US announces new US$150 million military aid package for Ukraine
The US has announced the allocation of the new US$150 million military aid package for Ukraine on Thursday, 26 October, as reported in the statement by Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State.
Source: European Pravda
Details: Blinken remarked that air defence systems, as well as artillery, anti-tank and other systems, which "will increase Ukraine’s capability to protect its territory from the Russian offensive actions continuing the counteroffensive against the Russian forces" will be included in the new package.
This aid package is 49th within the framework of the Presidential Drawdown Authority mechanism since February 2022. Thanks to it, the Ukrainian military receives the equipment from American storages.
The Pentagon specified that the military aid package includes:
- additional projectiles for the NASAMS air defence systems, AIM-9M missiles for air defence, Stinger MANPADS;
- projectiles for HIMARS systems;
- 155 mm and 105 mm artillery shells;
- anti-tank TOW missiles and Javelin anti-tank missile launchers;
- two million rounds for small arms;
- night vision devices;
- explosives;
- winter equipment and components and other auxiliary equipment.
Background:
- The latest American military aid package was announced on 11 October at the Ukraine’s Defence Contact Group meeting (Ramstein format); it was worth US$200 million.
- Total amount of US security aid for Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion has been about US$44 billion.
- Meanwhile, the Pentagon still has about US$5 billion of funding for the military aid for Ukraine, approved by the Congress, due to a mistake in assessment of the equipment detected this summer.
- Amid the resistance of radical Republicans who oppose the support of Kyiv by armament supplies, the White House turned to the Congress with the request for almost US$105 billion for financing the aid for Ukraine, Israel and the security of the US borders in a single package on 20 October.
- This budget request to the US Congress provides for about US$61.4 billion for Ukraine, out of which US$46.1 billion are defence spendings, and US$11.8 billion – direct budget support.
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