Voice of London

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took a surprise visit to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday, pledging a £50m air defence package for Ukraine.

During his first trip to the Ukrainian capital as Prime Minister, Mr Sunak promised another large-scale shipment, which would strengthen the country’s air defence. The £50m aid package includes 125 anti-aircraft guns, radars, and anti-drone technology to counter Iranian-supplied drones used by Russia.

The United Kingdom announced earlier this month that it would send 1,000 new anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine.

Mr Sunak said it was “deeply humbling” to visit Kyiv and promised that the UK would continue to stand by Ukraine. President Zelensky thanked the British Prime Minister for his help following the meeting, adding: “Since the first days of the war, Ukraine and the UK have been the strongest of allies”.

Russia launched several missile attacks against Ukraine this week, days after Russian troops withdrew from Kherson – the only regional capital they managed to seize since the beginning of the war. Kyiv was hit, but the country was bombed from Lviv in the west to Chernihiv in the north. As a result, almost half of Ukraine’s energy system was crippled, leaving millions without power.

Words: Andrea Rezman | Subbing: Anna Kamocsai