UK sending more military equipment to Ukraine

The UK is sending additional defensive equipment to Ukraine as the country wrestles with the possibility of a Russian invasion.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the kit includes body armour, helmets and combat boots and that the first shipments arrived in Kyiv this week.

Russia denies plans to conduct an offensive across the border with Ukraine but has amassed more than 100,000 troops nearby over recent months – opposed to NATO expansion, including its neighbour states.

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The UK has joined international efforts to bolster its military presence around Eastern Europe, but Mr Wallace insists the latest delivery would be a "purely defensive capability and pose no threat to Russia".

"This package, requested by the Ukrainians, complements the training and capabilities that Ukraine already has and those that are also being provided by the UK and other allies in Europe and the United States," he said in a written statement to MPs.

About 100 British troops are in Ukraine – sharing key medical and infantry skills with thousands of students, including volunteers, on Operation Orbital.

Mr Wallace added: "We unequivocally support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we will continue to support them through diplomacy and by providing defensive capabilities to Ukraine, focusing on areas where the Ukrainians seek our assistance."

The UK has already been providing Ukraine with defensive light anti-armour weapons, plus training from British troops.