UK Government: 30,000 new drones for Ukraine in boost to European security
30,000 drones will be sent to Ukraine after £45 million worth of contracts were placed by the international Drone Capability Coalition, co-led by the United Kingdom and Latvia as the UK steps up leadership supporting Ukraine in 2025.
This initiative represents one of the largest single transfers of drone technology to Ukraine’s armed forces and signals a strategic shift toward providing tools that can effectively counter Russian air defenses while minimizing risks to Ukrainian personnel. The coalition’s investment, part of a broader £1.3 billion international fund, has a particular focus on sophisticated, cost-effective warfare solutions.
As can be evidenced from the official government website of the UK, Defense Secretary John Healey announced this milestone alongside Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group held at Ramstein Air Base on Thursday 9 January.
The Drone Capability Coalition supports Ukraine with uncrewed surveillance and attack capabilities. Funding for the new 30,000 drones comes from UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, Latvia and Sweden.
”These state-of-the-art, first-person view drones will help Ukraine fight against Russian aggression, allowing Ukraine’s Armed Forces to maneuver past Russian air defenses to target enemy positions and armored vehicles,” the statement reads.
Today’s announcement follows the UK’s £7.5 million investment for the Drone Capability Coalition’s Common Fund, set out in November 2024, and brings the UK’s total investment in the fund to £15 million to date. So far, the fund has raised around £73 million from the UK and partners.
In addition, the Defense Secretary confirmed that the UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine now stands at over £1.3 billion, of which the UK has contributed £500 million.
He also outlined the Ministry of Defense’s plan for Ukraine’s Defense in 2025 to more than 50 allies and partners gathered for the meeting. John Healey discussed the plan with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in Kyiv in December 2024.
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