LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is set to increase its expenditure on drones for Ukraine by 125 million pounds ($160 million), pushing the total number of drones provided to over 10,000, announced the government on Thursday during Defence Secretary Grant Shapps’ visit to Kyiv.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
The support from Britain comes at a critical juncture for Ukraine in the ongoing two-year conflict. While essential U.S. military aid has come to a halt, Russia’s military offensive appears to be gaining momentum after capturing the city of Avdiivka last month, marking its largest territorial acquisition since May 2023.
Drones have become a significant asset in the war due to their cost-effectiveness and ability to carry out surveillance or target adversaries with precision. Both Ukraine and Russia are vying for technological superiority in this aspect of warfare.
KEY QUOTES
“I am elevating our commitment to equip Ukraine with state-of-the-art drones sourced directly from the UK’s leading defence industries – straight from production to the frontlines. I urge international partners to join the UK in this endeavor,” stated Shapps during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
BY THE NUMBERS
Britain has announced an extension of its drone package to 325 million pounds from the initial 200 million pounds declared in January.
The package encompasses numerous first-person view drones, 1,000 one-way attack drones that were researched and developed in Britain, as well as surveillance and maritime drones.
($1 = 0.7833 pounds)
(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar)
