US may give Ukraine new weapons because of russia's possible attack on Kyiv – Politico
The United States is considering expanding its support for Ukraine amid concerns among the Ukrainian military that russia may try to retake Kyiv in January.
Politico reported this, citing six interviewees familiar with this issue, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In addition to sending the Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine, the administration is considering, among other things, direct-guided munitions kits that turn unguided aerial munitions into "smart" bombs and small-scale land-based bombs of small diameter, which will significantly increase the impact range, according to two US officials and another person familiar with the matter.
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On December 15, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said that, in his opinion, russia is mobilizing 200,000 new troops and may try to capture Kyiv as early as January.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday that russian mobilization efforts and recent movement of heavy weaponry suggest Moscow may be preparing for a large-scale offensive in January and February.
"Kyiv's pleas for help are increasing in urgency as its battlefield gains stall, and Moscow continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. Russia has destroyed half of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the United Nations reports, with regular blackouts and power cuts leaving millions without electricity just as winter sets in," the publication says.
Also, on December 15, the Pentagon announced that it is expanding the training of the Ukrainian military at the US base in Germany. The US military is currently training several hundred Ukrainians. The new plan would expand that to about 500 soldiers a month, and training would include coordinating infantry maneuvers with artillery support.
