U.S. Army paratroopers fire a 105mm howitzer at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, on Nov. 2, 2023. (Julia Lebens/U.S. Air Force)
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon announced a new round of military aid to Ukraine on Wednesday worth close to $200 million that includes mostly rockets and artillery shells and other needed equipment, U.S. officials said.
“Security assistance for Ukraine is a smart investment in our national security,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “It helps to prevent a larger war in the region and deter potential aggression elsewhere.”
The $175 million in military aid is being provided through presidential drawdown authority, which allows the United States to take the weapons directly from Pentagon shelves on an emergency basis. The funding for the aid was previously authorized for fiscal 2023.
The new aid includes air-defense weapons such as Sidewinder and Sparrow missiles, more ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery shells, Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems and more than 4 million rounds of small arms ammunition, according to the Defense Department.
A “Remove Before Flight” tag hangs from an AIM-9M Sidewinder missile at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., on May 10, 2022. (Cheyenne Lewis/U.S. Air Force)
The aid is the second that the United States has pledged to Ukraine in the past two weeks and comes as Congress debates funding for fiscal 2024 and a $105 billion supplemental aid request that would provide more help for Ukraine, Israel and the U.S. defense industry. The military is operating under a continuing resolution that will fund the Pentagon until Feb. 2.
“The United States has provided Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to achieve significant military victories and successfully retake more than 50% of its sovereign territory that Russia seized in its invasion,” the Pentagon said. “Our security assistance packages help Ukraine protect its civilians, cities and infrastructure from Russia’s brutal aerial attacks.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the United States has committed roughly $44 billion in weapons and equipment to Ukraine.
Included in the $175 million in military aid for Ukraine announced Wednesday:
AIM-9M and AIM-7 missiles for air defense.
Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems.
155mm and 105mm artillery rounds.
High-speed, anti-radiation missiles.
Tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missiles.
Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems.
More than 4 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
Vehicles to tow and haul equipment.
Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing.
Equipment to protect critical national infrastructure.
Spare parts, maintenance, and other ancillary equipment.
