Media: UK defence chief escapes close shave as missile strikes near Ukraine's Lviv

UK Defence Secretary John Healey narrowly avoided a potential missile strike near Lviv last week, highlighting the ongoing dangers faced by officials visiting Ukraine amid intensifying Russian attacks.

A source told The Sun that Healey had a “close shave” when an Oreshnik missile was fired on Thursday in tandem with a drone attack on Kyiv, which killed four people. Healey, travelling by train at the time, said the situation forced an emergency stop.

“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,” he said.

The visit came as Healey revealed details of Project Nightfall, a UK initiative to supply Ukraine with new long-range ballistic missiles capable of striking deep behind Russian lines. The missiles, each carrying a 200kg warhead with a 310-mile range, could reach targets as far as Moscow.

Healey described the missiles as part of a layered defence strategy: “You defend your cities by having layers of defence, and you partly defend by being able to attack.” British companies are being sought for the £9 million contract to design and deliver the first three missiles for test firings.

The Defence Secretary’s visit underscores the UK government’s commitment to maintaining military support for Ukraine, even as the Kremlin steps up missile and drone attacks.

He added that Western allies were preparing to deploy peacekeeping forces should a ceasefire with Moscow be reached, with UK and French troops ready to respond rapidly.

“We won’t stand for this and are determined to put leading-edge weapons into the hands of Ukrainians as they fight back,” Healey said, reflecting the urgency of the mission after his near-miss.

By Aghakazim Guliyev