The United States administration has announced a financial package of weapons and equipment for Ukraine to support their war efforts against Russia. A release from Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s office stated that this package provides up to $250 million of arms and equipment under previously directed drawdowns for Ukraine.
According to the release, the package would provide air defence munitions, other air defence system components, additional ammunition for high mobility artillery rocket systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, anti-armour munitions and over 15 million rounds of ammunition.
Earlier in December, a release from the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs stated that the United States has provided $44.2 billion approximately in military assistance to Ukraine since the full-scale war began between Ukraine and Russia on February 24, 2022.
Military equipment provided to Ukraine
The release from the U.S. Department of State listed the items categorically in detail, provided by the United States to Ukraine. The list included 12 National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and munitions, HAWK air defence systems and munitions, 20 Mi-17 helicopters, Switchblade Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Phoenix Ghost UAS, CyberLux K8 UAS, Altius-600 UAS AIM-7, RIM-7, and AIM-9M missiles for air defence, more than 2,000 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 21 air surveillance radars, 39 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ammunition, 98 155mm Howitzers and more than 2,000,000 155mm artillery rounds, 31 Abrams tanks, 45 T-72B tanks, 186 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, among others.
Presidential Drawdown Authority
The release also stated that the Biden administration used the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) on 44 occasions since August 2021 to provide military assistance to Ukraine amounting to $23.8 billion approximately.
The United States government defines Presidential Drawdown Authority as “It allows for the speedy delivery of defence articles and services from Department of Defense stocks to foreign countries and international organizations to respond to unforeseen emergencies. Such assistance can begin arriving within days—or even hours—of approval.”