Biden: US to send Ukraine advanced weapons
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As the battle for Lugansk rages, Biden says he will send Ukraine more advanced weaponry.
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A US official told reporters that the weapons being sent are Himars
In an opinion piece published by The New York Times, US President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the US will provide Ukraine with more advanced rocket systems and munitions.
Biden had stated on Monday that Washington will not provide Kiev with missile weapons capable of targeting Russian territory.
Days ago, CNN reported that US administration officials had wanted to reveal a fresh package of military supplies to Ukraine, which may include multiple-launch rocket launchers.
According to the report, Kiev has asked the US for MLRS M270 and M142 HIMARS.
However, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby had said that the US has not taken a final decision on supplying its MLRS to Ukraine.
A senior administration official has now told reporters that the US will send M142 HIMARS, which have a range of approximately 77 km. He added that the missiles are part of a weapons package for Ukraine valued at $700 million.
The HIMARS are the centerpiece of this $700 million package that was unveiled today, which includes "Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger antiaircraft missiles, powerful artillery and precision rocket systems, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles, Mi-17 helicopters and ammunition," Biden said in his piece.
Read more: US weapons to Ukraine “in a big black hole” - US official
He also explained that these systems will be used by Ukrainian forces to repel Russian advances, and will not be used in Russian territory.
“We have moved quickly to send Ukraine a significant amount of weaponry and ammunition so it can fight on the battlefield and be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table,” Biden said in his opinion piece, further adding that the US will "continue reinforcing NATO’s eastern flank with forces and capabilities from the United States and other allies."
The US has sent more than $5 billion in military supplies to Ukraine since Biden took office in 2021, according to the senior official.
