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UK Delivers $1B to Ukraine Defense Under ERA Initiative Using Frozen Russian Assets
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Ukraine has received the final installment of approximately $1 billion from the United Kingdom under the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration for Ukraine (ERA) initiative.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance on April 15, this final tranche is part of a broader financial mechanism designed to support Ukraine’s security and defense sectors.
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Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko expressed gratitude to the UK government for its steadfast and decisive support.
“I am grateful to the Government of the United Kingdom for their consistent and decisive support of Ukraine in countering Russian aggression during the fifth year of the full-scale war. The provided funding is earmarked and will be directed towards meeting the priority needs of the security and defense sector,” emphasized Marchenko.
This $1 billion tranche marks the third and final installment in the current financial arrangement, following two earlier disbursements totaling around $2.01 billion, received in March and April 2025.
According to the statement, the funding forms part of the G7's ERA initiative, a $50 billion financial support package for Ukraine. The loan will be repaid using future earnings derived from frozen Russian assets. The financial assistance is structured to be serviced over 30 years.
Furthermore, the United Kingdom has committed to providing its largest-ever drone package for Ukraine, with a pledge of at least 120,000 drones to be delivered this year, the UK Ministry of Defense announced on April 15.
This new package, set to include a range of systems such as long-range strike drones, intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities, logistics drones, and maritime systems, is hailed as battle-tested on Ukraine's frontline.
The announcement coincided with UK Defense Secretary John Healey’s visit to Berlin, where he co-chaired the 34th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, alongside German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“In the fifth year of Putin’s brutal war, the UK is stepping up further and providing the highest ever number of drones for Ukraine this year,” Healey remarked. He further emphasized that the expanded package would enhance Ukraine’s ability to defend civilians and “fight back against Russian aggression.”
During the same meeting, Healey emphasized that the military support from the international coalition is having a tangible impact on the situation at the front lines.
According to the report, Ukrainian forces marked a significant achievement in March by destroying a record 33,000 Russian drones. This surge in defensive success comes alongside a notable increase in Russian military casualties, which have risen by almost one-third in the past month.
Healey pointed out that for four months running, Russia has suffered more casualties than it can replenish through recruitment efforts. He credited these outcomes to the effectiveness of Ukraine’s military strategy and the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
“Ukrainian lives are being saved while Russian losses continue to rise. Last month, Ukrainian forces destroyed a record 33,000 Russian drones. In March, Russian casualties surged by nearly a third, and for four consecutive months, Russia has lost more soldiers than it can recruit,” the minister stated.
-6ef90ad1eb1c5b1c67bca60a60c6656b.jpg "Fire at the Tuapse oil refinery, Krasnodar region, Russia, April 16, 2026. (Source: Exilenova_plus)")
-79bf1312a25a2f47e0d5963f76fc43ea.jpeg "An Alta Ares ground control station set up in a snowy field in Estonia. (Source: Altra Ares)")
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
