Washington, D.C. In an effort to support the campaign to push Russian forces out of strategic southern territories as winter approaches, the Pentagon is sending Ukraine a new $275 million package of weaponry and other equipment, according to U.S. officials on Thursday.
Officials claimed that the U.S. package, which is anticipated to be unveiled on Friday, does not include any significant new weapons. In its place, the U.S.
Thousands of rounds of ammunition for existing weaponry, including as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, which Ukraine has been successfully employing in its counteroffensive against Russia, are being replenished as part of relief efforts.
The officials discussed specifics of a package that had not yet been made public on the condition of anonymity.
The announcement of the new aid coincides with the release of the U.S.
the government’s efforts to prevent Russian military, their proxies, or other extreme groups from receiving weapons that have been delivered to Ukraine. The proposal, which was unveiled by the State Department on Thursday, emphasises that tracking down weapons is particularly challenging when a war is in progress and there is a minimal presence of the United States on the ground.
U. S.
Members of Congress have repeatedly questioned administration officials about how they are tracking the billions of dollars’ worth of armaments that have been shipped to Ukraine in the previous year. But the administration had been reluctant to detail its work on that front due to concerns about the state of the conflict and fears it might tip off would-be smugglers to potential evasion techniques.
The State Department issued a statement saying, “As in any crisis, we remain vigilant to the risk that criminal and non-state actors may seek to smuggle weapons from sources in Ukraine, including members of the Russian military, during or after the fight. The process of accounting involves the departments of State, Defense, and Commerce.
The three-prong plan includes short-, medium- and longer-term initiatives to bolster U. S.
and Ukrainian control over transferred equipment, especially more sophisticated missile systems and anti-aircraft weaponry, as well as to strengthen border and aviation security in Ukraine to fight against the misuse of weapons and stop potential arms trafficking, it said.
According to the State Department, the rapid growth of small arms, transportable air defence systems, and anti-tank weaponry like Javelins on the black market appears to be being slowed down so far by Ukraine’s fierce desire for weapons on the battlefield.
It claimed that the biggest issue was Russian forces seizing weaponry as they advanced, and it issued a warning that Moscow may use the weapons to create countermeasures or launch false-flag operations.
The strategy asks for greater efforts to prevent and stop the trafficking of weapons, increased border security, and improved accountability mechanisms.
Additionally, more cutting-edge armaments are travelling to Ukraine.
U. S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters Thursday that he expects the U. S.
will train troops on the highly anticipated cutting-edge NASAM air defence systems before delivering them to Ukraine early next month. Two of the medium-range surface-to-air missile systems were scheduled to be sent to Ukraine by the U.S. soon. According to him, air defence continues to be Ukraine’s most important capacity at the moment.
The latest package of aid being announced Friday, according to officials, will be done under presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons from its own stock and quickly ship them to Ukraine.
Since the start of the conflict on February 24 in Ukraine, the United States has sent roughly $18 billion in guns and other equipment, including the latest $275 million.
The assistance comes as Ukrainian troops battle to encircle Kherson in the south and assault Russia’s stronghold on the west bank of the Dnieper River, which separates the area and the nation. Authorities designated by Moscow are reportedly leaving the city, joining the tens of thousands of citizens who have already escaped to other regions controlled by Russia.
Tara Copp, an Associated Press writer, contributed to this article.
US will provide Ukraine with extra military help at $275 million.
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