The Ministry of Defence has for the first time confirmed maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities operating inside Ukraine. Four sites are active and a fifth is planned, disclosed on 7 March 2026. (gov.uk)
Operated under MOD contracts by UK companies employing British and Ukrainian staff, the facilities return armoured vehicles and equipment to service, including CVR(T) and Husky vehicles, L119 light guns and former Soviet‑era systems. All UK‑donated AS‑90s are supported, and cooperation with Sweden enables support to Archer artillery. (gov.uk)
British engineers are working alongside Ukrainian counterparts on site. Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard visited one of the facilities this week; his appointment as minister was confirmed on 6 September 2025. (gov.uk)
Defence officials describe the in‑country model as a readiness measure to shorten turnaround times and return equipment to frontline units faster, while creating skilled employment for Ukrainians.
The announcement coincided with the seventh UK‑led defence trade mission to Kyiv. Run by ADS Group, the mission involved Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, and brought more than 80 delegates from 55 companies, including a record 35 British firms. (gov.uk)
During the mission, the UK and Ukraine signed a new project under Programme Lyra, the bilateral technology exchange agreed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in June 2025. A separate agreement pairs UK electronic warfare technology with Ukrainian platforms. (gov.uk)
The government is also putting in place market infrastructure. A British Business Centre in Kyiv, announced on 16 January 2026, is intended to help UK defence SMEs secure contracts, provide in‑country support and work with partners. (gov.uk)
Policy Wire analysis: For Ukrainian units, forward repair capacity reduces downtime and cuts the logistics risk of moving damaged vehicles across borders for overhaul. For UK industry, sustained in‑theatre support increases demand for spares, training and integration work, including on mixed Western and legacy platforms.
Policy Wire analysis: Companies working under MOD contracts should plan for UK strategic export‑control obligations. ECJU guidance states that licences are normally required for controlled military goods and technology; in defined circumstances where the MOD owns the items and issues the appropriate approval letter, transfers can proceed under Crown exemption. MOD Form 680 procedures may apply to technology transfers. (gov.uk)
The UK reports total support for Ukraine of more than £21.8 billion since February 2022. Policy Wire analysis: with MRO sites now public, new Lyra activity and a Kyiv business centre due this year, sustainment and industrial partnerships have moved to the centre of the UK’s Ukraine policy. (gov.uk)