Meta hit with record $1.3 bln fine over data transfers

Meta (META.O) was hit with a record 1.2 billion euro ($1.3 billion) fine by its lead European Union privacy regulator over its handling of user information and given five months to stop transferring users' data to the United States.

The fine, imposed by Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC), came after Meta continued to transfer data beyond a 2020 EU court ruling that invalidated an EU-U.S. data transfer pact. It tops the previous record EU privacy fine of 746 million euros handed by Luxembourg to Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) in 2021.

The battle over where Meta's Facebook stores its data began a decade ago after Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems brought a legal challenge over the risk of U.S. snooping in light of disclosures by former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Meta said in a statement that it will appeal the ruling, including the "unjustified and unnecessary fine that "sets a dangerous precedent for countless other companies." It will also seek a stay of the suspension orders through the courts.

The social media giant reiterated that it expected a new pact facilitating the safe transfer of EU citizens' personal data to the United States would be fully implemented before it has to suspend transfers.

That would mean its previous warning that a stoppage could force it to suspend Facebook services in Europe would not come to pass.

"Without the ability to transfer data across borders, the internet risks being carved up into national and regional silos," Meta said.

A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta and Facebook logo are placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

The DPC said in March that EU and U.S. officials hoped that the new data protection framework - agreed by Brussels and Washington in March 2022 - may be ready by July.

A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta and Facebook logo are placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic Europe's top court, the European Court of Justice, threw out the two previous pacts over concerns about U.S. surveillance.

Schrems, the Austrian privacy campaigner, said Meta's plans to rely on the new deal for transfers going forward was unlikely to be a permanent fix.

"In my view, the new deal has maybe a 10% chance of not being killed by the CJEU (EU Court of Justice). Unless U.S. surveillance laws gets fixed, Meta will likely have to keep EU data in the EU," he said in a statement.

The Irish watchdog, which is the lead EU regulator for many of the world's top technology companies because of the location of their European headquarters in Ireland, has said the suspension order could create a precedent for other firms.

It has now fined Meta a total of 2.5 billion euros for breaches under the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation's (GDPR), introduced in 2018.

The DPC said that it did not initially propose adding a fine to the suspension order, but that four other EU supervising authorities disagreed and the record fine was included after a ruling by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB).

The Irish regulator has fined Meta more than any other tech firm and has 10 other inquiries open into the social media group's platforms.

Sultan HB X Ingatkan ASN Jaga Netralitas pada Pemilu 2024

Gubernur Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X (kiri) dan Wakil Gubernur DIY Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Aryo (KGPAA) Paku Alam X (kanan) memberikan keterangan kepada wartawan usai pelantikan Gubernur dan Wakil Gubernur DIY di Istana Negara, Jakarta, Senin 10 Oktober 2022. Presiden Joko Widodo melantik Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X dan KGPAA Paku Alam X sebagai Gubernur dan Wakil Gubernur DIY masa jabatan 2022-2027 sesuai dengan Undang-Undang No. 13/2012 tentang Keistimewaan DIY. ANTARA FOTO/Hafidz Mubarak A

Raja Keraton sekaligus Gubernur DIY, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, mengingatkan agar menjaga situasi sosial-politik tetap kondusif di DIY jelang Pemilu 2024. Hal ini disampaikan Sultan dalam pelantikan Pj Wali Kota Yogyakarta dan Pj Bupati Kulonprogo, pada hari Senin, 22/05/2023.

"Masa jelang pesta demokrasi, penjabat bupati dan wali kota diharapkan dapat mengantisipasi fluktuasi dinamika sosial-politik," kata Sultan di Bangsal Kepatihan, Kota Yogyakarta, pada hari Senin 22/05/2023.

Pelantikan dilakukan mengingat masa pemerintah dua wilayah tersebut berakhir 22 Mei ini. Singgih Raharjo dilantik sebagai Pt Wali Kota Yogyakarta, dan Ni Made Dwipanti Indrayanti sebagai Pj Bupati Kulonprogo, yang mana keduanya akan bertugas selama setahun ke depan.

"Keduanya harus aktif menjaga kohesi sosial dengan menyemai nilai-nilai budaya dan keistimewaan Yogyakarta untuk menyejukkan suasana," ujar Sultan.

Sultan juga menegaskan agar menegakkan netralitas Aparatur Sipil Negara (ASN) dalam Pemilu 2024. Hal ini, katanya, agar pemilihan serentak nantinya dapat terlaksana dengan adil, jujur, dan bermartabat.

"Memasuki masa tidak hanya kampanye, tapi juga masa pemilihan anggota DPR, DPRD, maupun DPD, tapi juga masa pemilihan pilpres. Bagaimana mereka harus bisa menjaga kondisi tetap kondusif untuk di Yogya, khususnya di dua tempat itu (Kota Yogyakarta dan Kulonprogo)," jelasnya.

Seperti diketahui, Singgih Raharjo dilantik menjadi Pj Wali Kota Yogyakarta menggantikan Sumadi yang masa pemerintahannya sudah berjalan selama satu tahun, yakni sejak Mei 2022 lalu. Singgih sendiri merupakan Kepala Dinas Pariwisata DIY.

Adapun Ni Made Dwipanti Indrayanti dilantik sebagai Pj Bupati Kulonprogo, menggantikan Tri Saktiyana. Made sendiri juga menjabat sebagai kepala Dinas Perhubungan DIY.

Meski dilantik sebagai Pj Wali Kota Yogyakarta dan Pj Bupati Kulonprogo, namun Singgih dan Made tetap menjabat di Dinas Pariwisata DIY maupun Dinas Perhubungan DIY. Keduanya akan menjabat selama satu tahun ke depan hingga 2024.

Sultan Hamengku Buwono X Ingatkan ASN, Medsos Buat Layanan Publik, Bukan Flexing

Gubernur Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X pada empat hari yang lalu, meminta aparatur sipil negara (ASN) di wilayahnya bijaksana memakai media sosial atau medsos

Pasca-ramainya sejumlah pejabat publik memanfaatkan medsos untuk flexing atau pamer kekayaan dan gaya hidup mewah, Sultan meminta ASN memakai medsos hanya untuk menyebarkan informasi bermanfaat saja.

"Fenomena flexing dan gaya hidup mewah di media sosial oleh ASN, telah mencederai upaya peningkatan akuntabilitas dan praktik tata kelola pemerintahan yang bersih," kata Sultan saat berbicara dalam rapat koordinasi di Kantor Gubernur Kepatihan Yogyakarta, Selasa, 16 Mei 2023.

Rentetan fenomena flexing pejabat negara dan keluarganya di tanah air, kata Sultan, tak dipungkiri membuat kepercayaan publik pada pemerintah ikut menurun.

"Saat ini kepercayaan publik terhadap birokrasi menurun akibat fenomena perilaku oknum ASN dan keluarganya yang berperilaku tidak patut, melakukan pelanggaran kode etik dan aturan disiplin," ujar Ngarso Dalem.

Sri Sultan pun lantas menginstruksikan seluruh ASN di wilayahnya lebih peka dan melek soal isu pembangunan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Termasuk dalam penggunaan media sosial.

“Alih-alih menggunakan sosial media untuk mencitrakan kekayaan dan kemewahan gaya hidup pribadi, lebih baik sebarkan informasi yang terang, jujur dan bijak tentang upaya penyediaan layanan publik untuk kesejahteraan masyarakat,” kata Sultan.

Sultan sebut kemiskinan dan ketimpangan di Yogyakarta mendesk ditangani masif

Sultan pun memaparkan situasi perekonomian di Yogyakarta secara umum. Ia menuturkan kemiskinan dan ketimpangan di Yogyakarta saat ini mendesak ditangani lebih masif. Secara kolaboratif lintas wilayah, lintas sektor dan lintas aktor.

Meski di satu sisi ekonomi Yogya menunjukkan perbaikan dengan tumbuh 5,15 persen, namun di saat bersamaan, capaian DIY pada angka kemiskinan 11,49 dan rasio Gini 0,459 di atas rerata nasional perlu menjadi perhatian publik. "Maka isu hulu dan hilir perlu disinkronkan melalui upaya reformasi birokrasi tematik," kata dia.

Agar reformasi birokrasi berdampak nyata, kata Sultan, perlu perubahan pola pikir terutama di kalangan ASN. Salah satunya dalam membangun praktik good governance.

China's Micron ban revives US trade tensions, fuels Asian chip rally

Memory chip parts of U.S. memory chip maker MicronTechnology are pictured at their booth at an industrial fair in Frankfurt, Germany, July 14, 2015. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

A move by Beijing to bar U.S. firm Micron Technology Inc (MU.O) from selling memory chips to key domestic industries has ramped up tensions in an ongoing trade spat with Washington and lifted shares of firms that could benefit from the move.

China's cyberspace regulator said late on Sunday that Micron, the biggest U.S. memory chipmaker, had failed its network security review and that it would block operators of key infrastructure from buying from the company.

It did not provide details on what risks it had found or what products from the company would be affected.

Analysts said they saw limited direct impact on Micron, as most of its key customers in China are consumer electronics players but warned the move could prompt some companies to rid their supply chains of Micron products due to political risks.

Beijing's decision was opposed by Washington but also helped stocks of Micron's rivals in China and South Korea, which are seen benefiting as mainland firms seek memory products from other sources.

"We firmly oppose restrictions that have no basis in fact," a spokesperson from the U.S. Commerce Department said in a statement on Sunday.

"This action, along with recent raids and targeting of other American firms, is inconsistent with (China's) assertions that it is opening its markets and committed to a transparent regulatory framework."

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have grown in recent months following raids and visits by Chinese authorities to U.S. corporate due diligence firm Mintz Group and management consultancy Bain.

Micron said on Sunday it had received the regulator's review and looked "forward to continuing to engage in discussions with Chinese authorities."

The company is the first U.S. chipmaker to be targeted by Beijing after a series of export controls by Washington on certain American components and chipmaking tools to block them being used to advance China's military capabilities.

China launched the review in late March amid a dispute over chip technology and worsening relations between Washington and Beijing.

The move also comes shortly after Group of Seven nations agreed to "de-risk, not decouple" economic engagement with China and as U.S. President Joe Biden called for an "open hotline" between Washington and Beijing.

The U.S. Commerce Department said it would speak directly with authorities in Beijing to clarify their actions.

"We also will engage with key allies and partners to ensure we are closely coordinated to address distortions of the memory chip market caused by China's actions," the department said.

While the Chinese statement and state media said the Micron decision needed to be seen as an individual case in the context of national security concerns, not geopolitics, prominent Chinese commentator Hu Xijin struck a different note.

"Washington itself encourages US companies to do things that endanger China’s national security, so it suspects that Chinese companies are doing the same," the former editor-in-chief of nationalist state tabloid Global Times tweeted. "The whole world should be wary of the US."

LIMITED IMPACT

China's announcement on its Micron review helped boost shares in some local chipmaking-related firms on Monday, as state media reported that domestic players could benefit from the move.

Shares in companies including Gigadevice Semiconductors (603986.SS), Ingenic Semiconductor (300223.SZ), Shenzhen Kaifa technology (000021.SZ) opened up between 3% and 8% before paring gains.

Micron's major rivals also saw their shares gain, with South Korea's Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK Hynix (000660.KS) up 0.9% and 2.1%, respectively. They trimmed gains later and closed up 0.2% and 0.9%, as analysts expect limited impact on Micron.

Both Samsung and SK Hynix had no comment.

"Since Micron's DRAM and NAND products are much less in servers, we believe most of its revenue in China is not generated from telcos and the government. Therefore, the ultimate impact on Micron will be quite limited," Jefferies said in a note.

Micron generated $5.2 billion of revenue from China including $1.7 billion from Hong Kong last year, about 16% of its total revenue, according to Jefferies.

Bernstein said a 2% hit to sales was the most realistic estimate given Micron's exposure to the enterprise and cloud server segment is relatively small.

Beijing has broadly defined industries it considers "critical" as ones such as public communication and transport but has not specified just what type of business these apply to.

China, the world's biggest semiconductor buyer, has gradually reduced its reliance on foreign-made chips in a multi-year campaign to boost its self-sufficiency.

Mount Etna eruption halts flights to Sicily's Catania airport

Lava flows downhill as Mount Etna erupts, as seen from Pizzi Deneri on the north side of volcano, on the island of Sicily, in Catania, Italy, May 31, 2022. Picture taken May 31, 2022. REUTERS/Antonio Parrinello

The airport in the Italian city of Catania has suspended operations due to the eruption of Mount Etna.

Flights serving the eastern Sicilian city of Catania were halted on Sunday after an eruption from nearby Mount Etna spewed volcanic ash onto its runways, airport authorities said.

The 3,330 metre (10,925 ft) high volcano can burst into spectacular action several times a year, firing lava and ash high over the Mediterranean island. The last major eruption was in 1992.

Flights to and from Catania, a popular tourist destination, would be suspended until normal safety conditions could be guaranteed, the airport said on Twitter.

Cars in the city were covered in a layer of dark gritty dust, images in the Italian media showed.

Operations at the airport are hampered by volcanic ash deposited on the runways. The airport concluded that aircraft take-offs and landings in such conditions were unsafe.

Flights in and out of the port city and tourist favourite Catania, on Sicily's east coast, are suspended until 9am local time on Monday, or until they can guarantee safe conditions, the airport said on Twitter.

Europe's most active volcano can awaken from its slumber several times a year, jettisoning lava and ash high over the Mediterranean island.

But it hasn't unleashed a major eruption since 1922.

The blasts often create a spectacle of flaming lava, but cloud cover on the rainy day masked views of this eruption, according to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), which closely monitors Etna with instruments installed on its slopes.

It said ash had fallen on Catania and at least one town perched lower down the slopes of the 3,330 metre high volcano.

he INGV indicated that monitoring had recorded evidence of a stepping up in tremor activity in recent days.

Upaya Anjelin merawat asa kompetisi bola basket putri

Pebasket putri Anjelin Rosmika Simanjuntak (tengah, mengenakan topi) berfoto bersama para peserta turnamen eksebisi bola basket satu lawan satu Wonders, di M Bloc, Jakarta, Minggu (21/5/2023). (ANTARA/RAUF ADIPATI)

Pebasket Anjelin Rosmika Simanjuntak merasa gemas dengan absennya kompetisi bola basket putri di Indonesia, padahal timnas basket putri sukses mendulang medali emas pada gelaran SEA Games 2023 silam.

Dengan kapasitas yang dimilikinya, gadis yang akrab disapa Anjel itu mencoba membuat gelaran ekshibisi bola basket putri satu lawan satu (one on one) bertajuk "women deserve the spotlight" atau Wonders di M Bloc, Jakarta Selatan, Minggu.

Acara itu diikuti lima pebasket putri muda yang unjuk kebolehan dengan model permainan mencari pencetak tiga poin terbanyak, yakni Savira Lifas, Putri Leonita, Maxine Maria Sutisna, Siti Getanamira, dan Praisey Blessed.

"Latar belakang acara ini aku buat, kebetulan berangkat dari keresahan pribadi. Yang mana aku adalah seorang atlet basket putri, yang sudah bisa dikatakan lelah menunggu kompetisi, dan akhirnya aku memutuskan untuk aku saja yang buat kompetisinya, tapi dimulai dari 1 versus 1, karena aku lebih fokus di 'individual skill'-nya," kata Anjel.

Acara pertandingan basket satu lawan satu itu digelar di area terbuka, sehingga sempat dua kali terganggu turunnya hujan. Meski demikian acara berjalan sampai selesai, dan MVP DBL 2023 Maxine keluar sebagai juara setelah menang 3-2 atas Getanamira.

Prestasi yang diraih timnas basket putri pada SEA Games 2023 semakin membuat Anjel bersemangat untuk menggelorakan kembali semangat bola basket putri, terutama dengan keberadaan kompetisi reguler.

"Itu dia yang aku gemas, Kak. Maksudnya potensi prestasi di basket wanita itu sangat sangat besar menurut aku. Karena prestasi wanita itu aku yakin bisa dan akan lebih baik dan bisa konsisten.

"Kalau mereka ada kompetisi, ada banyak fasilitas, wadah, akan jauh lebih siap dan lebih konsisten untuk mendapatkan prestasi," yakin pemain yang terakhir kali membela klub GMC Cirebon pada Srikandi Cup 2020 itu.

Upaya Anjel untuk membuat gelaran ekshibisi bola basket putri itu mendapat dukungan penuh dari mentor sekaligus pengusaha Syarel Titaley yang kerap menjadi kawan diskusi pebola basket 27 tahun itu.

"Mungkin ajang selanjutnya dua bulan lagi. Anjel akan undang talenta-talenta pemain muda tapi juga yang levelnya bagus. Kemudian dikombinasikan juga, soalnya sekarang lagi banyak nih artis-artis yang mulai hobi basket. Jadi sisi olahraganya dapat, sisi 'fun'-nya dapat. Selanjutnya akan dibikin seperti itu," tutur Syarel.

Berkaca pada cabang olahraga bola voli putri yang cukup reguler menggelar kompetisi, Anjel pun merasa yakin bahwa bola basket putri, baik satu lawan satu, 3x3, atau pun lima lawan lima, akan tetap memiliki pangsa pasarnya tersendiri.

"Aku yakin sih asal selama dikemas dengan menarik, aku yakin pasti bisa. Karena lebih seru sebenarnya asal kita punya konsep menarik, enggak yang terlalu monoton, aku yakin punya pasarnya tersendiri," pungkasnya.

Scott Ritter: Artemovsk's Liberation 'Military Victory That Shows Russia is Winning'

©Sputnik / Go to the mediabank

By liberating Artemovsk (Bakhmut) from the Kiev regime's forces, Russia is gathering momentum, but only future developments will show how control over this city "fits into the overall pace of conflict," military analyst and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter said.

Taking control of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) was a military victory that shows Russia is winning, Scott Ritter told Sputnik.

Some have likened the grueling hostilities to secure Artemovsk to the Battle of Stalingrad in WWII in terms of its importance, the former US Marine Corps intelligence officer added, emphasizing that the big question is what comes next.

Future developments will demonstrate how successfully Russia is able to exploit this victory, and continue to inflict heavy casualties on the Kiev regime's forces. It also remains to be seen whether the Ukrainian military will manage to launch its much-touted “counterattack.”

“It doesn’t seem that Ukraine will be able to achieve major battlefield success, even though some 60,000 trained and equipped with NATO weaponry reserves have been accumulated. Many of these reserves were used in the battle for [Artemovsk], others have been neutralized during an attempt to gather near the front. Russia has developed tactical operational and strategic advantages over Kiev that make it almost impossible for Ukraine’s forces to be able to amass military power of sufficient quantity to carry out a sustained offensive operation,” Scott Ritter said.

Artemovsk was a 'military victory', he underscored, stressing that it was up to Russia to define what the political victory would be.

Indeed, Artemovsk, located to the north of Gorlovka, is a key transportation hub with many crossroads for Donbass. It served as a vital center for supplying Ukrainian troops stationed in the region at the onset of Moscow's military operation in Ukraine over a year ago. The struggle for control over the embattled city was called the "meat grinder," because the Kiev regime kept throwing men and equipment into the fray in a desperate attempt to hold on to Artemovsk. However, such efforts were rendered futile by the courage and valiant determination of the advancing Russian troops. On May 20, the Wagner Group private military company (PMC), together with the Russian Armed Forces, liberated Artemovsk.

"The fight for [Artemovsk] has been very costly for Kiev, which sacrificed hundreds, if not thousands of men and tons of military equipment there, and only history will tell, ultimately, where control over this city “fits into the overall pace of conflict," Ritter said.

One thing is clear, "it is a Russian victory, and the momentum is with Russia," the analyst conluded.

Zelensky compares Artyomovsk to Hiroshima

The devastation left by the months-long battle for the Donbass city of Artyomovsk is reminiscent of the aftermath of the US nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky told journalists on Sunday while attending the G7 summit hosted by the Japanese city.

“The photos of Hiroshima remind me of Bakhmut,” said Zelensky, using the Ukrainian name of the city. He laid wreaths at the memorial to the victims of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima during his visit. “Absolute total destruction. There is nothing, there are no people,” he said, adding that “all the buildings are destroyed” in the city captured by Russia over the weekend.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed seizing Artyomovsk late on Saturday. On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Wagner fighters and the servicemen of the regular Russian Army for successfully taking the city. Kiev continues to deny losing control of it.

Zelensky himself sent mixed signals about the situation on the ground. Early on Sunday, he said the city “is only in our hearts” when asked if Ukraine still controls Artyomovsk. Later, he denied the city was “occupied by Russia.” Russian businessman Evgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group private military company, told journalists on Sunday that “no Ukrainian fighters had been left” in Artyomovsk.

The US nuclear bombing of Hiroshima killed between 70,000 and 80,000 civilians, or around 30% of the city’s population at that time, according to various estimates. Another 70,000 people were injured. The blast also killed an estimated 20,000 Japanese military personnel.

The ‘Little Boy’ bomb that exploded about 580 meters above the city over the Shima Surgical Clinic destroyed everything within a some 1.6-kilometer radius. It also caused a massive blaze that engulfed 11 square kilometers. According to Japanese officials, almost 70% of the city’s buildings were destroyed.

The salt-mining city of Artyomovsk had been the scene of intense fighting for some eight months as Russian forces gradually pushed Ukrainian troops out. The city, which spreads over some 41.6 square kilometers, was largely destroyed in the process.

In 2017, the total population of Artyomovsk amounted to just over 71,000 people. Most residents were evacuated before the battle began or earlier in the fighting. However, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, some 10,000 people were still living in the city in late March. Kiev also stated that the battle for Artyomovsk claimed the lives of some 4,000 civilians. Russia did not comment on these estimates.

UK Military Attributes Success of Russian Strikes Deep Into Ukraine to Improved Use of Spy Drones

©Photo : YouTube / Supercam UAV

The Russian military has dramatically ramped up its air and missile strikes at targets deep behind the front lines in Ukraine in recent weeks, targeting troops, armor, ammunition dumps and air defenses using drones and missiles, including the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.

Britain's defense ministry has attributed the success of “frequent [Russian] long-range missile strikes deep into Ukraine” through the month of May to the improved integration of “unarmed, surveillance unscrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) into operations” by the Russian military.

“These have included Russian-produced Supercam UAVs which are relatively cheap and have sufficient range to fly over the cruise missiles’ targets,” the MoD said in a defense intelligence update Sunday.

“Russia has highly likely adopted this tactic as an attempt to obtain more timely battle damage assessment and improve its targeting cycle,” the military said, noting that Russian forces’ previous, “slow and inefficient targeting process” had proven a “major weakness” in its operations in Ukraine.

Supercam Unmanned Systems Group is a major Russian UAV producer making drones for both the military and civilian markets. The small, propeller-powered drones have a flight range between 50 to 450 km, radio link range up to 110 km, wingspans ranging from 1 to 4.5 meters, and an endurance time of up to 7 hours.

UK Pledges 'Hundreds of Long-Range Attack Drones' to Ukraine

The United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with air defense missiles and unmanned aerial systems in the coming months, the UK government said on Monday, 05/15/2023.

"Today the Prime Minister will confirm the further UK provision of hundreds of air defense missiles and further unmanned aerial systems including hundreds of new long-range attack drones with a range of over 200 km. These will all be delivered over the coming months as Ukraine prepares to intensify its resistance to the ongoing Russian invasion," the government said in a press release.

©AP Photo / Ben Birchall / Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, center left, visits Bovington Camp, a British Army military base where Ukrainian soldiers are training on Challenger 2 tanks

The government also said that the UK will start training Ukrainian pilots this summer.

"This summer we will commence an elementary flying phase for cohorts of Ukrainian pilots to learn basic training. This will adapt the program used by UK pilots to provide Ukrainians with piloting skills they can apply a different kind of aircraft. This training goes hand in hand with UK efforts to work with other countries on providing F16 jets – Ukraine’s fighter jets of choice," the government said.