Andy Burnham arrives in Kyiv for first foreign visit as he hands over top secret Storm Shadow missile plans

Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv for his first foreign visit today – as he hands over top secret missile plans.

The PM is in the Ukraine capital for the country’s independence day after travelling overnight by train.

He is announcing that European defence firm MBDA has been given permission to share information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile – the French-produced version of the UK’s Storm Shadow.

The ‘deep precision strike’ missiles use shared French and British technology, and could now be produced in Ukraine.

Mr Burnham will take part in independence day celebrations and accept an award recognising the UK’s support.

It follows the Kremlin warning of ‘consequences’ over UK drones being used by Ukraine to strike far into Russia.

Moscow said the deeper Britain became involved, ‘the higher price it will pay’.

Mr Burnham said: ‘On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, its people should be in no doubt: The UK is behind you.

‘In the fight and the rebuilding to come, we stand with Ukraine. Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down till there is a lasting peace.’

But Russia said relations with Britain are at ‘an unprecedentedly low level’ as it ordered its ambassador Andrey Kelin back to Moscow after seven years in post.

Mr Kelin has accused the UK of choosing ‘a path of confrontation’ with Russia.