UK to allocate £120 million to strengthen the Maritime Capability Coalition

23 October, 2024 Flags of Ukraine and Great Britain. Photo from open sources The UK is donating an additional GBP120 million toward the Maritime Capability Coalition.

This was reported on the British government's website. The additional funding is related to Russia's frequent attacks on Ukraine's port infrastructure and attempts to block the grain corridor aimed at exporting Ukrainian grain. According to the British government, between October 5th and 14th, 2024, at least four merchant vessels, while loading and unloading cargo, have been struck by Russian munitions.

Ukrainian Sea Baby naval drones.

2023. Frame from SSU video

The additional funding will be used to purchase maritime drones (aerial and uncrewed boats), as well as relevant radar equipment, including coastal surveillance radars. The Maritime Capability Coalition, chaired by the United Kingdom and Norway, is currently seeking an additional GBP100 million to implement more than a hundred different projects aimed at ensuring safe shipping.

"Russia has no respect for the norms and laws that govern our international system. Not only was their illegal invasion a blatant attack on the principles of the UN Charter, but the way they have executed their war in Ukraine shows no respect for human life, or the consequences of their invasion across the world," Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated. According to the UK Ministry of Defense, Ukraine has received over a hundred anti-ship missiles, landing craft, and other equipment to strengthen its coastal defense.

The Harpoon anti-ship missile launch from the land-based launcher.

Photos from open sources

As part of the assistance, the United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with a loan of GBP2.26 billion to purchase the necessary weapons. The new GBP2.26 billion is the UK's contribution to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans to Ukraine scheme, in which £50 billion from G7 countries will be delivered to Ukraine for its military, budget, and reconstruction needs. The loan will be repaid using the extraordinary profits on immobilized Russian sovereign assets.

This loan can be used both to purchase weapons from the United Kingdom and to order from other countries that are not subject to sanctions.