US announces $2.5B security assistance package to Ukraine

The U.S. Department of Defense announced the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs.

"This authorization, which is valued at up to $2.5 billion, is the Biden Administration's thirtieth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. It contains hundreds of armored vehicles, critical support for Ukraine's air defense, and other important capabilities," reads the press release published by the U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday evening.

In particular, the assistance package contains eight Avenger air defense systems, additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), 59 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) with 590 TOW anti-tank missiles and 295,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition, 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers (APCs) with 20 mine rollers, 53 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), 350 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs), additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 20,000 155mm artillery rounds, approximately 600 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds, dozens of vehicles, 2,000 anti-armor rockets, over 3,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, and other equipment.

"The Kremlin's most recent air attacks against Ukraine's critical infrastructure again demonstrate the devastating impact of Russia's brutal war in Ukraine," the Pentagon underscored.

In this context, it is noted that additional NASAMS munitions and Avenger air defense systems are to help Ukraine counter a range of short and medium range threats and bolster Ukraine's layered air defense. Moreover, it is pointed out that the provided IFVs and APCs will enable Ukraine to form two brigades of armored capability.