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Elnur Enveroglu

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The United Kingdom has unveiled details of four maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities operating in Ukraine, designed to service and restore armoured vehicles and artillery systems supplied by Western partners.

AzerNEWS reports, citing an official release by the UK government, that the facilities will repair equipment including the British-supplied CVR(T) armoured vehicle, Husky tactical support vehicle, AS‑90 self‑propelled artillery system, and L119 light gun, as well as older Soviet-era equipment still used by Ukrainian forces. Through cooperation with Swedish partners, the sites will also be capable of supporting the Archer artillery system supplied by Sweden.

The repair hubs are operated under contracts with the UK Ministry of Defence by British defence companies. Their objective is to restore damaged equipment rapidly and return it to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while also creating skilled engineering jobs for Ukrainian workers.

According to a government bulletin issued on 7 March, British engineers are currently working in Ukraine alongside local specialists to maintain and repair military vehicles. However, officials clarified that no British military personnel are stationed at the facilities.

As reported by Kyivpost, during a recent visit to one of the sites, Luke Pollard, the UK’s Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to supporting Ukraine amid its war with Russia. Pollard said the UK’s support remains unwavering and emphasised that Ukraine’s security is closely tied to Britain’s own.

Speaking to The Guardian, Pollard acknowledged the risks associated with operating such facilities within a conflict zone but described the decision as a “risk worth taking” in order to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities.

Officials have described the initiative as “pioneering”. Beyond supporting Ukraine’s military in the ongoing war, the project also aims to develop long-term defence industrial capacity in partnership with Ukrainian companies.

According to the British Defence Journal, the UK began developing the repair infrastructure soon after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Establishing facilities within the country enables damaged equipment to be repaired locally, significantly reducing repair times and returning vehicles to frontline units more quickly.

The latest initiative is linked to Programme Lyra, a technology exchange agreement announced in June 2025 between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The programme focuses on integrating advanced British electronic warfare technologies with Ukrainian military platforms to enhance Ukraine’s operational capabilities.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the United Kingdom has committed more than £21.8 billion in support to Ukraine, making it one of Kyiv’s largest bilateral donors.