The Biden administration on Wednesday introduced $300 million in army assist for Ukraine, the most recent package deal of weapons and different army tools that the US has been sending to Kyiv because the starting of Russia’s invasion.
The package deal contains further ammunition for drones and long-range artillery. It additionally contains further munitions for Patriot air protection methods in addition to munitions for different air protection methods, together with Stingers, Avengers and Intention-7 methods, the Pentagon mentioned in a press release, as Kyiv gears up for its long-anticipated offensive to attempt to push Russian forces again and defend in opposition to aerial assaults from Moscow.
The help additionally contains different artillery assist, anti-armor weaponry and tens of thousands and thousands of rounds of small-arms ammunition, protection officers mentioned.
Moscow got here below a drone assault on Tuesday, a transfer which the Kremlin has blamed on Kyiv. A senior Ukrainian official mentioned Kyiv was not “straight concerned” within the assault, although it was “pleased” to look at.
To this point American officers say that no U.S.-made drones or munition have been utilized in assaults on Moscow. However the truth that the US plans to ship further ammunition for Ukrainian drones exhibits how critical the Biden administration is about arming Ukraine upfront of the counteroffensive, a Pentagon official mentioned on Wednesday. The air protection munitions within the cargo additionally recommend that the US is in search of to present Ukraine a bonus amid persevering with strikes from Moscow.
The Pentagon didn’t specify which unmanned methods had been being bolstered with the drone munitions within the assist package deal. The US has given Ukraine each surveillance and assault drones up to now yr, however officers have been reluctant to publicly describe precisely which methods have been despatched.
The package deal brings the quantity of safety help to Ukraine from the US since Russia invaded in February final yr to $37.6 billion, the Pentagon mentioned.
“This authorization is the Biden administration’s thirty ninth drawdown of kit from D.O.D. inventories for Ukraine since August 2021,” the Pentagon assertion mentioned, referring to the Protection Division’s provides. “It contains key capabilities to assist Ukraine’s air defenders as they bravely shield Ukraine’s troopers, civilians, and important infrastructure amid Russia’s persevering with airstrikes killing civilians throughout Ukraine.”
John F. Kirby, a White Home spokesman, mentioned Wednesday that the administration would sustain the weapons shipments by the remainder of the fiscal yr, which ends within the fall. “
As for when the administration would wish to go to Congress for more cash for Ukraine, Mr. Kirby mentioned that “we’ve obtained a while to determine that out.”
Michael D. Shear contributed reporting.
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