Washington readies new package of military assistance to Ukraine worth $2.5 billion

The Pentagon has announced a new package of military assistance to Ukraine, Reuters said.

The package includes:

• 59 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles with 590 TOW anti-tank missiles and 90 Stryker armoured personnel carriers;
• 53 armoured vehicles with MRAP mine protection;
• 350 highly mobile HMMWV (Humvee) multi-purpose wheeled vehicles;
• 12 special vehicles for transporting ammunition;
• 6 command and staff vehicles;
• 22 tractors for towing weapons.

The latest package of US military aid to Ukraine amounted to $2.5 billion.

In addition, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive:

• 8 Avenger air defence systems;
• munitions for NASAMS air defence systems;
• missiles for HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems;
• 95,000 and 20,000 artillery shells of 105 and 155 mm caliber, respectively;
• 600 high-precision 155 mm artillery shells;
• almost 12,000 mines of 120 mm caliber;
• 2,000 anti-tank missiles, as well as more than three million rounds of ammunition.

The latest package does not include US Abrams main battle tanks. Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said there was no point in supplying Abrams tanks yet as it would be highly complicated to maintain those tanks in Ukraine.

On January 15, it was reported that the UK would soon supply 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. A squadron of 14 tanks will be sent to Ukraine after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide additional support. Subsequently, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverley specified that in addition to Challenger tanks, London would supply Ukraine with more than 200 pieces of other armoured vehicles.