UK to allocate about $155m for maritime coalition for Ukraine

The United Kingdom will allocate an additional £120 million (about US$155 million) to support the Maritime Capability Coalition. 

The UK is allocating an additional £120 million for the Maritime Capability Coalition for Ukraine and is also looking for partners to co-finance the supply of "hundreds" more maritime drones and surveillance radar systems to protect the Ukrainian grain corridor. 

As noted, the new funding is being allocated against the backdrop of intensified Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure in the Black Sea. 

In addition, it is reported that the UK and Norway are jointly seeking about US$130 million to co-finance the coalition. 

Ukraine has already received dozens of all-terrain amphibious vehicles and raiding vessels, hundreds of anti-ship missiles, and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition as part of the maritime coalition.

In turn, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Russia's attacks in the Black Sea threaten global food security. 

In December 2023, the UK and Norway officially announced the creation of the Maritime Capability Coalition, which will be tasked with strengthening Ukraine's naval capabilities.

Over the past three months, Russia has conducted nearly 60 attacks on ports, civilian ships and grain storage facilities in Ukraine. As a result, almost 300 port infrastructure facilities, 177 vehicles and 22 civilian vessels have been damaged or destroyed.

In particular, Russian forces launched a missile attack on the port infrastructure of Odesa Oblast on the evening of 9 October. Reports indicated that a Panama-flagged civilian vessel has been damaged.

The European Union has responded to the increase in Russian strikes on civilian ships transporting Ukrainian grain by urging the countries concerned to press Moscow into stopping these actions.