MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - The United States has announced a significant new package of weapons and equipment to support the Ukrainian military meet its critical security and defense needs.
This includes the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown Authority package valued up to $150 million to provide Ukraine with key capabilities, including additional air defense interceptors; artillery and other fires, and anti-tank weapons.
This is the seventh security assistance package the President is authorizing to help Ukraine since signing the national security supplemental two months ago. 'We will move this new assistance as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine's defense of its territory and its people,' Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
The capabilities in the PDA package include missiles for HAWK air defense systems, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, 81mm mortar rounds, Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles, Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems, small arms ammunition and grenades, demolitions equipment and munitions, tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment, tactical air navigation systems and aircraft support equipment, night vision devices, and spare parts, maintenance, and other field and ancillary equipment. This support will also help strengthen Ukraine's air defenses against Russian attacks and reinforce Ukraine's capabilities across the front lines, Blinken said.
In addition, the Department of Defense is announcing a significant package of air defense interceptors using approximately $2.2 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds. This funding will be used to purchase interceptors for PATRIOT and NASAMS air defense systems for Ukraine.
As previously announced, the Biden Administration plans to accelerate delivery of these munitions by re-sequencing upcoming Foreign Military Sales deliveries for Ukraine. As a result, Ukraine will be provided with the interceptors it urgently needs to protect its people and critical infrastructure against Russia's aerial attacks, the Pentagon said in a press release.
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