London [UK], May 8 (ANI/Sputnik): British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has confirmed an additional funding package for Kyiv in the amount of 1.3 billion pounds (USD 1.6 billion), The Sunday Times reports.

The funds will be taken from the Treasury's emergency reserves and will come in addition to the United Kingdom's existing 1.5 billion-pound support to Ukraine, the newspaper said on Sunday.

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Sunak confirmed the additional aid following pressure from UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, The Sunday Times said.

Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine.

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According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbas, "who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years." In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)

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