Preliminary plans circulates among government officials and deputies in Washington also included Mi-17 helicopters, howitzer guns, coastal defense drones and protective suits guard personnel in in event of chemical, biological, or nuclear attack, officials said, although they warned they would not immediately clear I fell of those items will end up in in final to help package.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby declined to comment. On Tuesday evening, after the publication of this article, another American defense official Russian said-made helicopters will not be included.
Perspective new Delivery, first It is reported by Reuters. on upper of in more over $2.4 billion in US security assistance provided to Ukraine after President Biden took office last year, including $1.7 billion. in assistance since Russia began its invasion Feb 24
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and his administration issued a statement for more modern weapons to counter the Russian militarytechnological advantages. Ukraine military did not live up to initial expectations and put up fierce resistance, already staff off bloody, weekly assault on the capital of Kyiv, the purpose of which was to overthrow the Zelensky administration. As a result, Russia changed its goals, consolidating its offensive on key cities in south and in East.
Ukrainian defense minister Alexey Reznikov spoke with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on On Tuesday, Kirby told reporters during news briefing at the Pentagon. The discussion was part of “constant dialogue and conversation” between two officials and focused in part on weapons and other assistance provided to Ukraine. Additional details were not disclosed, but Reznikov wrote on Twitter earlier this week that Ukraine is looking for more drones. air-defense systems, artillery, armored vehicles vehicles, combat aircraft and anti-ship missiles.
Some of expected weapon in in next package are new Ukrainian troops and will likely need training before they can be used in combat. BUT senior US defense officialSpeaker on condition of underground anonymity rules set the Pentagon, told reporters on Tuesday that the Biden administration is willing to do so if it meets specific needs. for Ukraine.
The US and its allies are throwing weapons at Ukraine for weeks with the United States alone sends eight to ten flights of military help to neighboring countries everyday, senior US defense official said. These supplies are then moved via land convoy to Ukraine, which determines how and where gear gets spread.
As of On Tuesday, the Pentagon was close to completing Delivery of in last items in $800 million security assistance package endorsed by Biden on March 16 and $100 million set of shipments approved last a week, senior defense official said. The more package included Switchblade drones that can be armed with explosives and anti-targets, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank weapons, including Javelin missiles. package approved last the week included additional javelins, following a request from Ukraine as preparations progressed for updated Russian offensive in East.
“These items don’t sit for long, senior defense official said. “After they get to the transfer sites, they are stacked on pallets and stacked on trucks, these trucks are picked up up Ukrainian armed forces and taken to Ukraine.”
Ukrainian officials also started dating with US defense firms to see how otherwise they could improve their defenses. AT one a recent example, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova, met last week with representatives of General Atomics, manufacturer of “Reaper and Predator drones,” said company spokesman K. Mark Brinkley.
Brinkley said on Tuesday that the company “currently study of options” for supporting Ukraine, what will require from the United States government OK.
“We have airplanes available Now for immediate handover,” Brinkley said. “WITH support from the US government, these planes can be in arms of Ukrainian military pilots in question of days.”
Such a transfer, Brinkley said, would empower Ukraine. ability conduct aerial reconnaissance of in battlefield and provide “very lethal strike capabilities not available” to smaller drones. Ukrainian pilots already familiar with drone operations will not “start from scratch” in education how fly them, he said.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, Markarova acknowledged that she met with Representatives of General Atomics.
“Together with our teamwe discussed with General Atomics perspective of capacity increase of Military establishment of Ukraine and current situation in Ukraine,” she said.
When asked what equipment she requested of company, press secretary Markarova declined clarify by stating that Ukraine would prefer to “surprise Russia on in battlefield”.
General Atomics supplies US Air Force with Reaper and the US Army with Gray eagle, upgraded version of Predator that was widely used by the USA military in Iraq and Afghanistan.
John Hudson contributed to this report.
