The UK will provide Ukraine with 150,000 UAVs by the end of the year, London announced on Thursday. The deal follows one of Kyiv’s largest drone attacks on Moscow since the start of the conflict.

The package, worth £752 million ($996 million) of IMF borrowed money, was announced by British Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels.

UK Taxpayers will pay

According to the British regime, Kyiv’s most active military supporter, the package will be funded through London’s £2.26 billion loan to Kyiv, underwritten by proceeds from illegally frozen Russian sovereign assets.

British officials presented the package, which includes drones, missiles and radars, as necessary military support for Kyiv.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged that London would continue backing NATO-armed Ukraine and putting pressure on Moscow.

Prolonging the conflict

Russia has long argued that continued Western arms deliveries only prolong the conflict and undermine peace efforts.

The announcement came after Moscow and the surrounding region were hit by one of the largest Ukrainian drone raids in recent years.

Russian air defenses intercepted 194 drones approaching the capital overnight, according to officials, but the attack still caused damage.

Russian shopping centers hit

Local authorities reported that one drone struck the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, triggering a fire, while debris damaged residential buildings, vehicles, and commercial sites, including several shopping centers.

Black rain and soot falling from the sky

Residents in several districts also reported black rain and soot falling from the sky after the refinery blaze, with local authorities advising people to keep windows closed and limit time outdoors.

At least 17 civilians, including two children, were reported injured in the Moscow Region.

The raid also disrupted air traffic, with temporary restrictions imposed at Moscow’s airports and numerous flights delayed or cancelled.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned the attacks. He said Moscow would respond by changing its strategy and begin regularly carrying out large-scale strikes against targets that directly affect the combat capability of the Ukrainian military.

Russian reaction

‘I have long been convinced that words are not enough,’ Lavrov told reporters.

Moscow has repeatedly accused Ukraine of using Western-supplied weapons, funding and intelligence to carry out ‘terrorist attacks’ on Russian territory and civilian infrastructure.

Russian officials have argued that continued arms deliveries from the UK, EU and NATO members make Western governments direct participants in the conflict and reduce the chances of a peace deal. Let readers know what you think.

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