UK to supply more than 10,000 drones to Ukraine

The UK will supply more than 10,000 drones to Ukraine during 2024, Defense Minister Grant Shapps said during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, the UK government press service reports.

"Britain steps up support to Ukraine today with a complete package of GBP325 million for cutting-edge drones to help fight Putin’s illegal invasion. The investment, which will deliver more than 10,000 drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces will harness the UK’s world-leading defence industries to deliver advanced new drone capabilities to Ukraine throughout 2024," the report says, according to Interfax.

"The now GBP325 million overall funding commitment will deliver over 10,000 uncrewed platforms – the majority of which are first-person view (FPV) drones, 1,000 one-way attack drones which have been researched and developed in the UK, as well as surveillance and maritime drones," it reads.

"I am ramping up our commitment to arm Ukraine with cutting-edge new drones coming directly from the UK’s world-leading defence industries – straight from the factory floor to the frontline. I encourage international partners to join the UK in this effort," Grant Shapps said.

"Ukraine’s Armed Forces are using UK-donated weapons to unprecedented effect, to help lay waste to nearly 30% of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet," he added.

"These drones have proven highly effective on the battlefield since Russia’s full-scale invasion, providing situational awareness to target enemy positions and armoured vehicles. Ukrainian forces have also used these drones effectively to strike at the heart of Russia’s Navy. With more than GBP100 million of this package being spent on maritime capabilities, Ukraine will continue to turn the tide in the Black Sea," the report says.

Following a meeting of the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group last month, which convenes more than 50 countries in providing military support to Ukraine, the Defense Secretary announced that the UK would co-lead an international capability coalition with Latvia to bolster Ukraine’s drone capabilities.