USA

US to Provide Ukraine up to $200 Million in New Aid

Ukrainian volunteers for the army listen to their commander after a training on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023.

PENTAGON — The United States is providing up to $200 million in additional military aid for Ukraine, two U.S. officials told VOA, in a package that is expected to include more rockets for HIMARS and more munitions for Patriot surface-to-air missile defense systems.

The officials, who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity ahead of the expected release of the package later this week, said the aid also includes mine clearing equipment and anti-tank weapons such as TOW missiles and shoulder-fired AT4s.

The latest aid package will mark the 44th authorized presidential drawdown of military equipment from Defense Department inventories since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Moscow began a renewed offensive in Ukraine earlier this year that has stalled.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has characterized the current counteroffensive against Russian forces as slow but steady, as Ukrainian forces have inserted reserve troops and broken through some elements of Russian forces’ southeastern defensive lines in recent days.