LONDON — The British Ministry of Defence has announced it will send helicopters to Ukraine for the first time since the war began.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said it will be the first time piloted aircraft were sent to the war-torn nation since Russia's invasion.
According to the BBC, three former Sea King helicopters will be provided. The first of which has already arrived in Ukraine.
Wallace, who made the announcement from Oslo where he is meeting allies to discuss ongoing military support for Kiev, added that Britain will also send an additional 10,000 artillery rounds.
It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used a visit to the Ukrainian capital to set out a new £50-million ($59.5-million) package of defence aid which included 125 anti-aircraft guns and equipment to counter Iranian-supplied drones.
During a visit to Norway, Wallace said: “Our support for Ukraine is unwavering. These additional artillery rounds will help Ukraine to secure the land it has reclaimed from Russia in recent weeks.”
The Royal Navy provided six weeks' training on Sea Kings in Britain for Ukraine's armed forces and engineers, the Ministry of Defence said.
The fresh support follows a commitment to provide 1,000 surface-to-air missiles and 125 anti-aircraft guns.
Wallace is in Norway meeting allied defence ministers on the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson, who was…
