Britain announced that it will provide more than 10,000 drones to Ukraine to aid in its fight against Russia’s invasion. The government is investing 125 million pounds ($160 million) in cutting-edge drones, bringing the total drone package to 325 million pounds ($416 million). The drones will include first-person view drones, one-way attack drones, surveillance drones, and maritime drones. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps made the announcement during his visit to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian officials.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Britain has committed over 7 billion pounds ($8.9 billion) in military support to Ukraine and has trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops. In May last year, Britain became the first country to provide longer-range weapons to Ukraine, including air-launched Storm Shadow missiles. Ukrainian troops have successfully used drones in the conflict to destroy and damage Russian equipment and vehicles.
Despite recent battlefield gains, Kyiv is facing shortages of manpower and weapons in the conflict with Russia. The ongoing support from Britain will help bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities and contribute to its efforts in repelling the invasion.
