By Ayo Akinfe
I am gobsmacked that all these trips to London by our presidential candidates have not led to one of them requesting the same kind of military aid Ukraine is getting to help Nigeria eliminate terrorism
[1] In total, the UK provided £2.3bn of military aid to Ukraine in 2022 and the government has committed to sustain the same level of funding in 2023
[2] The UK has supplied Ukraine with 14 top-of-the range Challenger tanks. They cost about $2m each
[3] In addition, the UK has donated more than 1,000 Vallonn metal detectors and 100 bomb de-arming kits to Ukraine to help clear minefields and make safe reclaimed territory, civilian homes and infrastructure
[4] Also, the UK was the first country in Europe to send military aid to Ukraine, sending thousands of NLAW anti-tank missiles early in 2022
[5] In addition, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) has flown over 240 flights to move thousands of tonnes of military aid from the UK and international partners, ranging from sophisticated missiles to clothing to support troops through the harsh winter
[6] In addition to providing equipment, UK armed forces have trained thousands of personnel from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). Specialist training has also been conducted on equipment donated to Ukraine. In total, more than 11,000 AFU personnel were trained in the UK in 2022.
[7] Helping to defend against attacks from the air, the UK has supplied Ukraine with Stormer vehicles and thousands of anti-air missiles including Starsteak and Advanced Medium Range Anti-Air Missiles
[8] Visiting Kyiv in November, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a new air defence package including 125 anti-aircraft guns as well as radars and anti-drone technology
[9] On the ground, Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems have allowed the AFU to strike targets with precision from up to 80km away, helping to push back Russian forces and counter their use of long-range artillery
[10] Britain’s Ministry of Defence has also supplied dozens of M109 155mm self-propelled guns and L119 105mm light guns, along with over 100,000 rounds of artillery ammunition and millions of rounds of small arms ammunition
