Grant Shapps abandons Ukraine port visit over Russian missile threat

Grant Shapps was forced to abandon a visit to a Ukrainian port city after British intelligence warned of a credible missile threat from Russia.

officials told defense secretary Russia Already aware of his travel plans to Odessa, where a motorcade carrying Vladimir Zelensky and the Greek Prime Minister narrowly avoid air raid.

This message raises the threat level to Mr. Sharps’s The Sunday Times reported that the newspaper had access to the delegation and was the first to report that the plans had been abandoned.

Mr Shapps arrived in Kiev on March 7 on an overnight train from Poland, along with Chief of the Defense Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin and a small group of British officials.

But the planned trip to Odessa was canceled after new intelligence emerged that the Kremlin was aware of the incident.

“Putin has shown recklessness, callousness and carelessness,” Shapps told the Sunday Times, as he instead returned to the UK via Poland.

“The fact that he almost came close to assassinating two Western leaders, whether on purpose or by accident, is immaterial.

“What on earth is he doing? Why would the West allow him to do that?”

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According to Ukrainian authorities, the airstrike occurred on March 6, the day before Shaps arrived in Kiev, and missed Zelensky’s convoy, killing five people.

It is the senior Tory’s second visit to Ukraine as defense minister and his third since the war broke out in February 2022.

Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky’s enthusiasm for Kyiv in the West is waning.

European countries are struggling to find enough weapons and ammunition to send to Ukraine, while US aid worth $60bn (£47bn) has been stalled by political divisions in Washington.

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A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said: “On his recent visit to Ukraine, the Minister of Defense did not visit Odessa as planned for security reasons.

“The UK continues to provide strong support to Ukraine and the Defense Secretary’s visit and engagement will only underscore the importance of this support in the face of Putin’s aggression.”