Russia-Ukraine war –UK pledges to send thousands of drones to Kyiv as Sunak visits Zelensky

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Russia-Ukraine war – live: UK pledges to send thousands of drones to Kyiv as Sunak visits Zelensky
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The UK has pledged to send the highest number of military drones of any country to Ukraine as Rishi Sunak makes a surprise visit to Kyiv.

The government announced on Friday that Britain would be increasing its support for Ukraine’s fight against Putin to £2.5 billion next financial year - an increase of £200 million.

The move geared towards helping Ukraine purchase new military drones including surveillance, long-range and sea drones.

Britain said it would provide the largest delivery of drones to Ukraine from any nation, with most of them expected to be manufactured in Britain.

“The Ministry of Defence will work with international partners to significantly scale up the number of drones provided for Ukraine’s defence,” the government statement said.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, Mr Sunak said the package was an “investment” in world security.

He said: “Ukraine is not alone, and Ukraine will never be alone. Putin might think that he can outlast us but he is wrong. We stand with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.”

Key Points

  • Russian missiles hit hotel in Ukraine’s Kharkiv injuring 13, says regional governor

  • Exhausted Russian troops accidentally ‘hit own territories’, claims British MoD

  • Ukraine now ‘test site’ for North Korean missiles shipped to Russia, warns South Korea

  • Nine people injured in attack on Kharkiv

  • Russian missile attacks kill at least four people

Sunak ‘proud’ to sign new security agreement

16:30 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak said he was “proud” to sign a new security agreement with Ukraine, as he spoke at a press conference in Kyiv.

He said: “This is the first in a series of new bilateral security assurances promised to Ukraine by 30 countries at last year’s (Nato) Vilnius Summit.

“And it says that if Russia ever invades Ukraine again, the UK will come to your aid with swift and sustained security assurance.”

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has described the security agreement as “unprecedented”, adding that it will remain in place until Ukraine joins Nato.

The agreement came after G7 countries agreed at last year’s Nato summit to provide Ukraine with bilateral security assurances.

It sets out intelligence sharing, cyber security, medical and military training that Britain will provide.

 (PA)
(PA)

Ukraine needs more attack aircraft for war effort, commander says

15:41 , Athena Stavrou

Ukraine’s ground forces commander has said that Kyiv is in need of more military aircrafts for it’s war effort to be successful.

Speaking to Reuters, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi said the country needed aircrafts such as U.S. A-10 attack jets to support infantry and planes that could fire long-range cruise missiles.

“I would talk about A-10s as an option if they’ll be given to us ... this is not a new machine, but a reliable one that has proven itself in many wars, and which has a wide array of weapons for destroying land targets to help the infantry,” said the 58-year-old, wearing combat fatigues.

The commander also commented on Ukraine’s major counteroffensive it conducted last summer, which failed to achieve a major breakthrough.

Moscow’s forces are now back on the offensive in some parts of the east, where Syrskyi said fighting remained fierce.

“This is active defence when we are not just sitting on the defensive but constantly counterattacking, and in some directions switching to the offensive,” he said. “And the enemy knows this.”

 (REUTERS)
(REUTERS)

Ukraine package ‘investment’ in world security, says Sunak

15:01 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak has insisted that the UK’s new aid package for Ukraine is an “investment” in the world’s security.

Britain has announced a £2.5 billion aid package for Ukraine in the next financial year - an increase of £200 million

Speaking at a joint press conference with president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Mr Sunak said: “Ukraine is not alone, and Ukraine will never be alone. Putin might think that he can outlast us but he is wrong. We stand with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.”

He added: “Your quest for freedom has inspired and moved the British people and for the free nations of the world, aid to Ukraine is also an investment in our own collective security.”

 (AP)
(AP)

Sunak makes strong statements at Kyiv press conference

14:46 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak said if the UK wavered in its support of Ukraine it would embolden Vladimir Putin and “his allies in North Korea, Iran and elsewhere”.

Giving a press conference alongside Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, the Prime Minister said “our opponents around the world believe that we have neither the patience nor the resources for long wars”.

He said: “Ukraine is not alone, and Ukraine will never be alone. Putin might think that he can outlast us but he is wrong. We stand with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.

“Because this war is about Ukraine’s right to defend itself and to determine your own future and the Ukrainian people’s historic choice to be an independent democracy at the heart of Europe.

“Your quest for freedom has inspired and moved the British people and for the free nations of the world, aid to Ukraine is also an investment in our own collective security.

“Because if Putin wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there, and our opponents around the world believe that we have neither the patience nor resources for long wars. So waver now and we emboldened not just Putin, but his allies in North Korea, Iran and elsewhere.

“That’s why the United Kingdom and the free world will continue to stand with Ukraine, as we have since the very beginning of this war.”

 (REUTERS)
(REUTERS)

Zelensky gives Sunak the Ukrainian order of freedom

14:44 , Adam Forrest

Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded Rishi Sunak the Ukrainian order of freedom – recognising his “outstanding personal contribution” into strengthening co-operation between the countries and the “territorial integrity” of the ally.

The Ukrainian president thanked the PM for “your personal leadership” and said the UK’s new security agreement “lays the groundwork for our further work with our other partners”.

Mr Sunak said he was “proud” to sign a new security agreement with Ukraine – worth £2.5bn over the next year – as he spoke at a press conference in Kyiv.

The Tory leader said the new pact will last “100 years or more”. He said the pact promises that if Russia ever invades Ukraine again “the UK will come to your aid with swift and sustained security assurance”.

 (PA)
(PA)

Ukraine and Britain sign security agreement

13:53 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky have signed a UK-Ukraine Agreement on Security Cooperation during the British prime minister’s surprise trip to Kyiv.

The agreement came after G7 countries agreed at last year’s Nato summit to provide Ukraine with bilateral security assurances.

Zelensky described it as an “unprecedented security agreement”. Local media cited Zelensky as saying the agreement would remain in effect until Ukraine joined NATO.

The two leaders are expected to host a joint press conference shortly.

 (PA Wire)
(PA Wire)

What is the UK’s new aid package for?

13:36 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak has made a surprise visit to Ukraine today after announcing the government’s £2.5 billion military aid package for the coming year.

Number 10 said that the £2.5 billion in funding would cover long-range missiles, air defence, artillery ammunition and maritime security.

Around £200 million will also be spent on a push to procure and produce thousands of military drones, which the Government said was the largest delivery of drones to Ukraine from any nation.

Downing Street also said that additional funding to fortify Ukraine’s energy infrastructure against further Russian attacks will also be given, as well as an additional £18 million to deliver humanitarian aid on the front line.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government announced that, with help from the UK, it will promote the English language in Ukraine to boost ties.

Russia's Medvedev says any UK troop deployment to Ukraine would be a declaration of war

12:57 , Athena Stavrou

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warned on Friday that Moscow would regard any move by Britain to deploy a military contingent to Ukraine as a declaration of war against Russia.

The deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and Putin’s close ally made the comments in response to Rishi Sunak’s surprise visit to Kyiv on Friday.

“And I also hope that our archenemies, the impudent British understand that officially stationing their troops in Ukraine would mean declaration of war against our country,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter

Medvedev also appeared to pose a hypothetical situation where Kyiv could be targetted by Russia during the British prime minister’s visit, writing: “What would Western public say, if the British representatives happened to be bombarded with cluster ammunition in the centre of Kiev, just as was the case with our innocent civilians in Belgorod?”

Sunak says new aid package will send strong signal that ‘Putin needs to recognise'

12:31 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak has said the new aid package announced for Ukraine will send a “strong signal of support” for Ukraine that “Putin needs to recognise”.

Speaking from Kyiv, where he has gone on a surprise visit to on Friday, the prime minister said the new commitment of £2.5 billion demonstrates the “seriousness of the situation”.

“We are one of Ukraine’s most significant supporters, particularly when it comes to providing military aid,” he said.

“[The aid is] more than we’ve provided in previous years which represents the seriousness of the situation here and our determination to stand with Ukraine and that’s why I’m here on my first foreign visit of this year the first foreign leader to visit Ukraine this year.

“I want to send a strong signal of support to the Ukrainian people but also a strong signal of support that Vladimir Putin needs to recoginise we’re not going anywhere. I’m here with one clear message - the United Kingdom stands with Ukraine.”

 (Sky News)
(Sky News)

Sunak to hold press conference with Zelensky

12:04 , Adam Forrest

Rishi Sunak will hold a joint press conference with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at lunchtime.

The PM is also expected to make a speech early this afternoon during his surprise visit to the country.

Mr Sunak has announced an extra £2.5bn in military aid for the country in its fight against Russia.

The Tory leader posted a message on X, formerly Twitter, saying he was there to deliver a message: “Our support cannot and will not falter. To all Ukrainians, Britain is with you – for as long as it takes.”

Grant Shapps says package proves ‘unwavering support'

11:48 , Athena Stavrou

Grant Shapps said the UK has proved its “unwavering” support of Ukraine’s fightback against Russia as the Government announced it will provide £2.5 billion in military aid to the country over the coming year.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Defence Secretary said: “We said our support would be unwavering and today we’ve proved it.

“Putin hoped the West would be distracted by events in the Middle East but today we’ve taken the critical step to increase our military support to Ukraine, to get them more of what they need to win.”

Rishi Sunak arrives in Kyiv

11:09 , Athena Stavrou

The prime minister has arrived in Ukraine’s capital for his surprise visit on Friday morning.

Rishi Sunak will meet president Volodymyr Zelensky to announce a major new package of military aid to Ukraine. Mr Sunak was also pictured meeting Ukrainian emergency service staff upon his arrival in Kyiv.

 (PA)
(PA)
 (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
(Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
 (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
(Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

Moscow calls US plan to confiscate Russian assets ‘21st century piracy’

10:52 , Athena Stavrou

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday called a US plan to confiscate up to $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine “21st century piracy” and said Moscow would retaliate harshly if it happened.

A Bloomberg report published on Wednesday said that US President Joe Biden’s administration was backing legislation that would allow it to seize some frozen Russian assets in order to help rebuild Ukraine, parts of which lie in ruins after Moscow sent its army into its neighbour in February 2022.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who accused Washington of trying to strong-arm the European union into signing up to the same asset confiscation plan, said Moscow would respond harshly if its assets were stolen.

“Theft of state, private and public property has become a trademark of the Anglo-Saxons,” Zakharova told a news briefing.

“Washington (and) London have been doing it for decades. Before that it was called piracy, but then it was legalised. Now it is the piracy of the 21st century in my opinion.”

“Retaliatory measures will be taken and they will be such that they will be seen and felt. They will be painful,” she said.

Lone survivor of Russian onslaught on Ukraine zoo rehomed to Scotland

10:15 , Athena Stavrou

A black bear who survived starvation and Russian missiles in an abandoned Ukrainian zoo has been settling into his new home in Scotland.

Yampil, named after the village he was found in, was one of the last surviving animals at the zoo abandoned ahead of the onslaught of the Russian invasion.

The Asiatic black bear was transported to the Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder, West Lothian arriving early on Friday morning.

Read the full report here:

Black bear with PTSD only survivor of Russian onslaught on Ukraine zoo

James Heappey questions on UK’s funding plans for Ukraine

09:50 , Athena Stavrou

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey was questioned about why the UK had not offered a multi-year funding commitment for Ukraine.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There is £2.5 billion that effectively is the funding for tactical activity in this next year, follows £2.3 billion last year and the £2.3 billion the year before.

“These capability coalitions, there are a number of them led by different countries, but the ones that the UK are leading is principally in the maritime domain.

“They are exactly the multi-year capability development programmes that give the Ukrainians that certainty around the development of their capabilities over the arc of a decade, and equally importantly, give (Vladimir) Putin the certainty that there is no loss in patience and commitment from their (Ukraine’s) Western supporters.”

 (PA)
(PA)

Pictures: Sunak on his way to meet Zelensky

09:27 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak has been pictured on a train travelling through Ukraine on his way to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky.

His surprise visit comes after announcing a major new package of £2.5 billion in military aid to the country over the coming year.

 (PA)
(PA)
 (PA)
(PA)

Labour backs UK government funding more Ukraine

09:25 , Athena Stavrou

Shadow defence secretary John Healey has given Labour’s backing for the new funding for Ukraine.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “The UK is united in support of Ukraine and against Russian aggression.

“Labour fully backs this new military funding for Ukraine – and has been pushing ministers since the autumn to confirm 2024 military funding.

“This is vital support for Kyiv’s fight against (Vladimir) Putin’s illegal invasion.

“There may be a change in government to Labour this year, but there will be no change in Britain’s resolve to stand with Ukraine, confront Russian aggression and pursue Putin for his war crimes”

What will the UK’s funding be spent on?

08:59 , Athena Stavrou

The UK has announced it will provide £2.5 billion in military aid to the country over the coming year.

Number 10 said that the £2.5 billion in funding would cover long-range missiles, air defence, artillery ammunition and maritime security, with the support an increase of £200 million on the last two years.

Around £200 million will also be spent on a push to procure and produce thousands of military drones, which the Government said was the largest delivery of drones to Ukraine from any nation - most of which are expected to be manufactured in the UK.

Rishi Sunak makes surprise visit to Ukraine

08:39 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak is making a surprise visit to Ukraine to meet Volodymyr Zelensky, as the UK announced it will provide £2.5 billion in military aid to the country over the coming year.

The Ukraine visit comes as the Mr Zelensky pushes allies in the West to give his country more support to fight back against Russian forces, amid fears interest in the war is flagging.

The PM and Mr Zelensky will use the one-day visit to sign a new UK-Ukraine Agreement on Security Cooperation, after G7 countries agreed at last year’s Nato summit to sign bilateral security assurances with the country.

It comes just hours after the prime minister authorised strikes against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen, as Britain joined the US in Red Sea military action.

 (PA Wire)
(PA Wire)

Former Russian president warns of nuclear response if Kyiv hit missile launch sites

08:20 , Athena Stavrou

A senior ally of President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that any Ukrainian attacks on missile launch sites inside Russia with arms supplied by the United States and its allies would risk a nuclear response from Moscow.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said that some Ukrainian military commanders were considering hitting missile launch sites inside Russia with Western-supplied long-range missiles.

He did not name the commanders or disclose more details of the alleged plan and there was no immediate reaction from Ukraine to his threat.

“What does this mean? It means only one thing – they risk running into the action of paragraph 19 of the fundamentals of Russia’s state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence,” Medvedev wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

“This should be remembered,” Medvedev said.

Paragraph nineteen of Russia’s 2020 nuclear doctrine sets out the conditions under which a Russian president would consider using a nuclear weapon. Medvedev made specific mention of point “g” of paragraph nineteen which deals with the nuclear response to a conventional weapons attack.

 (EPA)
(EPA)

Davos 2024: Ukraine to hold fourth peace formula talks on Sunday

Thursday 11 January 2024 16:00 , Tara Cobham

Ukraine and Switzerland will host around 120 national security advisors on Sunday in the Swiss resort town of Davos, Switzerland's foreign affairs department said, the latest in a series of meetings to rally support for Ukraine's peace plan.

The meeting, taking place in the run up to the World Economic Forum which begins the following day, is the fourth of its kind and the biggest yet, following previous gatherings in Copenhagen, Jeddah and most recently in Malta in October.

Officials had hoped the meeting in Malta would lead to the setting of a date for a global peace summit to build a coalition of support for Ukraine's 10-point peace plan, drafted by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in December 2022.

However, co-chairs limited themselves at the time to a joint statement referring to the participants' commitment to just and lasting peace.

A top Kyiv official told Reuters in November that a summit to begin implementing the plan "might" take place in February 2024, with Ukraine fearing the war in Gaza is making it harder to win over diplomatic support for its blueprint for peace.

Zelenskiy's plan includes calls for the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops, protection of food and energy supplies, nuclear safety and the release of all prisoners.

The peace formula talks do not involve Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has occupied nearly a fifth of the country. Russia has rejected the peace "formula", saying it would be impossible to implement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the opening plenary session by videolink during the 51st annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland in 2022 (Laurent Gillieron /Keystone via AP, File)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the opening plenary session by videolink during the 51st annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland in 2022 (Laurent Gillieron /Keystone via AP, File)

Russia's Medvedev warns of nuclear response if Ukraine hits missile launch sites

Thursday 11 January 2024 15:34 , Tara Cobham

A senior ally of President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that any Ukrainian attacks on missile launch sites inside Russia with arms supplied by the United States and its allies would risk a nuclear response from Moscow.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said that some Ukrainian military commanders were considering hitting missile launch sites inside Russia with Western-supplied long-range missiles.

He did not name the commanders or disclose more details of the alleged plan and there was no immediate reaction from Ukraine to his threat.

"What does this mean? It means only one thing, they risk running into the action of paragraph 19 of the fundamentals of Russia's state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence," Medvedev wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "This should be remembered.”

Paragraph nineteen of Russia's 2020 nuclear doctrine sets out the conditions under which a Russian president would consider using a nuclear weapon: broadly as a response to an attack using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or to the use of conventional weapons against Russia "when the very existence of the state is put under threat."

Medvedev made specific mention of point "g" of paragraph nineteen, which deals with the nuclear response to a conventional weapons attack.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council (Sputnik)
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council (Sputnik)

Russian oil executive who fled to UK took his own life after assets frozen over war in Ukraine

Thursday 11 January 2024 14:30 , Tara Cobham

A Russian oil executive who fled to the UK and claimed political asylum has died by suicide after some of his assets were frozen over the war in Ukraine, The Independent can reveal.

Mikhail Anatolyevich Trushin, 61, worked for Yukos oil company, which was worth nearly $40bn at its peak in the early 2000s, but was effectively renationalised by Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Trushin was among a group of Yukos executives who fled Russia in 2004 after the chief executive, and prominent Russian dissident, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, was thrown in jail.

Holly Bancroft reports:

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