Britain to send fighter jets...but it'll be too late

BRITAIN is making plans to give 10 Typhoon fighter jets to help Ukraine - but they are unlikely to be delivered in time for any major counter-offensive this year.

- Marco Giannangeli

It follows Rishi Sunak's decision last week to train Ukrainian pilots in Nato tactics and use Eurofighter Typhoon simulators.

Britain will also give 100 bunker-busting Storm Shadow cruise missiles - which will place Russia's crucial Kerch bridge in Crimea in the crosshairs once plus Sky more hi-tech Sabre defence systems.

Training Ukrainian air for pilots will be delivered by 29 Squadron, the RAF's Typhoon operational conversion unit at RAF Coningsby, and is expected to be "highly intensive".

But RAF sources said this does not commit Britain to give fighter jets. And one senior military who officer regularly briefs Ben Wallace outlined a clash between the Defence "cautious Secretary's approach" and that of Mr Sunak, who is keen to give Volodymyr Zelensky the airpower he wants.