Ukraine is getting more weapons from the U.S. and the West: In its latest package of military aid to Ukraine, the U.S. will be sending an additional $800 worth of weapon systems to Kyiv.
The latest shipment of military aid aims to help the Ukrainian military defend against the imminent Russian offensive in the eastern part of the country.
More Weapons To Ukraine
The military aid package includes the following:
11 Mi-17 helicopters
18 155mm howitzers
40,000 155mm artillery rounds
300 Switchblade Unmanned Aerial Systems
2 AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel Air Surveillance Radar
10 AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder Weapon-Locating Radar
200 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers
100 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles
500 FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles
Coastal defense vessels
M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel mines
More than 2,000 optics and laser rangefinders
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear protective gear
30,000 sets of body armor and helmets
Medical equipment
The Pentagon said that the unnamed coastal defense vessels are provided by the U.S. Navy and can be used for a variety of coastal defense missions.
“As you’ve seen [it] go in the past, from the time the president authorizes drawdown until the first shipments actually start landing in the region can be as little as four to five days and then another couple of days once they’re there to get processed and actually in the hands of Ukrainian frontline forces,” Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said in a press briefing.
Ukraine Diplomatic Back And Forth
The decision to send Ukraine additional security aid was made by President Joe Biden after repeated requests by the Ukrainian government.
“I just spoke with President Zelenskyy and shared with him that my Administration is authorizing an additional $800 million in weapons, ammunition, and other security assistance to Ukraine. The Ukrainian military has used the weapons we are providing to devastating effect. As Russia prepares to intensify its attack in the Donbas region, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to defend itself,” President Biden said in a press statement on Wednesday.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had requested additional military help from the West.
“Without additional weaponry, this war will become an endless bloodbath, spreading misery, suffering, and destruction. Mariupol, Bucha, Kramatorsk – the list will be continued. Nobody will stop Russia except Ukraine with Heavy Weapons,” Zelensky said on Wednesday.
This is the second $800 million military aid package to be approved in the past few weeks. Since the start of the invasion, the U.S. has sent approximately $2.5 billion worth of weapons to Kyiv and $3.3 billion in security assistance since 2020.
“This new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems we have already provided and new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine. These new capabilities include artillery systems, artillery rounds, and armored personnel carriers. I have also approved the transfer of additional helicopters. In addition, we continue to facilitate the transfer of significant capabilities from our Allies and partners around the world,” Biden added.
1945’s New Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
