British Defense Minister: We have provided 85,000 drones to Ukraine.
According to the Standard website, Haley pointed out that the drones sent include tens of thousands of short-range models with first-person view (FPV) capabilities, emphasizing: This capability provides the operator with live images from the camera installed on the drone and has been used for reconnaissance operations, precision strikes, and disruption of the support lines of Russian forces.
The British Defense Minister also referred to Russia’s widespread drone attacks on vital Ukrainian infrastructure and added: At today’s meeting of the “Ukraine Defense Contact Group’ in Brussels, I will remind Western defense ministers that they must increase the production of military drones to counter the escalation of tensions by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Haley noted: Putin’s dangerous escalation of actions in Ukraine and across Europe must be responded to by increasing drone production and strengthening the air defense systems of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members.
According to the Standard website, Russia launched about 5,500 suicide drones into Ukraine in September, a significant increase from 4,100 in August, and in the first half of October, more than 2,400 Russian drones attacked Ukraine’s vital infrastructure, including its gas storage and production facilities.
Britain and Ukraine signed an agreement last month for technological cooperation in the design and production of interceptor drones, the aim of which is to help Ukraine counter Russian air attacks.
According to IRNA, Denis Shmyhal had previously announced that London would provide Kyiv with 1.7 billion pounds ($2.3 billion) in aid to strengthen its air defense systems against Russian attacks.
In a message on his Telegram account, the Ukrainian Prime Minister announced that the government had agreed to receive this aid, and that the aid would be used to purchase air defense systems and light and multipurpose missiles.
Shmyhal said, “The purchase of this equipment will significantly increase the capabilities of Ukraine’s air defense and its ability to counter enemy attacks.”
He also referred to British drone aid and said, “Britain also notified us this month of an unprecedented package of aid in the field of drones. The amount spent on this weapons package is 350 million pounds ($474 million and 100 thousand), which will allow Ukraine to receive 100,000 drones by the end of this year.”
Britain is one of Ukraine’s key allies in the war with Russia, which is trying to keep the war hot in the absence of the United States to prevent the re-expansion of Russian influence in Eastern Europe.