The UK is providing record levels of assistance to Ukraine.

Ukraine is set to receive GBP3 billion per year in military aid from the UK until 2030/31 as part of a 100 Year Partnership Declaration agreement.

A new UK-designed mobile ground-based air defence system (GBAD) – Gravehawk – is also being sent to the country to bolster its security. 

These announcements came after UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited Kyiv on 16 January where he signed several agreements with Ukraine. 

Along with the financial assistance, other notable details in the 100-year agreement included: deepening cooperation on long-range strike capabilities, establishing a new Joint Innovation Taskforce to foster cooperation with defence and scientific/technological institutions and developing new cyber capabilities.

The UK also plans to support Ukraine’s armed forces by exploring options for deploying and maintaining defence infrastructure in Ukraine, such as military bases. This support will also notably include promoting the development of naval bases on the territory of Ukraine and exploring the possibility of joint operations between the two nations' navies.

Gravehawk

During that same week, a separate UK Government announcement revealed details about a new UK-designed Gravehawk GBAD system, which has been “rapidly built to meet the demands of the battlefield in Ukraine”.

Jointly funded by Denmank and the UK, the shipping container-sized system can “retrofit” air-to-air missiles, enabling it to use Ukrainian missiles, the announcement said.

Two prototypes were tested in Ukraine in September, and a further 15 will follow this year.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) declined to comment on Gravehawk to DSEI “at the request of the company" and “for operational security and commercial sensitivity reasons”.

Along with Gravehawk, “hundreds of air defence systems, drones, and essential equipment support to sustain Ukrainian forces on the frontline” will also be sent this year, the announcement added.

The MoD declined to comment on the equipment being provided to Ukraine for security reasons.