US to announce new $1.1 bln arms package to Ukraine, includes HIMARS
Washington is about to announce a $1.1 billion arms package to Kiev as it eyes the results of referendums that took place in regions eastern Ukraine.
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Ukrainian forces receive Javelin anti-tank missiles in U.S. military support package for Kiev, at the Boryspil International Airport outside Kiev, Ukraine, on 10/Feb/2022. (Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters file).
In a report released on Monday, Reuters cited unnamed American officials that disclosed that while Washington is keeping a close eye on the results of the referendums in eastern Ukraine, a new $1.1 billion fund will be announced soon by the US administration for a new package of weapons designated to Ukraine.
The report comes less than a day after the results of the referenda on the accession of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions to Russia, have been announced on Tuesday by Moscow, stating that the results will be decided upon on October the 4th.
NATO countries condemned the referenda, according to a statement revealed last Thursday.
According to the sources, the new arms aid will include technical support and training, several types of drones and radar systems, as well as HIMAR systems with their ammunition and other spare parts.
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The new fund will be allocated from the USAI - Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative - which provides Biden with the ability to purchase the arms supplies directly from the industry providers rather than US military weapons stocks.
This report comes a few days after the US announced $457.5 million “in funding for Ukrainian law enforcement," not to mention billions for immediate military supplies to Ukrainian nationals.
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Since the start of the war, the US has given Ukraine $15.8 billion for "security assistance", which includes a package worth $600 million in early September. Additionally, the White House asked Congress for $13.7 billion for "security and economic assistance" for Ukraine.
The US has not only been giving money and arms to Ukraine, as a senior official in the US Department of Defense said earlier this month that his country was closely engaged with Ukraine's armed forces ahead of their Kharkov counteroffensive, providing Kiev's military with intelligence in the buildup to the operation.
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