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UK to Send 350 ASRAAM Air Defense Missiles to Ukraine, Funded by Frozen Russian Assets
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
The United Kingdom will deliver 350 ASRAAM air-to-air missiles to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses, in a new aid package funded by proceeds from frozen Russian assets, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced during the NATO summit in The Hague, Politico reported on June 25.
The £70 million ($88 million) package will be financed using interest accrued on seized Russian funds, marking one of the first instances of directly channeling confiscated Russian assets into Ukraine’s defense.
“Russia, not Ukraine, should pay the price for Putin’s barbaric and illegal war, so it is only right we use the proceeds from seized Russian assets to ensure Ukraine has the air defense it needs,” Starmer said upon arriving in the Netherlands.
The prime minister reaffirmed the UK’s long-term support for Kyiv: “Our support will never waver.” He also reiterated his call for Russian leader Vladimir Putin to return to stalled peace negotiations.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the NATO summit shortly after holding meetings in London with both Starmer and King Charles III. Both British leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine during Zelenskyy’s visit.
British Defense Secretary John Healey echoed this message at the summit, warning that “it is in Putin’s interests” to see global attention shift toward escalating tensions in the Middle East. “It’s crucial that we continue to focus on Ukraine,” he said.
Speaking on a panel, Healey added that defending Ukraine remains a bipartisan priority in the UK and continues to enjoy strong public backing.
ASRAAM is a British short-range air-to-air guided missile manufactured by MBDA, equipped with an infrared charge-coupled device (CCD) homing head that generates an infrared image of the target.
The missile replaced the AIM-9 Sidewinder in the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom and Australia and was adopted by the Royal Air Force in 2002. The development of the missile took more than 25 years.
ASRAAM weighs 88 kg (194 lbs) and is capable of reaching a maximum speed of Mach 3. According to estimates, the missile has an effective range of up to 15 km (9.3 miles) when launched from the ground (25+ km (15.5 miles) when launched from an aircraft), and its 10 kg warhead can engage most air targets, both drones and combat aircraft.
These missiles are actively used in the Raven air defense system, provided to Ukraine by the UK. According to recent information, Ukraine has received at least eight units of the Raven short-range air defense system from the United Kingdom, with five more currently being prepared for delivery.
Designed to counter aerial threats such as Shahed-type drones, the system has conducted over 400 launches with a reported success rate of approximately 70%.
