US Defense Dept announces additional military assistance to Ukraine worth $725 mln
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced additional security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs at an estimated cost of $725 million, the department's website has reported.
According to the Department, this announcement is the 71st tranche of equipment from the Biden administration, which will be provided from the reserves of the Defense Department for Ukraine from August 2021. This package of presidential powers will provide Ukraine with additional capabilities to meet its most pressing needs, including: air defense capabilities; ammunition for missile systems and artillery; and anti-tank weapons.
As part of the assistance package, Ukraine will be provided with ammunition for national advanced anti-aircraft missile systems (NASAMS), Stinger missiles, ammunition for unmanned aerial vehicles (c-UAS), ammunition for highly mobile artillery missile systems (HIMARS), 155 mm and 105 mm artillery ammunition, small arms and ammunition, demolition equipment.
Ukraine will also receive, as part of the announced assistance package, unmanned aerial vehicles, landmines, tube-launched missiles, optical tracking and wire guidance (TOW), Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems, equipment to protect critical national infrastructure, as well as spare parts, auxiliary equipment and transport.
The U.S. Department of Defense noted that the assistance is being provided as part of the increase in aid announced by Biden on September 26, to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position.
Jacob Sullivan, the U.S. President's national security adviser, announced the delivery from now until mid-January of hundreds of thousands of additional artillery shells, thousands of additional missiles and other critical means to help Ukraine defend its freedom and independence.
According to Sullivan, in addition to this dramatic increase in aid, the President has authorized a number of additional steps to strengthen Ukraine's position in this war. Earlier this year, the U.S. President decided to give priority to the export of U.S. air defense to Ukraine, and as a result of this decision, Ukraine received hundreds of additional air defense missiles, and additional supplies are expected on the way. To help Ukraine stabilize its position in the east, the President authorized the supply of unstable anti-personnel mines to Ukraine as a limited exception to the administration's ongoing mine policy. In response to the entry of North Korean soldiers into this war, the President decided to adjust the permits for Ukraine to use long-range missiles provided by the United States. And in order to disrupt Russia's military machine, the United States has imposed major sanctions against Russia's financial sector, which will be followed by even more sanctions.
Earlier, the aid package was reported in the media, while it was not confirmed whether there were ammunition for HIMARS in the new package. However, it was reported that the package would include more anti-personnel landmines, which Ukraine is counting on to slow down Russian and North Korean forces in Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
Earlier, Biden promised to spend all military aid funds approved by Congress in 2024 for Ukraine before the end of his tenure on January 20, which amounts to about $7.1 billion on weapons from the Pentagon's reserves.
Ukraine received the latest aid package from the United States on November 20 in the amount of $275 million, it includes ammunition for missile systems, as well as for artillery and anti-tank weapons.