The Department of Defense announced a new $400 million military aid package designated to Ukraine through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters about the new set of aid on Friday, saying it “represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional priority capabilities to Ukraine.”
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The United States is joined by the Netherlands in paying for 45 Czech T-72B tanks to be refurbished, which will be delivered to the Ukrainians. The aid also includes 1,100 Phoenix Ghost tactical unmanned aerial systems, 40 armored riverine boats, funding to refurbish Hawk air defense missiles, and 250 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles, among other things.
President Joe Biden and his administration have committed more than $18.2 billion since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, and that total is just under $19 billion when looking at the amount of security assistance since the beginning of the administration.
“Broadly speaking … our provision of weapons and capabilities to Ukraine has evolved since the very beginning of the war back in February because the needs on the battlefield have evolved. Right now, there’s a heavy focus, appropriately so, on air defense,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “I am thankful to the people for another $400 million military assistance package, for armored vehicles that will help us liberate Ukrainian land. We appreciate this continued support!”
His public display of gratitude comes less than a week after it was reported that Biden “lost his temper” with Zelensky, telling the Ukrainian leader that Americans had given generously to the war against Russia as Zelensky urged more support from Washington, according to NBC.
The latest assistance came a week after its last one, which was valued at roughly $275 million. This aid did not include any significant new weapons, but it does include additional ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, 500 precision guided 155 mm artillery rounds, 2,000 155 mm rounds of remote anti-armor mine systems, more than 1,300 anti-armor systems, 2.75 million rounds of small arms ammunition, four satellite communications antennas, and 125 Humvees.
The situation in Kherson is the most significant. The region has been under Russian control since shortly after the invasion began in late February and is considered a strategically important location due to its proximity to Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin urged civilians in the occupied region to leave on Friday as Russian forces consider withdrawing from the area.
“We continue to see that the Ukrainians are making some incremental progress in the south. The lines, if you will, have been pretty well static over the last few days, not much movement,” Kirby added.
