Ukraine is expected to get nearly 1.7 billion pounds ($2.26 billion) from the U.K. to buy air defense systems and missiles, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on June 11, citng a decision by Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers.

The new funding will be used to buy Rapid Ranger air defense systems and Martlet lightweight multirole missiles, Shmyhal said, describing the deal as a "significant strengthening" of Ukraine's air defense capacity amid intensifying Russian air assaults.

Rapid Ranger is a mobile, laser-guided air defense system built for rapid deployment and effective against low-flying threats, including drones and helicopters. It is typically paired with the Martlet missile, which is designed for use against drones and light aircraft.

"This month, the U.K. also announced record aid for the supply of drones. We are talking about 350 million pounds ($473 million), which will allow 100,000 drones to be transferred to Ukraine this year," Shmyhal wrote on Telegram.  

The announcement follows Russia's June 10 aerial attack on Kyiv, one of the largest during the full-scale war. The night before, Ukrainian air defense shot down 479 Russian drones and missiles in a record air assault, according to the country's Air Force.

This year, the U.K. has allocated 4.5 billion pounds ($5.8 billion) for military assistance to Ukraine, marking its largest annual commitment so far.

London remains one of Kyiv's most steadfast military partners, providing long-range missiles, armored vehicles, training, and political support against Russian aggression.

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Kyiv and London signed an agreement to use $3 billion profits from frozen Russian assets under the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative to cover the needs of the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian defense industry, Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced on May 27.

The G7's ERA mechanism, totaling $50 billion, provides loans to Ukraine that will be repaid using future profits from frozen Russian assets.

The U.K. has pledged to lend Ukraine 2.26 billion pounds (around $3 billion) in three equal installments as part of the G7's ERA initiative. Ukraine received the first installment worth 752 million pounds ($970 million) on March 7.

The funds will be used to purchase foreign-made defense products, repair and maintain military equipment, implement joint projects with Ukrainian and international defense companies, and purchase other critical materials, including Ukrainian-made products, the statement read.

"Ukrainian enterprises have capacities worth $35 billion, but the lack of funds does not allow them to utilize them to the fullest," Deputy Strategic Industries Minister Davyd Aloian said.

"Therefore, attracting excess profits from frozen Russian assets will significantly boost the production and repair capacities of the Ukrainian defense industry."

Since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, G7 countries have frozen approximately $300 billion in Russian sovereign assets.

The ERA initiative, backed primarily by the U.S. and the EU, aims to use profits from these frozen assets to finance Ukraine's defense and reconstruction.

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