The UK will supply Ukraine with more than 500 portable generators, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

The generators will provide energy for essential services, including at hospitals and shelters, and will generate enough energy to power 20,000 homes.

It comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky made a direct request to the UK for the generators. 

Mr Johnson said the generators will help ease the power cuts currently crippling the country.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson: "We will now be sending generators to ease the difficulties caused by the current power outages and help keep vital services running so the people of Ukraine can continue to defend their countryPrime Minister Boris Johnson".

“We are seeing the tragic consequences in Ukraine from Putin’s grave mistake every day, and we will continue to do everything we can to support Ukraine’s resistance against this illegal invasion through economic, diplomatic and humanitarian measures, as well as providing defensive military equipment,” he said.

“We will now be sending generators to ease the difficulties caused by the current power outages and help keep vital services running so the people of Ukraine can continue to defend their country.”

David Smith, chief executive of the Energy Networks Association which represents the UK and Ireland’s energy network businesses, said they have been working closely with the Government to provide the generators.

“We hope these generators can offer civilians the very basic necessities of warmth and power, and we will continue to offer our support however we can”, he added.

The UK has created a dedicated taskforce to source the generators and they will be supplied by UK companies from their current stocks.

The Ukrainian government will then distribute the generators to where they are needed most.

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/volodymyr-zelensky-ukraine-boris-johnson-government-david-smith-b2035033.html