BRITAIN is to build a powerful new ballistic missile for Ukraine to obliterate Russian targets deep behind enemy lines.
Nightfall rockets will carry 200kg warheads and have a range of 310 miles — enough to strike as far as Moscow from the battlefield.
They can be launched, in quick succession, from vehicles before Russia can respond.
British firms are being sought for the £9million contract to design, develop and deliver the first three missiles for test firings.
Defence Secretary John Healey revealed Project Nightfall to The Sun on Sunday.
He said: “You defend your cities by having layers of defence, and you partly defend by being able to attack.”
He spoke after coming dangerously close to a Kremlin rocket barrage.
A source said he had a “close shave” near Lviv in which an Oreshnik missile was fired on Thursday in tandem with a drone attack on Kyiv, which killed four.
Mr Healey, whose train had to make an emergency stop, said: “We were close enough to hear the air raid sirens.
“It was a serious moment and a stark reminder of the barrage of drones and missiles hitting Ukrainians in sub-zero conditions.
“We won’t stand for this and are determined to put leading edge weapons into the hands of Ukrainians as they fight back.”
Mr Healey ripped up his diary to visit the Kyiv attack site with us.
He said Western allies were determined to keep up the pressure on President Vladimir Putin to force him to negotiate.
Britain and France have agreed to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine should the country reach a ceasefire with Moscow, with the US policing the overall deal.
Mr Healey said soldiers will soon begin specialist training so they can be scrambled to Ukraine “within days” of such a deal.
But while stalemate persists, Putin has intensified his attacks to try to strengthen his hand.
Mr Healey said: “The fact 39 nations have signed up in public as part of the Coalition of the Willing — led by the UK with France — says to Putin: ‘You’ve got a large number of nations here with Ukraine long term’.”
He also announced that Britain would begin the manufacture of cutting-edge Octopus drones to intercept Russian missiles.
A JAVELIN TO PUTIN
A UKRAINIAN soldier launches a portable anti-tank missile during a training exercise.
The operator, from 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade, was using a third generation US-made Javelin.
It comes as footage shows a Russian Oreshnik missile hitting the Ukrainian city of Lviv on Thursday.
It was part of an onslaught by Vladimir Putin’s men that included 200 drones targeting capital Kyiv.
