Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian troops promises to be a long one, and kyiv’s allies are preparing for it. In this context, the United States has just announced a new $1.3 billion military aid plan for Ukraine.
In a press release, the Pentagon details this new plan that is part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). It includes four surface-to-air missile systems (NASAMS), 152mm shells, mine clearance equipment, Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade kamikaze drones, port security equipment and secure communication systems. It also includes a large stock of ammunition and vehicles for transporting materials and fuel.
Therefore, this new help will not be delivered as quickly as usual. Not being taken from US Army stock, orders will need to be placed and production started with the companies involved.
Cluster bombs for demining
This announcement is aimed at supporting the Ukrainian army’s counter-offensive which could prove to be “difficult and long” and last “for a long time,” Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, said on Wednesday. To carry out these military operations, it requires 200 to 300 tanks, 60 to 80 US F-16 combat planes and a dozen anti-aircraft defense systems.
According to Mykhailo Podolyak, the main difficulty of this counteroffensive is “the depth of the minefields.” Laid up for months by the Russian army, they stretch over “four to ten kilometers”. To clear these lands without risking the lives of the soldiers, Joe Biden announced at the recent NATO summit in Vilnius that he was sending cluster bombs.
Since the invasion of Russia on February 24, 2022, US aid to Ukraine has totaled $29.8 billion.
Source: BFM TV
