Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin committed Monday to keeping U.S. weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces one of its toughest moments against a renewed assault by Russia. Austin and as many as 50 defense leaders from Europe and around the world were meeting Monday to coordinate more military aid to Ukraine, as Kyiv tries to hold off a Russian offensive in the northeast while launching its own massive assault on the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula.
Quick Read
- Pentagon’s Commitment: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin affirmed the continuous shipment of U.S. weapons to Ukraine amid a fresh Russian assault.
- Global Defense Collaboration: Austin, alongside around 50 defense leaders from various nations, convened to strategize further military support for Ukraine, especially significant as Kyiv counters Russian advances in the northeast and intensifies its operations in Crimea.
- Current Status of Aid: Despite no new aid packages announced on Monday, the movement of previously stalled weaponry has commenced, following recent Congressional approval for funding.
- Russian Military Strategy: Russian President Vladimir Putin has articulated that the offensive in Kharkiv is intended to establish a buffer zone, explicitly stating no plans to seize the city itself.
- Ukrainian Countermeasures: Ukrainian forces are actively engaging Russian troops in Kharkiv while stepping up their offensive in Crimea, targeting military sites along the Black Sea and in Sevastopol.
- Ukrainian Military Mobilization: In response to the ongoing war, Ukraine is implementing measures to bolster troop numbers, including controversial laws to recruit prisoners and increase penalties for draft evasion.
- U.S. Military Assistance: Recent U.S. aid includes $1.4 billion in weapons from Pentagon reserves and a $6 billion commitment through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative for future armaments, which includes advanced systems like HIMARS, Patriot missiles, and various armored vehicles.
- International Contributions: Germany is financing an emergency sale of three HIMARS systems to Ukraine, demonstrating international cooperative efforts to support Ukrainian defense.
- Total U.S. Aid: Since the onset of the conflict in February 2022, the U.S. has provided approximately $50.6 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.
The Associated Press has the story:
Pentagon vows to keep weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces a renewed assault by Russia
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP) —
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin committed Monday to keeping U.S. weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces one of its toughest moments against a renewed assault by Russia.
Austin and as many as 50 defense leaders from Europe and around the world were meeting Monday to coordinate more military aid to Ukraine, as Kyiv tries to hold off a Russian offensive in the northeast while launching its own massive assault on the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula.
“We’re meeting in a moment of challenge,” Austin said, noting that Russia’s new onslaught of Kharkiv showed why the continued commitment by the countries was vital to keep coming. Austin vowed to keep U.S. weapons moving “week after week.”
The U.S. announced no new aid packages Monday, even as Ukrainian forces continue to complain that weapons are just trickling into the country after being stalled for months due to congressional gridlock over funding. Pentagon officials have said that weapons pre-positioned in Europe began moving into Ukraine soon after the aid funding was approved.
It’s unclear how much of that has reached some of the front lines, where Russian troops have intensified their assault.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday during a visit to China that Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region aims to create a buffer zone but that there are no plans to capture the city.
Ukrainian troops have been fighting to halt Russian advances in the Kharkiv region, while also increasing their offensive attacks in Crimea, including on military infrastructure sites on the Black Sea coast and in the Russian-occupied city of Sevastopol.
Ukraine has also struggled to get enough troops to the front lines, as the war drags on into its third year and fighting takes its toll. In an effort to increase troop numbers, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed two laws, allowing prisoners to join the army and increasing fines for draft dodgers fivefold. The controversial mobilization law goes into effect on Saturday.
In the three weeks since President Joe Biden signed the $95 billion foreign aid package, the U.S. has sent $1.4 billion in weapons pulled from Pentagon stockpiles and announced it was providing $6 billion in funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. USAI pays for longer-term contracts with the defense industry and means that the weapons could take many months or years to arrive.
In recent packages the U.S. has agreed to send High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and rockets for them, as well as munitions for Patriot and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, artillery, anti-aircraft and anti-tank munitions, and an array of armored vehicles, such as Bradley and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.
The U.S. is also providing additional coastal and riverine patrol boats, trailers, demolition munitions, high-speed anti-radiation missiles, protective gear, spare parts and other weapons and equipment.
The State Department has also approved a proposed emergency sale of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to Ukraine for an estimated $30 million. State said Ukraine has asked to buy three of the rocket systems, which would be funded by the government of Germany.
The U.S. has now provided about $50.6 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
