The Ukrainian military's move to "hollow out" the invading Russian army and retake its territory comes in the form of a new US$775 million security assistance package. You will be boosted in no time.
On Friday, the Pentagon announced a complete package of more ammunition for Ukraine's 16 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems and bullets (the 19th from the United States in the past year). ) is ready. Anti-radar missile and mine clearance capabilities.
"These are the capabilities that are enhancing the mobility of Ukrainians, especially in view of this very difficult environment in southern Ukraine," a senior defense official told reporters on condition of anonymity. rice field. pentagon.
"This continues our tradition of giving Ukrainians what they need when they need it," the official said, adding, "This is not the end."
At the heart of the latest package is more precision ammunition for Ukraine's HIMARS, known as the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), which has a range of up to about 70 kilometers. .
US officials integrate and deploy the system as a game changer by allowing Ukrainian forces to attack Russian command and control posts and supply depots far behind the front lines. Repeatedly describes Ukraine's capabilities.
"We have seen Ukraine take advantage of her HIMARS," a senior defense official told reporters. "This long-range fire capability has changed the dynamics on the battlefield. It really has." Also included are 15 Scan Eagle drones to assist the Ukrainian military in targeting, and High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM) used by Ukrainian fighter aircraft. A jet that "seeks and destroys Russian radar".
Another component of the new aid package will be 1,000 launch tube launches, known as 1,000 TOW missiles, optically tracked, radio-guided missiles, and 1,000 Javelin missiles. It is an anti-armor missile intended to enhance Ukraine's anti-armor capabilities. rifle bullet.
Officials said the US would also provide 50 more Humvees and demining equipment and systems, including 40 MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles known as MRAPs.
This latest U.S. aid package comes less than three weeks after the Pentagon announced a $1 billion security assistance package for Ukraine and marks the end of the U.S. Total security assistance will be about $10.6 billion.
Yet Ukrainian officials have repeatedly called on the United States and other Western countries to supply more weapons systems more quickly. Up to 300 km.
"We hope that a political decision will be made to provide ATACMS," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told VOA's Ukrainian Service on Monday. "This also allows us to save more lives of our soldiers, men and women, and to inflict very successful damage."
``Today, the modern world guarantees our victory and eliminates the imbalance of human resources [between Russia and Ukraine]. We can easily provide technology to compensate," he said.
The United States has so far refused to provide long-range weapons systems despite Ukraine's promise not to use US systems to attack Russian territory. Officials say the Ukrainian military has been successful with the aid it has already received.
We are doing it," a senior U.S. defense official said on Friday, calling the cost to Russia "significant."
"We are seeing the hollowing out of the Russian military in Ukraine, but that will have implications for long-term sustainability," the official said.
Nonetheless, officials acknowledged that weakened Russian forces have prevented Ukraine from regaining land currently under Russian occupation. We haven't seen any major recaptures," the official said.
