The U.S. Department of Defense announced Friday a new military aid package valued at $400 million (403 million euros) that includes refurbished Soviet-era tanks, Hawk defense missiles and drones.
Specifically, the new package includes 45 refurbished T-72B tanks with improved optics, communications and armor; 1,100 Phoenix Ghost tactical unmanned aerial systems; 40 armored riverine vessels or funding to refurbish 250 M1117 armored security vehicles, among others.
«The United States has committed more than $18.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Since 2014, it has committed more than 21 billion and more than 18.2 billion since the start of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion on February 24,» the U.S. Department of Defense explained in a statement.
Following the announcement, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski specified on his official Twitter profile that he is grateful to the Biden Administration for these armored vehicles that will help Kiev «to liberate Ukrainian land.» «We appreciate this continued support,» he has added.
For his part, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, has indicated on the same social network that they «thank the allies» for dedicating «another package of military aid» to help Ukraine. «Many thanks to the people of POTUS (the Biden Administration), Congress and the United States,» he concluded.
The aid comes under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which means the weaponry described will be manufactured by defense contractors rather than from existing U.S. stocks, Bloomberg has explained.
