UK To Send Helicopters To Ukraine For First Time Since War

The United Kingdom will send helicopters to Ukraine for the first time since Russia's invasion, the British defence ministry announced on Wednesday.

Ten Ukrainian service personnel and engineers participated in a six-week training programme in the United Kingdom as part of the "first helicopter capability donated to Ukraine," according to the ministry.

The UK will also supply an additional 10,000 artillery rounds in addition to the three former British military Sea King helicopters, the first of which has already arrived.

"Our commitment to Ukraine is unwavering. These additional artillery rounds will assist Ukraine in securing the territory it has reclaimed from Russia in recent weeks," said Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

During a weekend visit to Kyiv, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a new USD 59 million packages of defence aid, including 125 anti-aircraft guns and equipment to counter Iranian-supplied drones.

Britain is also supplying the Ukrainian armed forces with cold-weather winter gear.

Ukrainian troops face freezing temperatures as they fight to evict Russian forces from occupied Ukrainian territory.

Wallace made the announcement while in Norway for a meeting of the Northern Group of defence ministers aboard the UK aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The 12-member Northern Group is a UK initiative to promote northern European defence and security cooperation.

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden are also members.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was a staunch ally of Ukraine, visiting the country three times and providing military hardware, funding and training resources.