**UK Uses Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Ukraine’s Defense**
In a significant move, the United Kingdom has utilized interest generated from frozen Russian assets to purchase weapons for Ukraine. The funds were used to buy 350 air defense missiles worth £70 million ($87 million), according to a report by The Guardian on June 25.
This development marks the UK’s first direct use of Russia-linked funds to acquire weaponry for Kyiv. The purchase was made possible through Britain’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) scheme, which captures interest from frozen Russian central bank assets. The ERA scheme has been instrumental in providing financial support to Ukraine while avoiding any controversy surrounding the confiscation of Russian assets.
The air defense missiles were originally designed as air-to-air weapons but were converted by RAF engineers and MBDA UK in just three months to fire from ground-based systems. Five additional Raven launcher systems will accompany the missiles to Ukraine, bringing the total to 13. This package is part of Britain’s largest-ever annual military commitment to Ukraine of £4.5 billion ($5.6 billion), as announced by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
**Starmer: “Russia Should Pay the Price for Putin’s Barbaric War”**
Prime Minister Starmer emphasized that Russia, not Ukraine, should bear the costs of President Putin’s actions in Ukraine. He stated, “Russia, not Ukraine, should pay the price for Putin’s barbaric and illegal war.” This stance reflects the UK’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.
**Increased Military Support from Britain**
The package announced by Starmer is part of a larger effort by the UK to bolster Ukraine’s military capabilities. In March, the UK secured a £1.6 billion ($2.0 billion) deal for over 5,000 air defense missiles and invested £350 million ($436 million) in increasing drone deliveries tenfold. This support demonstrates Britain’s commitment to helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian attacks.
**Cooperation between the UK and Ukraine**
The announcement comes as Starmer and President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to work closely on military production between the two countries. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that Britain will finance Ukrainian-designed drones manufactured in the UK, further solidifying cooperation between the nations.
**Using Frozen Russian Assets for Good**
The use of frozen Russian assets to fund military support for Ukraine highlights a nuanced approach by Western countries to addressing the conflict. While European countries cannot fully confiscate these assets due to concerns about international law and financial stability, they can still utilize the generated interest to provide vital assistance to Ukraine.
As reported earlier, this interest has been used to back a $50 billion loan package for Ukraine. In June, Ukraine received another 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) from the EU as part of the G7 loan program backed by frozen Russian assets. This coordinated effort demonstrates the international community’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.
**Read More**
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