U.S. pronounces new $600 million assist bundle for Ukraine to spice up counteroffensive

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon introduced a brand new $600 million bundle of long-term assist to Ukraine on Thursday, offering funding for an array of weapons and different gear only a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the nation and pledged $1 billion in new army and humanitarian assist.

The Defense Department stated the newest bundle will come via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which supplies cash for long-term contracts for weapons techniques that should be constructed or modified by protection corporations.

Included within the assist is funding for gear to maintain and combine Ukraine’s air protection techniques, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), artillery rounds, digital warfare and counter-electronic warfare gear, demolition munitions and mine-clearing gear, in addition to for coaching and upkeep.

The assist comes because the Biden administration works to indicate its continued assist for Ukraine’s three-month-old counteroffensive, as troops attempt to break via Russian defenses and clear huge mine fields. Some allies have quietly expressed considerations in regards to the slow-moving offensive, whereas others say Ukraine has made some progress and has efficiently used air defenses to knock down Russian missiles.

Blinken, on a visit to Kyiv on Wednesday, introduced that the Pentagon will present about $175 million for weapons that shall be pulled from Pentagon shares and a further $100 million in grants to permit the Ukrainians to buy arms and gear.

In addition, he introduced the U.S. will ship practically $805 million in non-arms-related assist to Ukraine, together with $300 million for legislation enforcement, $206 million in humanitarian assist, $203 million to fight corruption and $90.5 million for eradicating mines, the State Department stated. That bundle additionally included a beforehand introduced $5.4 million switch to Ukraine of frozen belongings from Russian oligarchs.