- Antony Blinken stated this includes high-precision Himars artillery rockets and howitzers.
- The US is providing tactical bridges ahead of Ukraine’s planned invasion.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that artillery and shells were needed to “stop Russia.”
The United States is increasing military aid to Ukraine by $400 million (£333 million) to replenish ammunition inventories destroyed during the country’s ongoing high-intensity conflict with Russia.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated this includes high-precision Himars artillery rockets and howitzers “which Ukraine is using so effectively”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had stated that artillery and shells were needed to “stop Russia”.
In addition, the US is providing tactical bridges ahead of Ukraine’s planned invasion.
The supply of such equipment, which allows armored vehicles to traverse rivers and ditches, comes as several Ukrainian military officials and analysts have predicted that the operation could begin in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Moscow maintained its months-long assault on Bakhmut on Friday, saying that Russian mercenaries have “practically ringed” the city in the eastern Donetsk region.
Repelled
According to the latest news bulletin from Ukraine’s military, Russian troops are still attempting to encircle the city, although “several attempts have been repelled” in the last 24 hours.
Elsewhere, a partial evacuation was planned on Thursday in Kupiansk, Kharkiv area, which was liberated from Russian occupation last September.
The regional authorities said families with children and people “with limited mobility” should leave due to “constant” shelling by Russian forces.
In a statement on Friday, Mr. Blinken said: “This military assistance package includes more ammunition for US-provided Himars and howitzers, which Ukraine is using so effectively to defend itself”.
He added that Washington would also be sending “ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridges, demolitions munitions and equipment, and other maintenance, training and support”.
Himars were very effective during Ukraine’s major counter-offensive late last year, which took the whole Kharkiv region back under Kyiv’s control.
These victories, along with the freeing of Kherson in the south, were the most important front-line adjustments since Russia’s withdrawal from territories near Kyiv in April.
But, President Zelenskyy on Thursday remarked that “artillery is number one that we need”.
He said that Kyiv would also need “a large number of shells” and warplanes to “evict” Russian forces from Ukrainian land.
Military support to Ukraine was likely to be the main topic of discussion when US President Joe Biden met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington on Friday.
Mr. Biden hailed the German Chancellor for his country’s “unwavering” support for Ukraine.
Mr. Scholz said it was crucial to emphasise that this will continue “as long as it takes and as long as is necessary”.
A number of Ukraine’s Western partners have committed to providing tanks and artillery, but Kyiv insists that this must happen far faster to discourage any Russian invasion.
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