Britain’s new prime minister Rishi Sunak made his first visit to Kyiv on Saturday, pledging to continue the firm support for Ukraine that was a focus of his predecessors, and providing a new air defence package to help shoot down Russian drones.
"Britain knows what it means to fight for freedom," Sunak said on Twitter. "We are with you all the way."
Sunak said in a statement that Britain would provide a new £50 million (€57.4 million) package that includes anti-aircraft guns and technology such as radar to counter drone attacks. Britain also said it would increase the training it provides to Ukraine’s armed forces.
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"While Ukraine's armed forces succeed in pushing back Russian forces on the ground, civilians are being brutally bombarded from the air," Sunak said in his statement.
"We are today providing new air defence, including anti-aircraft guns, radar and anti-drone equipment, and stepping up humanitarian support for the cold, hard winter ahead."
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted a video on Saturday of the two meeting in Kyiv, and he welcomed the continued support from London.
"With friends like you by our side, we are confident in our victory. Both of our nations know what it means to stand up for freedom," Zelenskiy tweeted.
Sunak, a former finance minister, took office last month following the short-lived premiership of Liz Truss. She and her predecessor Boris Johnson had both made public support for Ukraine an important part of their agenda, a pledge that Sunak has maintained.
Russia has increasingly targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure with long range attacks since last month, including using what Kyiv says are Iranian-made drones, for which Ukraine has sought air defences.
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On Saturday, Ukrainian’s energy ministry said electricity supplies are under control there is no need to panic. Separately, the head of DTEK, the country’s largest private energy company, said there was no need for people to leave Ukraine.
Russian missile strikes have crippled almost half of Ukraine’s energy system and Kyiv authorities said on Friday that a complete shutdown of the capital’s power grid was possible.
“Denying the panicky statements spread by social networks and online media, we assure you that the situation with the energy supply is difficult, but under control,” the energy ministry said in a statement.
Authorities across the country have scheduled blackouts to help the repair effort, it said, urging families to cut their energy consumption by at least 25 per cent.
Ukraine’s national grid operator Ukrenergo said while planned blackouts will take place in all regions on Sunday, it does not envisage unexpected emergency shutdowns of electricity.
“We continue to work to return the light to Ukrainians,” the company said in a statement late on Saturday on the Telegram messaging app.
“It is difficult, sometimes longer than we expected, but we find solutions.”
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Zelenskiy accused Russia last month of trying to destabilise the country by forcing millions to flee westwards, creating a refugee crisis for the European Union.
DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko said the armed forces, the energy industry and individual Ukrainians were working miracles to maintain supplies.
“That is why there is no need to leave Ukraine today,” a company statement cited him as saying.
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Zelenskiy said on Saturday the supply problems were worst in and around Kyiv as well as in six other regions.
“We are working throughout the country to stabilise the situation,” he said in a video address. – Reuters