UK increases humanitarian aid to Ukraine

By Muhammad Mussa

LONDON (AA) – The British government on Tuesday announced an increase in humanitarian supplies for war-torn Ukraine, including ambulances and fire engines.

The government will provide new ambulances and fire engines to Kyiv, as well as funds for UK charities working throughout Ukraine.

“We have all been appalled by the abhorrent images of hospitals deliberately targeted by Russia since the invasion began over two months ago,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement.

“The new ambulances, fire engines and funding for health experts announced today will better equip the Ukrainian people to deliver vital health care and save lives,” he added.

The UK will supply 22 new ambulances to Ukraine, in addition to those announced by NHS Trusts earlier this month. The ambulances, equipped with paramedic kits and grab bags, will leave for Kyiv in a few days.

Two convoys of over 40 fire engines packed with 300 fire hoses and up to 10,000 items of protective gear have already arrived in Ukraine. The firefighters, who will be deployed on the frontline, is the largest fire deployment made by the UK.

The government would provide up to £300,000 (approximately $381,529) to UK-Med, a frontline medical charity working in Ukraine, to help train Ukrainian doctors, nurses, and paramedics on how to deal with mass casualties.

“The Kremlin continues to lie about deliberate attacks on Ukraine’s hospitals and the indiscriminate targeting of civilians,” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss alleged in a separate statement.

“Now our vital humanitarian support will help save lives and deliver medical expertise to the frontline,” she added.

The announcement of increased UK aid to Kyiv follows Downing Street's commitment to further military assistance, including protected mobility vehicles, drones, and anti-tank weapons.

Boris Johnson announced this weekend that Ukrainian soldiers were being trained in the UK to drive and operate armored vehicles.​​​​​​​