Britain will spend £200 million ($268 million) preparing its military for potential deployment to Ukraine following a ceasefire with Russia, Defence Secretary John Healey announced after a one-day visit to Kyiv on 9 January.
The funding will cover upgrades to vehicles and communications systems, counter-drone protection and other equipment, Healey told reporters. "We are surging investment into our preparations following the Prime Minister's announcement this week, ensuring that Britain's armed forces are ready to deploy, and lead, the Multinational Force Ukraine, because a secure Ukraine means a secure UK," he said.
The visit came days after Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to send troops to Ukraine as part of what he called a "reassurance force" organized by a "coalition of the willing." During his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Healey discussed plans for the Multinational Force Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said he was "grateful" for UK support, adding: "It is crucial that the framework for ending the war includes a clear response from the allies should Russian aggression be repeated."
The government has not disclosed the size of the western force or how many British personnel it expects to deploy. Media reports suggest the total force could amount to 15,000 troops, with Britain providing half, according to Independent. In the metting of the coalition of the willings on 7 January, Healey declined to provide details, saying it would "only make (Vladimir) Putin wiser."
Britain and France committed in a 6 January declaration to deploy troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement.
Healey also announced on 9 January that production of new Octopus drones for Ukraine will begin this month. The drones are designed to intercept other drones used by Russia to attack civilian targets. Britain aims to produce thousands per month, with each Octopus costing just 10% of the drones they are designed to intercept.
The announcement followed a massive Russian attack on 8 January involving more than 200 drones and 20 missiles targeting civilian infrastructure and energy facilities, according to British Defence Intelligence. The assault included an experimental hypersonic Oreshnik missile launched against Lviv in western Ukraine.
The Oreshnik, an intermediate-range ballistic missile, was fired from 1,000 miles away within Russian territory, Defence Intelligence reported. Production of such missiles was banned by the 1987 Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty between the US and Russia, but the treaty collapsed in 2019 amid repeated accusations of Russian non-compliance.
Defence Intelligence said Moscow likely has only a "handful" of Oreshnik missiles, which cost far more than other missiles used against Ukraine, adding the strike was "almost certainly intended as strategic messaging."
