Today in Parliament, I asked the Veterans Minister, Leo Docherty about the Government's continuing commitment to support the Ukrainian Army.
I was pleased to hear that the Government will continue to support the Ukrainian Army and people. To date the MOD have provided more than 5,000 anti-tank missiles, five air defence systems with more than 100 missiles, 1,360 anti-structure munitions, 4.5 tonnes of plastic explosive, high-tech loitering munitions for precision strikes, and 120 armoured vehicles. On 3 May, in a speech to the Ukrainian Parliament, the Prime Minister announced a further £300 million support package, including counter-battery radars, heavy lift drones, and thousands of night vision devices.
The MOD has also supplied significant quantities of non-lethal aid and, to date, has sent more than 90,000 ration packs, more than 10 pallets of medical equipment, more than 3,000 pieces of body armour, nearly 77,000 helmets, 3,000 pairs of boots and much more, including communications equipment and ear defence.
Since the illegal Russian annexation of Crimea in 2015, the UK has trained over 22,000 Ukrainian military personnel in a range of skills to help defend the territorial integrity of their country, including infantry, medical, logistics and counter-IED skills as part of Operation Orbital.
At the request of the Ukrainian Government, the UK was the first European country to start sending lethal aid to Ukraine, and the Defence Secretary has played a key role in convening the donation and delivery of military aid from other nations.
The Prime Minister has said that nothing is off the table when it comes to the UK's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and indeed the desire of its people to live in peace, democracy and free from foreign bullying.
Putin must fail. I am assured that the UK Government, standing alongside our friends in Ukraine and allies around the world, using all possible means at its disposal, is urgently engaged in ensuring he does.
