UKRAINIAN troops are to be trained in Britain on the use of new long-range missiles donated by the government while thousands of Ukrainian refugees are still being refused entry, campaigners have warned.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said today that Britain will send an unspecified number of M270 launchers, which can fire precision-guided rockets up to 50 miles, a longer range than any missile technology currently in use in the war.

He said Ukrainian troops will be trained in Britain to use the equipment.

The Ministry of Defence said the decision to provide the launchers was closely co-ordinated with the US government.

The Stop the War Coalition said that the provision of new missiles “will only result in prolonging the war in Ukraine and furthering the misery of its people.”

Deputy president Andrew Murray said: “Yet again the British government is escalating tensions and prolonging conflict by sending arms to Ukraine.

“It is risking a wider and still worse conflict.

“It should change course and start pushing for a ceasefire and peace talks.”

The ease with which Britain can provide missiles for Ukraine and invite Ukrainian soldiers to Britain to be trained is in sharp contrast to Britain’s treatment of refugees fleeing the conflict.

Among European countries Britain is second only to France in taking in the lowest number of refugees per head of population.

Less than half the 144,000 Ukrainian refugees who have got through the Britain’s complex visa application process successfully have been allowed into Britain.

Thousands more are still stranded waiting for visas.

Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon said: “We are deeply concerned by the many stories we are hearing from people in Ukraine and surrounding areas desperately trying to apply for a visa to come here who are often waiting a long time to receive permission to travel.

“They urgently need to find safety in the UK and face unnecessary hurdle after hurdle in doing so.

“Responding to what is clearly a serious humanitarian crisis by offering only visa routes was doomed to fail. It amounts to putting paperwork and bureaucracy before people who have no choice but to leave their homes.

“Tragically, examples like these are the dreadful but inevitable consequence of that approach.”