UK accelerates £10m of £45m anti-drone missiles for Ukraine winter
The UK is speeding up £10m of a £45m missile package announced on Wednesday to cover Ukraine's most urgent winter requirements, as part of an existing £1.6bn pledge of anti-drone missiles to Ukraine.
UK accelerates £10m of £45m anti-drone missiles for Ukraine winter
Winter package brought forward
Of the £45m package of missiles announced on Wednesday, £10m will be accelerated to meet Ukraine's most urgent winter requirements. The delivery sits within a larger commitment: the UK has already pledged £1.6 billion to supply more than 5,000 Lightweight Multirole Missiles to Ukraine over the next four years.
- £45m missile package announced on Wednesday, with £10m brought forward
- £1.6bn already committed for more than 5,000 LMMs over four years
What the missiles are for
The Lightweight Multirole Missiles have proven effective against jet-powered Russian drones striking beyond the front lines, including Kyiv. According to No 10, the new Russian drones are faster and can fly far higher than propeller-driven Shaheds, making them harder to detect and destroy.
Burnham's statement
In an overnight statement, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said backing Ukraine keeps Britain safe and equips those on the frontlines to push back Russia. He said the UK would go further and faster in its support.
"Russia's aggression cannot be allowed to succeed on our continent."
Burnham's statement came as Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, arrives in London.
A busy day in Westminster
The prime minister's day is crowded: he faces Kemi Badenoch at PMQs at noon, then hosts Zelenskyy at No 10 later in the afternoon.
- 10.30am: Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson's former chief adviser, gives evidence to the Lords constitution committee on constitutional safeguards
- Noon: Burnham against Badenoch at PMQs
- After 12.30pm: MPs debate a Tory opposition day motion opposing placing asylum seekers in a military camp near Piddington
- 3pm: Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh gives evidence to the Commons energy committee
The visit follows a turbulent backdrop: former PM Keir Starmer had said he was proud of embracing Zelenskyy outside No 10 only 24 hours after President Trump humiliated him in the Oval Office, and Trump called for Zelenskyy to be replaced at the weekend before the meeting.
