Ukraine will get enough weapons to win the war – Ben Wallace

russia outnumbers Ukraine in artillery fire by 20 to 1 in some areas, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has stated, Sky News reports.

But he said allies are starting to give Ukraine the long-range artillery and rocket systems that will enable Ukrainian forces to win.

He predicted they would soon be able to make “significant progress in the east of the country”.

He said training Ukrainian troops on how to use these more complex heavy weapons was also key as part of this effort. Furthermore, he said it was not just about numbers, it was about the capability that a single western weapon system used properly could bring.

“In some areas they (russians) are out-numbered, certainly in artillery tubes – 20:1 in some pockets,” Ben Wallace said, speaking after a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels.

He added: “It is not just about a shopping list. You have the ingredients – the cookbook to make it into a meal and we can help with that.”

Asked by Sky News whether he thought the allies were giving Ukraine enough weapons to be able to win the war, Wallace said: “Yes I do. I think the Ukrainians have and will have in the next few weeks the capabilities in their hands to make significant progress in the east of the country or indeed to defend the likes of places like Odesa.”

The UK has purchased and refurbished more than 20 long range guns – M109s – from a Belgian arms company which it is sending to Ukraine, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has informed. The heavy weapons fire 155-mm rounds.

He also revealed that “tens if not hundreds” of anti-ship missiles are starting to flow into the country to help Ukraine defend against warships.

“I think you're going to see the direction of travel will be much more hostile for Russian forces. It is going to be harder for them to do that what want to do. The next big question is: Can the Ukrainians then push them back or push them out of the country and only time will tell.”