DE&S has hosted a visit from Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister.

Volodymyr Havrylov visited the DE&S Headquarters at Abbey Wood, Bristol, to see first-hand the support the UK Ministry of Defence is sending to Ukraine.

The UK was the first European country to provide weapons to Ukraine and has so far provided over £2.3 billion worth of military aid, including hundreds of armoured vehicles, thousands of anti-tank weapons, and Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) which have been able to strike targets on the battlefield with pinpoint accuracy.

DE&S manages a vast range of complex projects and programmes to buy, support and supply vital equipment and services that the UK Armed Forces need to operate effectively. It is also responsible for procuring much of the UK military support being sent to Ukraine.

Andy Start, DE&S Chief Executive Officer, said:

“I’m immensely proud of the work the teams at DE&S have done to support our Ukrainian allies to date. This has been a huge team effort involving different parts of government, and companies right across our supply chain.”

Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey also joined a call with counterparts from the US-led Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG). The UDCG is made up of around 50 countries from around the world who discuss and pledge support for Ukraine in line with their requirements and needs.

Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey MP said:

“The Ukrainian people have no closer friend in their heroic fight than the United Kingdom. The military aid we have provided so far has made a real difference on the battlefield. My continued engagement with Volodymyr and with international partners through organisations like the Ukraine Defence Contact Group have allowed us to support Ukraine’s requirements for the coming winter and beyond.”

While in the UK, the Ukrainian Minister also visited the UK-led programme to train the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the UK, as well as discussions with UK industry partners.

It comes the week after the UK announced it was providing Ukraine with equipment to support its armed forces through harsh winter conditions, as well as 1,000 more surface-to-air missiles to counter threats to Ukrainian infrastructure.