The package will include anti-mine vehicles, surveillance drones and other weapons, the senior US defense official said.
US announced new $775 million military aid package for Ukrainebecause the Biden administration pledged to continue to help the country prevent further Russian aggression “for as long as it takes.”
In one statement on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said assistance would include “additional weapons, ammunition and equipment” from the Defense Department’s stockpile without going into details.
“Chairperson [Joe] Mr. Blinken has made it clear that we will continue to support the people of Ukraine in defending their country from Russian aggression in a time of need,” Blinken said, adding that the aid brought to the government. permission total security support to Ukraine is about 10.6 billion USD.
These capabilities are carefully calibrated to make the most difference on the battlefield and strengthen Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table.
Although the statement did not say what types of weapons would be sent to Kyiv, a senior US defense official told reporters earlier on Friday that Washington would send mine-resistant vehicles for the first time. to the aid package.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said assistance will include 15 Scan Eagle surveillance drones, 40 anti-mine and anti-ambush vehicles known as MRAPs and around 1,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles.
It will also include additional ammunition and 16 105mm howitzer systems, the official said.
“We want to make sure that Ukraine has a steady supply of ammunition to meet its needs, and that’s what we’re doing with this package,” the defense official said.
The official added that while this is the first time the US has supplied Scan Eagle drones, another country has supplied them to Ukraine.
As it nears the six-month mark, the conflict in Ukraine has turned into a war of attrition mainly in the east and south of the country.
Defense strategist Phillips O’Brien wrote on Twitter.
The explosions were overnight report on Friday near military bases deep in Russian-held areas of Ukraine and inside Russia itself.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a televised statement that the statement from Ukrainian officials about the strike facilities in Crimea is occupied by Russia marked “an escalation of the conflict openly encouraged by the United States and its NATO allies”.
Moscow has many times warning Washington opposes arming Ukraine, saying such moves are “adding fuel to the fire”.
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leaders have Is called towards their allies to send heavy weapons to help the country’s forces repel the Russian military attack.
The US support package announced Friday marks the 19th time the Pentagon has supplied equipment from the Defense Department’s stockpile to Ukraine since August 2021.
Previous packages have consists of Tactical Drones and High Mobility Artillery Missile Systems, known as HIMARSamong other weapons.
