UK to Send 120,000 Drones to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a briefing on drones on January 16, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine | File Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

The United Kingdom has announced a large-scale drone package for Ukraine, with plans to deliver at least 120,000 drones during 2026 as part of its ongoing military support.

The announcement was made as UK Defence Secretary John Healey travelled to Berlin to co-chair the 34th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group alongside German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the package includes long-range strike drones, intelligence and reconnaissance systems, logistics drones and maritime capabilities. Deliveries began earlier this month. The systems are intended to support Ukraine’s operations across the frontline, where drones have become a central feature of both offensive and defensive activity.

The UK cited a rise in Russian drone use, noting that approximately 6,500 one-way attack drones were launched against Ukraine in March 2026, compared with lower figures in February.

Most of the funding for the programme will be directed to UK-based companies, including Tekever, Windracers and Malloy Aeronautics. The government said this would support domestic industrial activity alongside military assistance.

In a statement, Healey said, “In the fifth year of Putin’s brutal war, the UK is stepping up further and providing the highest ever number of drones for Ukraine this year. This big boost of battle-proven drones will give Ukrainian forces the capability they need to defend their people and fight back against Russian aggression. With eyes on the Middle East in recent weeks, Putin wants us to be distracted, but Ukrainians continue to fight with huge courage and nothing will distract us from continuing to stand with them for as long as it takes to secure peace.”

The drone package forms part of the UK’s broader £3 billion military support plan for Ukraine this year. Additional commitments include artillery ammunition and air defence missiles.

The announcement follows earlier UK measures, including a £500 million air defence package and a bilateral defence partnership with Ukraine focused on countering the spread of low-cost military technologies.