Pentagon gears up to boost Ukraine with critical military aid
According to The Washington Post, the Pentagon has prepared "a massive infusion of military aid for Ukraine," The critical law's vote for Ukraine is scheduled for Saturday. The weapons could be on the front lines in less than a week.
6:17 AM EDT, April 20, 2024
The Department of Defense has warned that without urgent action in Congress, Ukraine will continually lose more ground to Russian forces and suffer a staggering number of casualties.
It's a Race Against Time
Speaking anonymously, an official mentioned that after finalizing a foreign aid bill worth $95 billion, getting some weapons to the battlefield will take less than a week. This bill aims to provide Ukraine with over $60 million in assistance.
The report suggests that the package will almost certainly include crucial ammunition for systems essential to Ukrainian forces, such as 155 mm rounds for NATO howitzers and medium-range artillery ammunition.
Pentagon Awaits Signal. Weapons Ready for Shipment
"As the aid bill languished in Congress for months, officials in Washington and Kyiv said Ukraine’s front-line units were rationing a rapidly evaporating stockpile of armaments and that soon Moscow would have a 10-to-1 advantage in artillery rounds," according to the newspaper.
Likely, the Pentagon will also send Ukraine a new tranche of equipment and ammunition for air defense, crucial in countering Russia's relentless attacks on the country's civilian infrastructure. On Thursday, NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg announced his plans to meet with allies to discuss strengthening Ukraine's capabilities, focusing particularly on the advanced Patriot system.
The United States has supplied Kyiv with nearly $45 billion in military aid since the conflict in Ukraine began. The most recent package, totaling $300 million, was prepared in March.
Ukrainians rationing shells
US support for the conflict in Ukraine has led to divisions within the Republican Party. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson delayed the funding bill's consideration, facing strong resistance from his party's far-right faction. With the support of Democrats on Friday, he pushed through procedural measures to set the stage for this weekend's vote, though it may risk his leadership position.
In Ukraine, as the situation on the battlefield deteriorates due to shortages in ammunition and personnel, frustration with Washington's inaction is growing.
In February, Ukrainian forces withdrew from Avdiivka, which had been under defense for more than a year. Kyiv reported that the withdrawal was due to a lack of ammunition. Across the entire front, Ukrainian soldiers face such severe shortages that they're rationing shells, leaving artillery units unable to protect the infantry.
Seizing the opportunity, Russia has initiated an assault on Chasiv Yar and launched major attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities. Moscow also targeted the cities of Chernihiv and Dnipro, resulting in numerous casualties. Ukrainian officials argue that adequate air defense supplies could have prevented both attacks.
