{"id":14454,"date":"2026-04-14T23:29:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T23:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/14454\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T23:29:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T23:29:24","slug":"britains-120000-drone-deal-with-ukraine-boosts-volodymyr-zelenskys-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/14454\/","title":{"rendered":"Britain&#8217;s 120,000-drone deal with Ukraine boosts Volodymyr Zelensky&#8217;s fight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Defence chiefs have signed off a massive new killer drone deal for the Ukraine frontline to help Volodymyr Zelensky&#8217;s troops fight back the Kremlin advance<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Kyiv's defence chiefs show off their Sting interceptor drone\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1_Russia-Ukraine-War-26100249466664.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Ukrainer Sting interceptor drone on display in Kyiv \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Ukrainer Sting interceptor drone on display in Kyiv (Image: AP)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Britain has signed the biggest-ever <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/ukraine-fighting-back-despite-record-36965730\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">drone<\/a> package for Ukraine to help push back <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/vladimir-putin\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Vladimir Putin<\/a>\u2019s troops in time for the summer <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/nato-uk-armed-forces-war-37011047\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">fighting season.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It means a staggering 120,000 drones, including those for over-land surveillance, maritime strike operations and intelligence gathering will be sent to <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/ukraine\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/russia\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Russia<\/a> has often been losing at least 1,000 troops-a -day in brutal frontline fighting and this year for the first time <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/putin-hungary-election-ukraine-plot-36985476\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">the Kremlin<\/a> has not been able to keep up with recruitment. It means that for every soldier killed or injured in fighting, often by drone strike, the Kremlin has not always been able to replace him with <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/desperate-putins-troop-call-up-34980888\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">battle reinforcements.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_Exercise-Strike-Warrior.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>OPINION<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/chris-hughes.png\" alt=\"Author avatar\"\/>Chris HughesREAD MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37002809\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/putins-troops-execute-four-ukrainian-37002809\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Putin&#8217;s troops &#8216;execute four Ukrainian POWs&#8217; as Kyiv accuses Russia of breaking truce 2,300 times<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"UK Defence chief John Healey\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2_Defense-Secretary-John-Healey-Gives-A-Statement-On-UK-Operational-Activity.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Defence Secretary John Healey\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Defence Secretary John Healey(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">At the same time it marks a significant investment fortune being spent on British companies, boosting growth and helping increase defence jobs in the UK. The announcement comes as the Defence Secretary John Healey co-chairs a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Berlin.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The MoD said: \u201cThe new package, the largest of its kind ever supplied by the UK, will include thousands of long-range strike drones, intelligence and reconnaissance drones, logistics drones and maritime capabilities, which are all battle-proven on Ukraine\u2019s frontline. Deliveries of these new drones to Ukraine have already started this month.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Odesa under Russian attack again\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_Russias-savage-attack-on-Odesa-4-east2west-news.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Devastating Russian attack on Odesa\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Devastating Russian attack on Odesa(Image: Odesa OVA\/e2w)<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_Exercise-Strike-Warrior.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>OPINION<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/chris-hughes.png\" alt=\"Author avatar\"\/>Chris HughesREAD MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36989166\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/trump-iran-ceasefire-israel-36989166\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Israeli spies persuaded Donald Trump to ignore US intelligence and go to war<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u2018Drones are proving critical to both Ukrainian counterattacks across the frontline over the past months, as well as their defence against continued Russian attacks. Approximately 6,500 one-way attack drones were launched by Russia against Ukraine in March 2026, a significant increase on February\u2019s total.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Healey travelled to Berlin to help head the 34th meeting of the 50-nation strong Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Berlin, alongside German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, Ukrainian Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Most of the investment will be spent with UK-based companies, including Tekever, Windracers and Malloy Aeronautics &#8211; creating new UK jobs whilst defending Ukraine\u2019s security and sovereignty.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Zelensky looks at German-Ukraine drones\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_German-Ukrainian-government-consultations-at-the-Federal-Chancellery-in-Berlin-Merz-and-Zelenskiy-.jpeg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Zelensky looks at German-Ukraine drones\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Zelensky looks at German-Ukraine drones(Image: Action Press\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The British drone sector is rapidly advancing, and supports both UK security and wider European deterrence, while driving skills and innovation in every region of the UK. Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIn the fifth year of Putin&#8217;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.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ukraine troops practise hunting down drones \" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_Russia-Ukraine-War-26078640407920.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Drone hunter intercepts drone duyring drills, Kyiv\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Drone hunter intercepts drone duyring drills, Kyiv(Image: AP)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cWith 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.&#8217; The new drone package is backed by the UK\u2019s wider \u00a33 billion military support for Ukraine this year, as well as ERA funding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Defence Secretary will also confirm that the UK will be providing hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds and thousands of air defence missiles for Ukraine this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Defence chiefs have signed off a massive new killer drone deal for the Ukraine frontline to help Volodymyr&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14455,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[13,4960,6652,4363,2016,5504,1226,1625],"class_list":{"0":"post-14454","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-britain","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-john-healey","10":"tag-mark-rutte","11":"tag-ministry-of-defence","12":"tag-nato","13":"tag-soldiers","14":"tag-surveillance","15":"tag-vladimir-putin"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116405663345122897","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14454"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14454\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}