London: The United Kingdom has delivered over 1,000 metal detectors and 100 bomb demining kits to Ukraine as a part of the latest military aid package in 2022, the country’s defense ministry said on Friday.
“The UK has donated more than 1,000 VALLON metal detectors and 100 bomb de-arming kits to Ukraine to help clear minefields and make safe reclaimed territory, civilian homes, and infrastructure,” the ministry said on the website.
According to the statement, it was the latest supply of support “that the UK has been providing Ukraine throughout 2022 and which will continue in 2023.”
The ministry recalled that London recently delivered over 1,000 air anti-air missiles and 125 anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine’s force.
The Royal Air Force has carried out over 240 flights to Ukraine to deliver “thousands of tonnes of military aid from the UK and international partners” in 2022, the statement read. The ministry also said it has trained more than 11,000 Ukrainian soldiers throughout 2022 and is planning to train up to 20,000 Ukrainian troops in 2023.
Last week, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that his government would continue to provide military support to Ukraine despite reports of audit of the UK assistance to Kiev. He also noted that it was important to strengthen military assistance to Ukraine, taking into account developments on the battlefield.
In mid-December, BBC reported that the prime minister had allegedly launched an examination of the necessity of military aid provided to Ukraine at this stage of the conflict, which, according to the media, may indicate an overly cautious stance in relation to the scale of support.
Since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, NATO members have been supplying Ukraine with various types of weapons, including air defense missiles, rocket systems, self-propelled artillery, and anti-aircraft guns.
In April, the Russian Foreign Ministry sent a note of protest to the NATO members, providing arms to Ukraine, saying it was undermining prospects for a future peace process and had a negative impact on the situation on the ground.
