Despite a recently proposed smoking ban, it’s been revealed the UK government has been providing cigarettes to Ukrainian troops training in the country.

Under a scheme with the Ministry of Defence, Ukrainian soldiers undergoing training in the UK are given duty-free tobacco as part of their rations.

It came after soldiers reportedly complained about the high prices of cigarettes in the UK – which average around an eyewatering £15 per pack.

In Ukraine, a pack of 20 cigarettes will only set you back roughly £1.70.

Ben Wallace, the then defence secretary, helped to coordinate the move alongside his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov.

It’s said the move has helped Ukrainian soldiers focus, with the lack of cigarettes posing a ‘risk to morale’.

Mr Wallace reportedly cleared the duty-free side of the deal with the Treasury, and legal risks with the Department of Health and Social Care.

A source, familiar with the deal, told the Telegraph: ‘It is fair to say that smoking is going to be less of a threat to these brave soldiers’ lives than fighting Putin’s illegal invasion of their country.’

The deal has been ongoing since Ukrainian troops began their training in the UK after Putin’s 2022 invasion.

Mr Wallace previously said of the training scheme: ‘This ambitious new training programme is the next phase in the UK’s support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in their fight against Russian aggression.’

But the details of the cigarette supply for Ukrainian troops emerged just a week after MPs backed a controversial new bill that, if passed, would ban the sale of tobacco to younger generations.

The proposed Tobacco and Vapes Bill would slowly raise the legal age to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products.

It would mean that no one born after 2009 (or Generation Alpha, currently aged 14 or under) will ever be able to legally buy tobacco products in the UK.

While the proposed bill won’t criminalise buying tobacco, shops selling cigarettes or vapes to children would be fined on the spot.

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