UK accelerates £200m funding for Ukraine deployment, with air defence support stepped up
Some £200m of funding has been given to the Armed Forces to help them prepare to deploy as a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, should a deal be agreed between Kyiv and Moscow.
The Multinational Force for Ukraine (MNFU), as the Government calls it, will see thousands of UK and French troops sent to Ukraine to reinforce long-term security guarantees.
News of the funding was announced by Defence Secretary John Healey during a visit to Kyiv.
Healey meets Zelensky and Shmyhal
The announcement comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said military hubs would be created across Ukraine once peace has been secured.
"As we approach the fifth year of Putin's full-scale invasion, the Ukrainians continue to fight with huge courage – civilians and military alike," said Mr Healey.
"We are surging investment into our preparations following the Prime Minister's announcement this week, ensuring that Britain's Armed Forces are ready to deploy and lead the Multinational Force for Ukraine, because a secure Ukraine means a secure UK.
"As we look towards a potential peace deal, we continue to step up for Ukraine in the fight today – strengthening its air defences while backing British industry, jobs and innovation at home."
The investment, funded from the core defence budget, will be used to upgrade vehicles, communications systems, new counter-drone protection and additional force-protection equipment, ensuring that troops are ready to deploy if required.
Mr Healey discussed further details of the military plans for the MNFU with Mr Zelensky and Ukrainian defence minister Denys Shmyhal as he travelled to Ukraine with the most senior UK general within the MNFU's headquarters, which is already operational in the French capital.
Octopus interceptors begin production
During the talks, he confirmed that the production of the British-built Octopus interceptor drones would begin this month, improving Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian drone attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure.
This announcement followed the news that Russia fired an Oreshnik hypersonic missile into western Ukraine during attacks overnight, which was only the second time it has been used in combat.
The Octopus interceptors, which were developed by Ukrainian engineers and refined by British industry, use frontline battlefield data to defeat Shahed-style drones before they hit targets such as homes, hospitals and power stations.
The uncrewed aerial vehicles are cheap, quick to produce and designed for mass manufacture.
London is aiming to make thousands of Octopus drones per month and send them to Ukraine to defend the country from Russian drone attacks.
Each interceptor costs less than 10% of the drone it is designed to destroy, and the design is updated every six weeks to stay one step ahead of the Kremlin's tactics.
The UK is still delivering kit to Ukraine as Armed Forces Minister Al Carns confirmed the UK had sent 13 Raven air defence systems and two prototype Gravehawk air defence systems to help Kyiv defend against Russian drones and missile attacks.
Mr Carns went on to say that the first batch of the other 15 Gravehawk systems will be moved to Ukraine "shortly" as Kyiv tries to protect its key infrastructure.
The UK will spend £600m on air defence for Ukraine this year as part of £4.5bn military support.
Under the UK-Ukraine 100-year partnership, live battlefield data feeds into UK production lines, allowing rapid upgrades and faster delivery of equipment and kit to the frontline.
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