The latest tranche of aid includes "critical air defense capabilities," as well as additional ammunition for the long-range High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) already sent to Ukraine, artillery rounds, anti-tank weapons, armored vehicles "and other equipment essential to strengthening Ukraine’s forces on the battlefield," Blinken said in a statement on Tuesday, Anadolu Agency reported.
The equipment is being delivered under what is known as presidential drawdown authorities, which allows Washington to quickly send weaponry to allies from existing stocks.
Western countries have been supplying military aid to Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022. The aid evolved from artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023.
The Kremlin, in turn, has repeatedly warned against continued arms deliveries to Kyiv. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia.
AMK/PR
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