TSAMTO, May 25. As it became known following the meeting of the "Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine" held on May 23, the West intends to send new batches of equipment and weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including anti-ship missiles and attack helicopters.
Representatives of 47 countries took part in a virtual meeting of the contact group organized to discuss additional military assistance to Ukraine by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States General Mark Milli.
During the meeting, L. Austin thanked several European countries, including Great Britain, Poland, Norway and Greece, for the promised supplies of critically needed artillery systems and ammunition to Ukraine. Special thanks were expressed to Denmark, which announced that it would provide launchers and anti-ship missiles "Harpoon" to protect the coast of Ukraine. The Czech Republic was also "thanked" for its substantial support, including the recent transfer of "combat helicopters, tanks and missile systems."
There is no information yet about which helicopters the Czech Republic has transferred to Ukraine. The Armed Forces of this country are armed with about 15 shock Mi-24 and 19 transport Mi-17. Currently, four AH-1Z and eight UH-1Y ordered to replace them are being assembled in the USA.
L. Austin also did not disclose the number and type of Harpoon anti-ship missiles transmitted by Denmark. Nevertheless, it is known that the coastal defense missile systems of the Danish Armed Forces are armed with RGM-84L-4 "Harpoon" Block.2, which allow not only to hit ships at sea, but also targets in ports and on land. The first of the 50 upgraded missiles ordered in 1997 were transferred to the Danish Armed Forces by Boeing in 2002. The 4.6-meter PKR with a launch weight of 690.8 kg carries a 227 kg warhead and allows you to hit targets at ranges up to 124 km.
The next face-to-face meeting of the "Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine" is scheduled for June in Brussels.