US announces $820M in Ukraine aid, including missile systems

The US has provided more than $8.8 billion in weapons and other military training to Ukraine since August

By AP

Published: Fri 1 Jul 2022, 11:24 PM

The US announced on Friday that it will provide Ukraine with $820 million in new military aid, including new surface-to-air missile systems and counter-artillery radars to respond to Russia’s heavily reliance on long-range strikes in the war.

The Pentagon said it would also provide the Ukrainians with up to 150,000 rounds of 155-millimetre artillery ammunition.

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This is the 14th package of military weapons and equipment transferred to Ukraine from Defence Department stocks since August 2021. All told, the US has provided more than $8.8 billion in weapons and other military training to Ukraine.

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As part of the new package, the US will purchase two systems known as NASAMS, a Norwegian-developed anti-aircraft system that is also used to protect the airspace around the White House and Capitol in Washington.

The Pentagon will also provide additional ammunition for medium-range rocket systems it provided Ukraine in June, known as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS.

The war launched by Russia in February has evolved into a grinding stalemate in which both sides are heavily reliant on artillery, according to Western officials and analysts. While Russia has not achieved its initial goals of toppling Ukraine’s government, it is believed to be making slow progress to consolidate control over the eastern Ukrainian region known as the Donbas.