures 5.10m in length, and is capable of striking roughly 150 miles into Russia. MBDA says the system is designed for pre-planned, stationary targets, can operate day and night in all weather, and uses advanced navigation systems. It notes Scalp is in service with the Royal Air Force, the French Air Force and the Italian Air Force, and has been used in Iraq, Syria and Libya.
Burnham framed the visit as a direct message of support. "On Ukraine's 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes," he said. "I am proud of the contribution our country has made to Ukraine and I want the Ukrainian people to hear it directly from me that our support will not waver. After all, Ukraine's security is our security." He added that the friendship between the UK and Ukraine would "long outlast Russia's illegal war."
Defence Secretary Luke Pollard told BBC Breakfast the blueprint sharing would help Ukraine "defend against this illegal invasion that's now killed so many people." He said the UK will continue supplying air defence assets and counter-drone systems while acknowledging Kyiv needs a wider mix of weapons.
The announcement comes amid an intensified campaign of long-range strikes by Kyiv against Russian infrastructure, which Kyiv says has targeted oil refineries and warehouses belonging to Wildberries. Russia has repeatedly warned of repercussions, saying Britain risks "consequences" after reports Ukraine used British drones in recent strikes. The Russian embassy in London accused Britain of "deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis", warning that "the deeper its involvement in the conflict... the higher the price it will pay".
Kyiv is also pressing allies for more Patriot interceptors, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday, requesting 360 such missiles and indicating talks are ongoing. Ukraine has relied on US Patriot supplies, which officials say are strained by the wider regional demand linked to the war in Iran.
Violence continued as Burnham prepared to travel, with a recent Russian strike on a shopping centre killing at least 16 people, local authorities reporting. Overnight exchanges included civilian casualties from drone debris inside Russia and attacks on warehouses used by online retailers Ozon and Wildberries. Russia has confirmed its ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, has left his post in recent weeks, though Moscow says that does not signal an intent to downgrade diplomatic relations.
Burnham’s trip cements the UK’s role as a supplier and political backer, and sets the stage for the coalition of willing partners to coordinate further military and diplomatic responses. With missile technical data now cleared for release, the visit will test whether deeper weapons cooperation deters further Russian strikes or intensifies diplomatic confrontation.
