The UK and Latvia will transfer thousands of drones to Ukraine as co-leaders of a large international coalition.

"I am proud to announce that the United Kingdom and Latvia will lead an international coalition to develop vital drones for Ukraine. Together, we will provide Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to defend itself and win this war to ensure that Putin is defeated in his illegal and barbaric ambitions," Grant Shapps, UK Defence Minister, said.

Shapps announced on Thursday that the UK and Latvia will lead a grand coalition to provide Ukraine with unmanned aerial vehicles.

As a coalition member, the UK will increase and streamline the provision of FPV drones to Ukraine by the West. These UAVs have proven to be highly effective on the battlefield, providing operators with situational awareness to defeat enemy positions, armoured vehicles and ships.

This project will be launched using a £200 million drone package, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in January of this year. 

As part of this package, the UK will order thousands of FPV drones for Ukraine, including from UK manufacturers, which will give an impetus to the development of the industry and contribute to achieving the prime minister's priority task of economic growth, the government said.

"The UK continues to do all we can to give Ukraine what it needs – upping our aid to £2.5 billion this year and committing £200 million to manufacture drones, making us Ukraine’s largest drone supplier," said Shapps.

Earlier in an interview with European Pravda, Martin Harris, UK ambassador to Kyiv, said that drones for Ukraine, for which the UK will allocate £200 million, will be produced on the territory of both countries.