The latest package shows that aid to Ukraine is evolving after weeks of fighting as the United States and its partners learn more about Moscow’s offensive tactics and Kiev’s capabilities. The Pentagon said it had provided more than $1.6 billion in security aid since the Russian invasion.
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“This decision underscores the United States’ unwavering commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in support of its heroic efforts to deter Russia’s chosen war,” Kirby said in a statement.
The new aid will include Puma unmanned aerial systems — hand-launched light drones with a range of about a dozen miles that can fly for about two hours — and provide Ukraine’s infantry with expanded reconnaissance capabilities. The Pentagon also intends to send “non-standard” machine guns to Ukraine, meaning the weapons are not regularly used by the US military.
The United States will send armored Humvees, night vision goggles, thermal imaging systems, tactical secure communications systems, commercial satellite imaging services, medical supplies, and switchblade drones — small unmanned aerial vehicles packed with explosives that crash into “kamikaze” targets such as tanks. Fashion.
The announcement comes a day after UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told reporters that Britain and its partners had agreed to send more deadly aid to Ukraine following a conference involving 35 countries. According to British media, Ukrainians needed weapons such as long-range artillery to counter Russian sieges of Ukrainian cities, Wallace said.
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“If tactics change on the ground, we will have to change our deliveries,” he said told Reporter.
Also this week, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Canberra would send armored vehicles to Kyiv, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Australian lawmakers that mine-resistant Australian Bushmasters in Ukraine are doing “much more for our common freedom, our… common safety would do than remain parked on your property.”
“The package from the [United States] makes a lot of sense,” said Mick Ryan, a retired Australian Army Major General. Ukrainian troops need little training to use the equipment provided, while they also need to replace the drones, ammunition and fuel they use in combat, he said. The Puma drones will be useful in preparing artillery and missile strikes, Ryan said.
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The United States has rejected other Zelenskyy demands such as the establishment of a no-fly zone and Poland’s offer to send warplanes to Ukraine, amid fears of a further escalation with a NATO country. President Biden last month signed a massive government spending bill that includes $13.6 billion in military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine — including investments designed to help protect against cyberattacks and strengthen regional allies against further Kremlin-led aggression.
Since the beginning of Biden government, the United States have has sent more than $2.3 billion in defense support to Ukraine, the Pentagon said.
As early as December, as the prospect of a Russian invasion loomed, the US military began speeding up arms shipments to Ukraine. Supplies included weapons useful for combat in urban areas, such as shotguns, and protective suits for soldiers handling duds.
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Since Russia’s February 24 invasion, the United States has deployed more Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems.
President Biden has announced that he will not send US troops to Ukraine. But he has ordered more Americans into Eastern Europe to deter Russia from further aggression. About 80,000 US troops are now in Europe.
“As the world responds to Russia’s aggression, we are once again seeing the importance of American leadership,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Friday. “Russia’s invasion is not just a deadly threat to Ukraine. It’s a challenge to the rules-based international system.”