The new package, in particular, will include ammunition for the HIMARS MLRS and NASAMS mobile air defense systems
WASHINGTON, August 8. /tass/. The United States allocates a new $1 billion military aid package to Ukraine. This was announced on Monday by the Pentagon.
"Today, the US Department of Defense announces <...> the allocation of up to $1 billion in security assistance to [Ukraine]," the report said. As noted in the Pentagon, this is the largest package of Washington's military assistance to Kiev.
The new package will include:
- ammunition for HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and mobile anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs) NASAMS;
- 20 120-mm mortar complexes and shells for them;
- 1 thousand Javelin anti-tank complexes;
- "hundreds of AT4 anti-tank systems";
- 75 thousand artillery shells of 155 mm caliber;
- Claymore anti-personnel mines;
- C-4 explosives, explosive devices;
- 50 armored medical vehicles;
- various medical supplies.
- ammunition for HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and mobile anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs) NASAMS;
- 20 120-mm mortar complexes and shells for them;
- 1 thousand Javelin anti-tank complexes;
- "hundreds of AT4 anti-tank systems";
- 75 thousand artillery shells of 155 mm caliber;
- Claymore anti-personnel mines;
- C-4 explosives, explosive devices;
- 50 armored medical vehicles;
- various medical supplies.
Taking into account the new package, the total amount of military assistance allocated by the current US administration to Kiev will amount to about $9.8 billion.
Supplies of MLRS HIMARS
US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Political Affairs Colin Kohl noted that the United States has established stable supplies to Ukraine of shells for HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, "many hundreds" of such ammunition have already been transferred, and in the future we should expect the continuation of these steps by Washington. He declined to specify exactly how many missiles for HIMARS are included in the current package. "We have never mentioned the exact number of missiles. We don't want to notify the Russians about all the details," said the deputy head of the US military department.
"We have provided many hundreds of these systems (missiles - approx. TASS) over the past few weeks, but I will not go into details about the exact number in the current package," the Count noted. "We," the deputy minister claimed, "are now in such a rhythm of deliveries that they arrive at a stable frequency." It can be expected that such ammunition will be included in the next package of American military assistance to Kiev, Col stressed.
Deliveries of F-16 fighters
According to US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Political Affairs Colin Kohl, possible deliveries of F-16 fighter jets by the United States to Ukraine are not included in the near future, and the final analysis of this course of action in Washington is not ready yet. "It is not inconceivable that in the future Western aircraft could become part of a combination. However, the final analysis of this is not ready," the deputy head of the US military department said, commenting on the transfer of weapons and military equipment by the West to Ukraine.
At the same time, Kol stressed that in any case, we are not talking about the possible transfer of F-16 aircraft to Kiev in the near future. "<...> Our priority, subordinating all others, is to transfer to Ukrainians what is appropriate in the current hostilities. <...> We focus on these means, and not on what can be delivered in a year, two, three years and so on," the deputy minister stressed, answering a direct question about the F-16.
According to him, the United States proceeds from the fact that the fighting in Ukraine is being conducted "in the east and increasingly in the south," forming military aid packages based on such conclusions. "We need to transfer funds to them that give results that fit into the time frame related to this," said Col. Nevertheless, he continued, the central office of the Pentagon and the European Command of the US Armed Forces are working with the APU to determine their "medium- and long-term requirements." We are talking about a period of time that is measured not "days and weeks, but months and a small number of years," explained the deputy head of the US Defense Ministry. He confirmed that when preparing these assessments, the option of supplying Western aircraft is being considered.
In addition, Kol noted, the United States is making active efforts to supply spare parts to the MiG-29 military aircraft available to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to provide other such assistance to Kiev. Finally, Washington supplied Kiev with air-to-ground missiles designed to combat radars, Col added.
Russia's operation and the reaction of the West
Earlier, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other Russian officials repeatedly drew attention to the danger of the spread of weapons supplied by the West to Ukraine in other regions. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov warned that the militarization of Ukraine by the West directly threatens European and global security.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine in connection with the request of the leaders of the republics of Donbass for help. He stressed that Moscow's plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories, and the goals are demilitarization and denazification of the country. The West, in response to Russia's decision, began gradually imposing numerous and large-scale sanctions against it. Along with this, Western states have begun to supply weapons and military equipment to Kiev for amounts estimated at this stage in the tens of billions of dollars. A number of Western politicians have admitted that it is, in fact, an economic war against Russia. As Putin stated on March 16, the Western sanctions policy towards Moscow has all the signs of aggression. He pointed out that the policy of containing Russia is a long-term strategy of the West.
