The United States has announced an additional security assistance package worth up to $300 million that contains key capabilities to arm Ukraine against Russian airstrikes targeting critical infrastructure across the country.<\/p>\n
This will be the 39th drawdown of equipment from the Department of Defense inventories using presidential drawdown authorities. <\/p>\n
Announcing the latest tranche of Washington’s military assistance to Ukraine, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said, “We will use that package that we’re announcing today to provide Ukraine with additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems, which Ukraine has been deploying quite effectively, as well as more Avenger air defense systems, Stinger anti-aircraft systems, and ammunition, of course, for the HIMARS, artillery, and anti-armor systems that the United States continues to provide to Ukraine.”<\/p>\n
“Russia has continued to wage a brutal, completely unprovoked war against Ukraine, launching yet more airstrikes and bombarding Ukrainian cities across the country,” Kirby added during a briefing at the White House. <\/p>\n
Russia’s recent onslaught included 17 separate air assaults targeting Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in May alone. Those attacks harmed civilians and hit critical civilian infrastructure, Kirby said. <\/p>\n
“In response, the United States is going to continue to help give them things that they need to better defend themselves,” he told reporters. <\/p>\n
The U.S. security assistance package also includes anti-tank weapons, tens of millions of rounds of small arms munitions, and other field equipment essential to strengthening Ukraine’s forces on the battlefield.<\/p>\n
The Biden administration has committed more than $37.6 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion in February 2022. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military said it shot down all 10 Russian missiles fired at Kyiv overnight. Three people were killed by falling debris, including a 9-year-old girl and her mother, as they tried to enter a bomb shelter that was closed. <\/p>\n