Vladimir Putin’s troops are being hit by Ukrainian armed drones as they lack electronic warfare kit to defend themselves, UK defence chiefs said on Friday.
Ukrainian forces stationed on the east bank of the Dnipro River have been using First Person View Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (FPV-UAVs) fitted with munitions to target Russian soldiers, the Ministry of Defence said. It has been reported that the vast majority of Moscow's military equipment in the area has been destroyed because Russia does not have sufficient defences.
"The FPV-UAVs are being used in conjunction with artillery to target Russian Forces’ vehicles, with a Russian military blogger estimating 90 per cent of Russian military equipment in the Krynky sector has been destroyed," the MoD said. "Russia’s inability to counter the FPV-UAVs is likely due to a shortage of Russian Electronic Warfare capability in the area."
It comes as Britain on Friday announced a package of military support that will significantly boost Ukraine’s drone warfare capability.
The Prime Minister made a surprise visit to Kyiv and said the UK would provide £2.5 billion in military aid for the fight against Russia over the coming year.
It will fund long-range missiles, air defence, artillery ammunition and maritime security. Some £200 million will be spent on a push to procure and produce thousands of military drones.
Rishi Sunak said the UK “will not falter” in its commitment to Ukraine ahead of his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian President is pressing allies in the West to provide the country with more support to fight back against Russian forces, amid fears that interest in the war is flagging almost two years after Putin launched his full-scale invasion of the country.
Attentions are also turning to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
The Prime Minister and Mr Zelensky will use the one-day visit to sign a new UK-Ukraine Agreement on Security Cooperation, after G7 countries agreed at last year's Nato summit to sign bilateral security assurances with the country.
Mr Sunak stressed the UK’s continued backing for Kyiv ahead of his meeting with Mr Zelensky, just hours after British and US forces launched strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Mr Sunak said: “For two years, Ukraine has fought with great courage to repel a brutal Russian invasion.
"They are still fighting, unfaltering in their determination to defend their country and defend the principles of freedom and democracy.
"I am here today with one message: the UK will also not falter. We will stand with Ukraine, in their darkest hours and in the better times to come.”
