Tuesday 16 / April / 2024
Washington: The United States Defence Department on Friday announced another military assistance package worth $275 million for Ukraine. The package includes additional ammunition for high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), 80,000 155 mm artillery rounds and counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems equipment.
In addition, the assistance package announced by the US includes counter-air defence capability, high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs) ambulances and medical equipment, around 150 generators and field equipment. The announcement comes amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. The US Defence Department noted that the United States has provided military assistance worth over $19.3 billion since Russia began its military offensive in Ukraine on February 24.
According to the statement issued by the US Defence Department, the military assistance package will provide Ukraine with new capabilities to bolster its air defence. Notably, the US has been providing military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine ever since Moscow launched aggression in Kyiv.
"This security assistance package will provide Ukraine with new capabilities to boost its air defences in addition to providing critical equipment that Ukraine is using so effectively to defend itself on the battlefield," the US Defence Department said in the press release.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States continues to support Ukraine with military assistance to help the country defend itself against Russia's "brutal and unprovoked assault."
Blinken stated that the latest military package is the 27th drawdown of US arms and equipment for Ukraine since August 2021. He stressed that the US will continue to work with more than 40 allies and partners to support Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the frontline situation remains "very difficult" in Bakhmut, Soledar, Maryinka and Kreminna regions of Donbass, according to the statement released by the Ukrainian President's office. In his video address on December 9, Zelenskyy stressed that there is no living place left in the regions as the places have been damaged by shelling.
"The front-line situation remains very difficult in the key areas of Donbass - Bakhmut, Soledar, Maryinka, Kreminna. For a long time, there is no living place left on the land of these areas that has not been damaged by shells and fire," Zelenskyy said in the video address.
"The occupiers actually destroyed Bakhmut, another Donbas city that the Russian army turned into burnt ruins," he added.
In the video address, Zelenskyy informed about his telephonic conversation with United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The two leaders discussed the situation on the frontline and winter prospects on the battlefield in Ukraine, according to the statement issued by the Ukrainian President's office. He expressed gratitude to Sunak for the support provided to Ukraine.
"I had an important conversation with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today. We coordinated our positions ahead of the summit next week. In fact, this will be the final G7 summit this year, and it will determine the priorities for the next year," Zelenskyy said in the video address.
