UK sends £752m equipment loan to Ukraine as Russia continues air assault

The UK has agreed to send a second loan of £752m to Ukraine, which will be used to provide military equipment to Kyiv.

The funds will allow Ukraine to procure vital military equipment, include urgently needed air defence systems as Russia continues its air assault on Ukraine, with the city of Sumy being hit particularly hard.

The payment forms part of the UK's contribution to the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans for Ukraine scheme – a G7 commitment to collectively support Ukraine through a total of $50bn.

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The loan will be paid through the profits of sanctioned Russian sovereign assets in the EU.

As well as the financial support, the MOD is going to support Ukraine as it procures the equipment for a new "close fight" military aid package.

This will see cash for radar systems, anti-tank mines and hundreds of thousands of drones – worth more than £250m – using funding from the UK and Norway.

Defence Secretary John Healey said: "2025 is the critical year for Ukraine and this is the critical moment.

"This is the moment for our defence industries to step up, and they are; a moment for our militaries to step up, and they are; a moment for our governments to step up, and we are.

"This new tranche of funds is part of our £4.5bn of military support this year – more than ever before – and will be used to buy urgently needed air defence, artillery, and parts to help repair vehicles and equipment to get them back into the fight.

"We are stepping up support for Ukraine to deter Russian aggression and bolster Britain's national security as the foundation of our Plan for Change."

The loan forms part of a wider £2.26bn loan agreed between Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her Ukrainian counterpart, Serhiy Marchenko.

"The world is changing before our eyes, reshaped by global instability, including Russian aggression in Ukraine," she said.

"A strong Ukraine is vital to UK national security, and this second tranche of funding will help put them in the strongest possible position and contribute towards our collective security."