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Norway to allocate nearly $93 million to bolster Ukraine's air defenses

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Norway to allocate nearly $93 million to bolster Ukraine's air defenses
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) shakes hands with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store (L) during a press conference following their talks in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 24, 2023. (Sergei Chuzavkov/AFP via Getty Images)

Oslo will allocate 1 billion Norwegian kroner (around $93 million) to bolster Ukraine's air defense, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere announced on July 11 at the NATO summit in Washington, as reported by Reuters.

This announcement, came a day after Norway pledged to send six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

The Norwegian government will contribute these funds to the German-led Immediate Action for Air Defense initiative, launched in 2024, which aims to quickly enhance Ukraine's air defenses.

"The Ukrainians need more air defense to protect their population from Russian bombs and missiles," Stoere said. "The brutal attacks we have seen this past week highlight the urgent need for greater protection from Russian air attacks."

In cooperation with Germany, Norway will also donate a complete IRIS-T air defense battery to Ukraine this autumn, Stoere said.

Oslo had already allocated 4 billion Norwegian kroner (around $370 million) to fund air defense measures for Ukraine through 2024, according to Reuters.

Norway has recently ramped up efforts to increase defense production, both for domestic needs and to aid Ukraine. In late May, Oslo announced a new package of military aid for Kyiv worth around $190 million.

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Kateryna Hodunova

News Editor

Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

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