The Biden administration is slated to send another $1.1 billion worth of military equipment and weapons to Ukraine to aid in its fight against Russia, the White House announced Wednesday.
The weapons will include 18 more High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which have proven highly effective for striking Russian military and logistical positions, as well as about 300 vehicles, radar and communications equipment and surveillance gear, according to ABC News. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration will continue to provide Ukraine with the security assistance it needs “for as long as it takes.”
A new $1.1 billion weapons package will more than double the number of HIMARS Ukraine has to hammer key Russian positions https://t.co/4frcFeCEzJ
— Military and Defense Insider (@MilDefInsider) September 28, 2022
Ukraine’s arsenal of HIMARS will more than double to a total of 34, although it may take up to one or two years for the systems to be delivered, because the aid is in the form of contracts for equipment, ABC News reported. The total value of aid sent to Ukraine by the U.S. since the war began in February now stands at $17 billion. The U.S. could still send some equipment more quickly through the Pentagon drawdown program.
Ukraine recently mounted a successful counteroffensive against Russia, retaking territory in key regions including around the city of Kyiv. Russia responded by holding four sham referenda in occupied territories in the southeast part of the country. According to Russian authorities, residents in that area voted nearly unanimously to be annexed by Russia as new provinces.
“These so-called referenda have been an exercise in coercion and disinformation, executed by puppet authorities following orders from Russia,” Jean-Pierre said Wednesday. (RELATED: Putin Grants Russian Citizenship To Edward Snowden)
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently implemented a mobilization of reservists and began drafting citizens into the military ranks, a process that apparently hasn’t gone smoothly, with many old and unfit men reportedly being called to recruitment offices. Widespread protests have erupted in the country as a result. Another major development occurred Tuesday, when multiple explosions caused leaks at different points in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that carry natural gas from Russia to Europe.