UK to send Ukraine 150,000 drones, air defense systems using proceeds from frozen Russian assets
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The U.K. will provide Ukraine with 150,000 drones and more than 350 air defense missiles and radar systems under a new military aid package worth 752 million pounds ($1 billion), the British government announced on June 18.
The package, unveiled during the NATO defense ministers' meeting and Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) gathering in Brussels, will be financed through the U.K.'s 2.26 billion-pound ($3 billion) Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loan to Ukraine, backed by proceeds generated from immobilized Russian assets.
The assistance includes Ukrainian-produced drones to be delivered by the end of 2026, as well as Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) and ground-based radar systems aimed at strengthening Ukraine's air defenses against Russia's continued missile and drone attacks.
British Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis announced the package after meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels on the sidelines of the NATO defense ministers' meeting and the UDCG, which brings together nearly 50 countries coordinating military support for Ukraine.
"This package of drones, air defense missiles and radars will help to protect innocent Ukrainian people from Putin's barrage of drones and missiles," Jarvis said.
Zelensky said additional Patriot systems and anti-ballistic capabilities would be among Kyiv's top priorities at the NATO defense ministers' meeting amid Russia's ongoing large-scale aerial attacks on Ukraine.
The military aid package follows a series of measures announced by London earlier this week, including 210 million pounds ($282 million) in export finance support for Ukraine's nuclear energy sector and 70 new sanctions targeting Russia's shadow fleet, military procurement networks, and illicit financial schemes.
The British government also announced that it would assume command of the Multinational Force for Ukraine Headquarters (MNF-U), which coordinates international support for Kyiv and helps prepare for the long-term regeneration of Ukraine's Armed Forces in the event of a future peace agreement. Major General Tom Bateman is set to take command of the multinational mission in July.
