UK Defence Secretary John Healey visited the Ukrainian capital on Friday, witnessing first-hand the aftermath of a devastating overnight Russian attack that killed at least one person in a residential area of eastern Kyiv. His visit coincided with a major British announcement of new funding to prepare for a potential military deployment to Ukraine.
UK Commits Funds for Potential Deployment
The British government has allocated £200 million to fund preparations for the possible future deployment of troops to Ukraine. The announcement was made by Defence Secretary John Healey during his trip to Kyiv.
Healey stated the money would be used for upgrading vehicles, communication systems, and counter-drone protection, ensuring British forces are ready to deploy if required. This follows a declaration of intent agreed earlier in the week by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a summit of allied nations.
"We are surging investment into our preparations for Ukraine," Healey said, underscoring the UK's commitment to bolstering Ukraine's defence capabilities and readiness.
Massive Russian Barrage and Hypersonic Missile Warning
Healey's visit came just hours after Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults in months. Ukrainian officials reported that on Friday, Russia fired a total of 242 drones and 36 missiles at targets across the country.
In a significant escalation, the attack included the use of a new Oreshnik hypersonic missile, only the second time this weapon has been used in the nearly four-year conflict. The missile struck western Ukraine, in what analysts see as a clear warning signal to Kyiv's NATO allies.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated the country would initiate international action, including calling for an urgent UN Security Council meeting, in response to the missile's deployment. He called the strike, which landed close to the EU and NATO border, "a grave threat to security on the European continent."
President Zelenskyy warned that the medium-range ballistic strike presented the same challenge for neighbouring capitals like Warsaw, Bucharest, and Budapest, urging all to take the threat equally seriously.
Civilian Toll and International Condemnation
The overnight bombardment inflicted severe damage on civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. Ukrainian officials confirmed that four people were killed and at least 25 wounded in the capital alone. Among the dead was an emergency medical aid worker.
The attack damaged 20 residential buildings and, notably, struck the Qatari embassy compound. Qatar expressed deep regret over the incident, though no embassy staff were harmed. Russia denied targeting the diplomatic mission, instead claiming it was hit by a Ukrainian air defence missile.
The assault also caused mass heating outages in Kyiv, with mayor Vitali Klitschko stating nearly 6,000 apartment buildings were left without heat amid sub-zero temperatures. Water supplies were also disrupted, prompting calls for some residents to temporarily leave the city.
International condemnation was swift. The leaders of Britain, France, and Germany denounced the attack as "escalatory and unacceptable." EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated the hypersonic missile launch was "meant as a warning to Europe and to the US," adding that "Putin doesn't want peace." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also strongly condemned the strikes on civilian infrastructure.
In a separate maritime incident, Ukraine reported that Russia had hit two cargo ships in the Black Sea off its southern coast, killing a Syrian crew member on board one vessel.
