Ukraine is getting more vital aid from the United States in the form of a £400 million weapons shipment as it continues to take the fight to Russia and Vladimir Putin’s troops.
The boost will include equipment and training for Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces, and ammunition for its High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systemes (HIMARS).
The HIMARS, previously provided by the US, have a range of up to 50 miles and are considered most effective for attacking stationary targets, such as infrastructure and troops in a concentrated area.
They have already been used to hit targets in eastern Ukraine and are called the “backbone against Russian aggression”.
HIMARS are mounted onto the backs of trucks and can carry different types of ammunition, such as the devastating Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) with a range of 186 miles.
Ukraine currently has at least 39 HIMARS after receiving the first one in June 2022.
This time, they will also get unmanned aerial systems, counter-drone systems, high-speed anti-radiation missiles, armoured and light tactical vehicles, and small arms munitions.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the latest wave of aid to Ukraine on Thursday, marking the next step of “urgently needed weapons” laid out by Joe Biden three months ago.
The September package was valued at a staggering £2 billion and out in place “ensure Ukraine has the tools it needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression”.
Blinken said: “As part of the surge in security assistance that President Biden announced on September 26, the US is providing another significant package of urgently needed weapons and equipment to our Ukrainian partners as they defend against Russia’s ongoing attacks.
“The US and more than 50 nations stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression.”
Zelensky thanked the US for the “perfect” weapons during a visit to troops near the city of Zaporizhia in southeastern Ukraine on Thursday.
He said: “Our guys are very open about these systems and are extremely grateful to the US for providing them. HIMARS is a prime example of perfect, high-precision, effective and reliable American weapons.”
This latest shipment will allow Ukraine to continue launching cluster munitions and precision-strike rockets at Russian troops and military targets.
