U.S. announces new $2.5 bln military aid package for Ukraine

WASHINGTON. Jan 20 (Interfax) - U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized a new military assistance package of $2.5 billion for Ukraine, including armored vehicles and air defense systems, the Pentagon said.

"The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the authorization of a presidential drawdown of security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs," it said.

The weapons and military hardware will be provided from the Pentagon's stockpiles, marking "the Biden administration's thirtieth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021," it said.

In particular, the new package includes additional munitions for NASAMS surface-to-air missile systems, eight Avenger air defense systems, 59 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers, 53 mine resistant ambush protected vehicles, and high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs).

Furthermore, the U.S. will supply the Ukrainian army with HIMARS Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 20,000 155mm artillery rounds, 600 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds, 95,000 105mm artillery rounds, 11,800 120mm mortar rounds, high-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARMs), as well as vehicles, small arms ammunition, night vision devices, spare parts, and other field equipment.

In total, the United States has committed more than $27.4 billion "in security assistance" to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, more than $29.5 billion since 2014, and over $26.7 billion since the start of the Russian special military operation, the Pentagon said.