Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
The United States has announced a $275 million military aid package for Ukraine as the war continues to intensify.
What’s the deal: In a release by the Pentagon, the United States revealed the military aid package for Ukraine, which the US says is intended to help Ukraine bolster its defenses against Russia. The package includes a wide range of weaponry, ammunition, and equipment designed to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs, such as artillery shells, drones, and advanced missile systems. This aid is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to distribute the remaining $9 billion in security funds allocated for Ukraine, of which $7.1 billion must be delivered in the next two months before the presidential transition.
What Ukraine is receiving:
- Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
- 155mm and 105mm artillery shells.
- 60mm and 81mm mortar rounds.
- Unmanned aerial systems (drones).
- Tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missiles.
- Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems.
- Small arms and associated ammunition.
- Demolition equipment and explosives.
- Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protective gear.
- Spare parts, support equipment, training, and transportation services.
Big policy shift: Notably, this package comes after the US lifted a long-standing ban on providing anti-personnel land mines (APLs) to Ukraine. The ban, implemented initially under President Barack Obama, prohibited the use or transfer of APLs except in South Korea due to their indiscriminate danger to civilians and the long-term risks posed by unexploded mines. The Biden administration reversed this policy in response to shifting battlefield dynamics. According to the Pentagon, the mines being provided are “non-persistent,” meaning they deactivate after a set period, and Ukraine has committed to deploying them responsibly to minimize civilian harm.
What US officials are saying: When asked by reporters in Laos about why the US was providing APLs to Ukraine, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, “What we’ve seen most recently is because the Russians have been so unsuccessful in the way that they have been fighting they’ve kind of changed their tactics a bit and they don’t lead with their mechanized forces anymore. They lead with dismounted forces who are able to close in and do things to kind of pave the way for mechanized forces.”
He added, “We provided them anti-tank mines from the very beginning. And because of the way that the fight has evolved, this is just another — another stage here. But again, our focus is to help them is to — to meet their needs and they’ve asked for these. And — and so I think it’s a good idea to provide them.”
