The Biden administration is
sending more drones, ammunition and armored vehicles to aid Ukraine in its
fight against Russia’s invasion, as Ukraine continues to find ways to hit
Russia with long-range missiles.
The latest package that the
Pentagon is announcing totals $775 million and includes: 16 Howitzer
systems, 1,000 Javelin systems that hammered Russian armor, as well as an
undisclosed number of HARM missiles that go after radar systems.
Also included are 15 ScanEagle
drones, a low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle made by Boeing, as well as 40
MRAPS, tactical vehicles intended to withstand improvised explosive devices.
The drones can be used for
surveillance and can be launched using a pneumatic launcher without the need
for an airfield.
“These capabilities have been
carefully calibrated to make the most difference on the battlefield and
strengthen Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table,” Secretary of State
Antony Blinken said in a statement announcing the package.
The package also
includes 2,000 anti-armor rounds as Ukraine tries to continue hitting
Russian tanks and prepares for a possible offensive to try to reverse Russian
territorial gains.
There were explosions Thursday
night near bases in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine and in Russia, as
Ukrainian forces improve their ability to carry out long-range strikes.
That came after massive
explosions in Crimea, a strategically important area that Russia captured from
Ukraine in 2014.
