Britain has established four maintenance and overhaul facilities in Ukraine to enable faster repairs of armoured vehicles, artillery, and other equipment supplied by the UK.
These facilities are operated by UK contractors under the oversight of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and cater to a wide range of equipment, including CVR-T armoured vehicles, Husky support vehicles, AS-90 artillery systems, and Swedish Archer artillery, due to a partnership with Stockholm.
British engineers work alongside Ukrainian counterparts to service and repair the equipment, all without deploying UK military personnel, according to the MoD. Luke Pollard, the Minister for Defence Readiness, described the initiative as “a risk worth taking and managing,” while emphasising the UK’s unwavering support for Kyiv: “Ukraine’s security is Britain’s security.”
These facilities are part of Programme Lyra, a UK-Ukraine technology collaboration agreed upon last year by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and President Volodymyr Zelensky. This partnership combines British electronic warfare systems with Ukrainian platforms to enhance battlefield effectiveness.
Additionally, the initiative provides well-paying engineering jobs for Ukrainians and ensures that damaged equipment does not need to be shipped abroad for repairs. This significantly reduces turnaround times and keeps frontline units operational.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the UK has committed over £21.8 billion in aid, making it one of Kyiv’s largest bilateral donors. The establishment of these facilities underscores Britain’s determination to stay ahead in supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression, even as global attention shifts to conflicts in the Middle East.
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