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The US Department of Defense announced, on 12 December, an additional security assistance package to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defence needs.
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The Biden Administration’s 53rd tranche of equipment to be provided from DOD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021 includes additional air defence equipment, artillery ammunition, anti-tank weapons, and other weaponry worth around US$200 million.
Specific systems to be delivered include AIM-9M air defence missiles, air defence system components, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) ammunition, 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, high-speed anti-radiation missiles, TOW missiles, Javelin and AT-4 anti-armour systems, obstacle clearing demolitions, more than 4 million rounds of small arms ammunition, equipment to protect critical national infrastructure as well as spare parts, generators, maintenance, and other ancillary equipment.
America’s commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression is unshakable, according to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III.
“Ukraine’s fight for freedom is one of the great causes of our time. And the United States is proud to stand with you. And, make no mistake about it, Ukraine matters profoundly to America’s security and to the trajectory of global security in the 21st century,” Austin said, speaking in Washington earlier this month.
“The capabilities from our coalition are making a crucial difference on the battlefield. Ukraine has taken back more than half of the territory grabbed by Russia since February 2022.
“If we do not stand up to the Kremlin’s aggression today, if we do not deter other would-be aggressors, we will only invite more aggression, more bloodshed and more chaos.”
He further rallied against a “badly weakened” Russian military.
“The Russian military has been badly weakened,” Austin said.
“You know, Putin tried to demoralise the Ukrainian people. Instead, Putin demoralised the Russian military.
“So together with our allies and partners, we are determined to help Ukraine consolidate and extend its battlefield gains and to build a future force that can ward off Russian aggression in the years ahead.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Dr King once said that, ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.’
“We are living in just such a time, and we must all decide on where we stand. So, we are determined to help Ukraine fight to defend its territory and its citizens.
“We are determined to deter Russia from any further aggression – including against our NATO allies. And we are determined to show the world that America will not flinch in our defence of freedom.”
