The Biden administration announced on Wednesday a new $300 million weapons package for Ukraine that includes Stinger anti-aircraft systems and ammunition for Patriot air defenses and the HIMARS rocket systems.
The arms are being sent to Ukraine using the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the US to ship weapons directly from Pentagon stockpiles. The funds for the equipment are being drawn from what Congress has already authorized for spending on the war, which at this point totals $113 billion.
The most recent Ukraine aid bill was worth $45 billion and passed through Congress in December. The money is expected to run out by the end of the summer, meaning the White House could ask Congress to authorize more soon, although the Pentagon recently claimed an “error” overvalued some arms it sent to Ukraine, potentially freeing up more funds.
According to the Pentagon, the new $300 million aid package includes the following:
- Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems
- AIM-7 missiles for air defense
- Avenger air defense systems
- Stinger anti-aircraft systems
- Additional ammunition for HIMARS
- 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds
- 105mm tank ammunition
- Precision aerial munitions
- Zuni aircraft rockets
- Munitions for Unmanned Aerial Systems
- AT-4 anti-armor systems
- Over 30 million rounds of small arms ammunition
- Mine clearing equipment and systems
- Demolition munitions for obstacle clearing
- Night vision devices
- Spare parts, generators, and other field equipment
The Pentagon also released a fact sheet on Wednesday detailing the weapons it has sent to Ukraine. So far, the US has publicly pledged over $37.6 billion in military equipment for Kyiv since Russia launched its invasion last year.
Gotta help the Nazis …
There is simply no way of knowing how much of this weaponry will be destroyed soon after it arrives in Ukraine, or how much of it will be sold on the black market. Suffice to say, the biggest shortage that Ukraine seems to be facing is boots on the ground as they seem to have a life span of just a few hours after being thrown at the Russian meat grinder. There will be no Ukrainian “spring offensive” because of this.
Yeah, the terrorist regime is openly hunting males for the meat grinder. But average lifespan is a little longer than few hours. Few month since Ukrainians are made of harder stuff. Average lifespan for any Anglo-American merc in Ukraine is few weeks. For me it’s always a pleasure to hear news about some dead imperial merc. English mercs in Ukraine in particular because this is the most cowardly ‘warriors’ ever. Even American mercs don’t whine as much about ‘hard’ conditions.
And your military genius has determined what you wrote to be true?
Seems like the Ukrainians have up to 12 new strike brigades (5-8 thousand pairs of “boots-on-the-ground” in each) and the Russians have been attrited down to mobiks and prisoners. Each Ukrainian brigade is kitted out with Western tanks. The Russian T-55s that will go up against them should do fine.
So, what are they waiting for?
The right moment when the battlefield has been properly prepared. As you might have picked up on there are shaping strikes taking place since the Ukrainians received Storm Shadow – taking out resupply depots and force concentrations is important to do before any offensive.
So Ukraine getting this increased range capacity likely postponed the start of the offensive as doing so can significantly lower the expected losses.
These announcements are so frequent and involve whatever they are low on it’s almost like we are just getting routine resupply efforts dressed up as “new” arms packages that our gallant politicians are providing and we should give them brownie points for.
Those patriots will get used up quickly defending against stuff that costs a tenth of each patriot missle as Ukraine fights to standstill.
I am going to make a wild prediction (I hope not) here. If the Kremlin is hit again to the deaths of many, or Sevastopol is hit, where ever the missile(s) came from will be hit. Heavily. It will be on.
Why not now?
“OOOH! It’s not on YET, but YOU MADE THEM MAD and if you DO IT AGAIN, why THEN it will be ON!” — Every “Russia is still a significant military power” fantasist, every time anyone’s broken wind in the general direction of anything Russian, for the last 15 months.
Just because Kremlin or Beijing have no desire to step into your filth doesn’t mean they are incapable. Just smarter.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/663bae44f0aa4e86a51d3cf00b670446780edb2298a332c6e750bea9109623d9.jpg
It’s like filling a bathtub without first closing the drain. Russia struck stockpiles in Odessa this week, causing an estimated loss of $1 billion in armored vehicles, missiles, and munitions.
Where did you find the amount lost?
The number was reportedly estimated by the Russian sources in an evaluation of multiple attacks on May 13th. Also mentioned: a warehouse containing 88-HARM missiles, Harpoon missile launchers, 2 HIMARS, 48 armored vehicles, and Ukraine’s last ship – an amphibious assault ship.
Okay, yet we need to recognize figures from multiple events become commingled. A billion sounds about right. Raise the debt ceiling!
Great. So the terrorists in Kiev will get one “patriot” missile, 1 Humvee that doesn’t start, 2 arti shells and some clips for M16s
This “support Ukraine” thang is a tragic comedy.