US announces $800m military package for Ukraine. Here’s what it contains
US President Joe Biden has approved an $800 million package of military assistance for Ukraine, including additional helicopters and the first provision of American artillery. The Ukrainians also will receive armoured personnel carriers, armoured Humvees, naval drone vessels used in coastal defence, and gear and equipment used to protect soldiers in chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological attacks.
“This new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems we have already provided and new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement.
The steady supply of weapons the United States and its allies and partners have provided to Ukraine has been critical in sustaining its fight against the Russian invasion, Biden added. “It has helped ensure that [Russia President Vladimir] Putin failed in his initial war aims to conquer and control Ukraine. We cannot rest now,” he said.
Biden announced the aid after a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is the latest in a series of US security assistance packages valued at a combined $2.6 billion that has been committed to Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24.
The weaponry and support material has played an important role in Ukraine’s successful defence thus far.
The Pentagon said the $800 million package includes weapons and equipment that will require some training for a Ukrainian military not fully accustomed to American military technology. US and allied forces had been present inside Ukraine to provide training for eight years before pulling out in advance of Russia’s latest invasion.
The package includes 18 155mm howitzers and 40,000 artillery rounds, 200 M113 armoured personnel carriers, 11 Mi-17 helicopters and 100 armoured multi-purpose vehicles.
The package also has 10 AN/TPQ-3G counter-artillery radars, two AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel air surveillance radars, 300 Switchblade drones and 500 Javelin anti-armour missiles.
Unmanned coastal defence vessels, chemical, biological and nuclear protective equipment, 30,000 sets of body armour and helmets, C-4 explosives and M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel mines will also be delivered to Ukraine.
Among the other items are 11 Soviet-era Mi-17 helicopters that the United States had planned to provide to Afghanistan before Biden last year decided to fully withdraw from the country. They are transport helicopters that also can function in an attack role. The Pentagon previously had sent five Mi-17s to Ukraine.
