UK Allocates $155 Million to Ukraine’s Naval Coalition

The United Kingdom announced an additional $155 million (£120 million) in funding for Ukraine’s naval coalition, reported the British government on October 22.

This new aid package comes in response to Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea port infrastructure.

Over the past three months, Russian forces launched nearly 60 strikes on Ukrainian ports, targeting civilian ships and grain storage facilities in the south of the country. The attacks injured 79 people, including port workers, logistics staff, and ship crews, driving up insurance costs for vessels operating in the area.

Recent strikes have significantly delayed the departure of ships carrying vital supplies, including the MV SHUI SPIRIT, which was transporting vegetable oil intended for the World Food Programme in Palestine.

Russian attacks have also impacted ships loaded with grain for Egypt, corn shipments bound for China, and World Food Programme deliveries to southern Africa.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that “Russia’s indiscriminate strikes on ports in the Black Sea shows that Putin is willing to gamble on global food security in his attempts to force Ukraine into submission.”

“In doing so, he is harming millions of vulnerable people across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, to try and gain the upper hand in his barbaric war,” Starmer added.

In addition to financial aid, the UK is seeking partners to co-finance the delivery of “hundreds” of maritime drones and surveillance radars aimed at protecting Ukraine’s grain export corridor.

The UK, in collaboration with Norway, is also working to secure around $130 million to further fund the naval coalition.

So far, Ukraine has received a range of military equipment through this coalition, including amphibious all-terrain vehicles, patrol boats, hundreds of anti-ship missiles, and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Earlier, Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack on Odesa, killing one person and injuring 8.