The United States on Thursday announced a new round of military aid to Ukraine totaling $2.5 billion, including hundreds of armored vehicles of various types but no Abrams heavy tanks.
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This new tranche provides for the delivery of 59 Bradley armored vehicles, which will be added to the 50 light armored vehicles of this type promised on January 6, and 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers, “which will provide Ukraine with two armored brigades”. The Pentagon said in a statement.
The US Army will also deliver 53 anti-mine armored vehicles (MRAP) and 350 M998 transport vehicles, the famous Humvee, to Ukraine.
But this new batch does not include heavy tanks like the Abrams, which the United States is not yet ready to deliver to Kyiv, justifying this refusal with maintenance and training issues.
Washington will also provide the Ukrainian armed forces with replacement missiles for the NASAMS and HIMARS anti-aircraft systems they are already equipped with, 8 short-range Avenger anti-aircraft systems – vehicle-mounted defense units that move at the same pace as the units. country – and thousands of different ammunition.
This new tranche brings total US military aid to Ukraine to $26.7 billion since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
It was announced on the eve of a meeting of defense ministers of Western countries providing military aid to Ukraine, which will be headed by American Lloyd Austin, who is meeting in Ramstein, Germany, to coordinate the continuation of military aid to Kyiv.
Citing press reports that Berlin will only supply heavy tanks if the US supplies Abrams tanks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday criticized Berlin’s reluctance to supply heavy tanks.