U.S. sending ammunition and equipment to Ukraine
14 August, 2023 The 105-mm L119 howitzer of the Ukrainian military. September 2022. Ukraine.
Photo credits: Army Inform The U.S. Department of Defense announced the allocation of additional security assistance to Ukraine, which included ammunition and various equipment.
As stated on the U.S. Department of Defense's website, £200 million in security assistance to Ukraine is allocated. "Today we are announcing the next package of security assistance to aid Ukraine as it defends its territory and protects its people," the Department of Defense said.
This package includes additional air defense munitions, artillery and tank ammunition, anti-armor weapons, and additional mine clearing equipment. At the same time, the DoD has emphasized its intention to continue supporting Ukraine until the end of hostilities and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. The capabilities of this package include:
- Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems;
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
- Mine clearing equipment and systems;
- 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
- 120mm tank ammunition;
- Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
- Javelin and other anti-armor systems and rockets;
- 37 tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment;
- 58 water trailers;
- Over 12 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades;
- Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing;
- Spare parts, maintenance.
GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) missile by Lockheed Martin for the M142 HIMARS and M270 systems, 2021.
The USA. Photo credits: T. A.
O'Brien
The report notes that Russia is killing Ukrainian civilians and destroying civil infrastructure every day, while also weaponizing hunger and contributing to global food insecurity through its destruction of Ukraine's civilian ports and grain infrastructure. "Russia started this war and could end it at any time by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and stopping its brutal attacks. Until it does, the United States and our allies and partners will stand united with Ukraine, for as long as it takes," Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, has stressed.
The latest aid package from the United States was the beginning of the use of £6.2 billion that "appeared" after the discovery of an overestimation of the value of previously provided aid to Ukraine.
Antony Blinken. Photo from open sources
The previous £400 million package, announced in late July, included ammunition for Patriot, NASAMS and HIMARS systems, as well as Stinger MANPADS. The total amount of U.S. military aid to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 is already approaching £44 billion.
As previously reported, Ukraine is working to ensure that the Lend-Lease Law remains the fourth instrument of possible assistance to Ukraine in 2024.