The Biden administration approved an additional $725 million in security aid for Ukraine on Friday. The decision marked the 23rd time the administration has sent aid to the country since August 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Key quote: “We will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence with extraordinary courage and boundless determination,” said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in a statement. “The capabilities we are delivering are carefully calibrated to make the most difference on the battlefield for Ukraine.”
What’s in the aid package? The Department of Defense states that the aid package includes up to $725 million worth of equipment and weaponry, including:
- “Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems
- 23,000 155mm artillery rounds
- 500 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds
- 5,000 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine Systems
- 5,000 anti-tank weapons
- High-speed Anti-radiation missiles
- More than 200 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles
- Small arms and more than 2,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition
- Medical supplies”
More details: The new round of aid comes days after Ukraine suffered a series of missile attacks and air strikes from Russia. The attacks resulted in the fall of a Crimean bridge and the death of several people, as the Deseret News previously reported.
- Since Russia’s invasion in February, the U.S. has sent approximately $17.6 billion dollars in aid to Ukraine.
- The aid was approved during a gathering of defense ministers from around 50 countries for the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. The meeting was held in Brussels from Wednesday to Friday.
- “To meet Ukraine’s evolving battlefield requirements, the United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with key capabilities,” the Department of Defense stated.
Medics help injured woman after after a drone fired on buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022.
Efrem Lukatsky, Associated Press