UK boosts cyber defence funding for Ukraine

The UK has announced that it will increase its funding for Ukraine’s cyber defence, aiming to double the current amount and reach up to £25 million. The package will include £16 million in UK funding and the potential for a further £9 million contribution from international allies. The expansion of the Ukraine Cyber Program also involves British experts offering remote incident response assistance to the Ukrainian government in the wake of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure.

In addition to the previous efforts by the UK government, which involved personnel from cyber agency GCHQ providing defence support to Ukraine and safeguarding against malware such as Industroyer2, the new funding will enable the provision of forensic capabilities. These capabilities will assist Ukrainian cyber experts in analysing system compromises, identifying attackers, and gathering stronger evidence to prosecute indiscriminate attacks.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunakemphasisedd the importance of these efforts to boost counteroffensive measures against attempts to disrupt the country’s cyber infrastructure, impacting essential services like banking and energy supplies. Furthermore, Sunak intends to advocate for private sector involvement in supporting Ukraine through investment as part of the counteroffensive against Russia.