WASHINGTON – The United States (US) announced yesterday a new round of security assistance to Ukraine that included advanced anti-aircraft and aerial defence systems, as well as additional ammunition for advanced rocket systems.
Totalling US$820 million (RM3.613 bil), the new weapons will come in two parts, according to an announcement from Defence Department.
US$50 million worth of aid, of which additional ammunition for the high mobility artillery rocket systems is included, will be drawn from the presidential drawdown authority which authorises President Joe Biden to directly tap into existing US weapons inventories, Xinhua reported.
The remaining US$770 million falls under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, through which the US government contracts with arms manufacturers to make weapons for Ukraine.
In this part, US will provide Ukraine with two national advanced surface-to-air missile systems, 150,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition for the howitzers, and four counter-artillery radars, the Pentagon said.
US has now committed US$6.9 billion of security assistance to Ukraine since Russia launched the special military operation on February 24 and a total of US$7.6 billion since the start of Biden’s administration. – Bernama, July 2, 2022
