Lagatar24 Desk
Washington, Jan 20: The United States has announced a massive new package of $2.5 billion for Ukraine, including 90 Stryker combat vehicles for the first time and another 59 Bradley fighting vehicles, to fight against Russian aggression, taking the total US military assistance to $27.5 billion.
It is the latest aid package provided to help Ukraine push back against Russia’s front lines.
“This assistance package will provide Ukraine with hundreds of additional armoured vehicles, including Stryker armoured personnel carriers, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled vehicles,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday.
“The package also includes significant additional air defence support for Ukraine, including more Avenger air defence systems and surface-to-air missiles, as well as additional ammunitions for NASAMS that the US has previously provided,” he added.
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Moreover, the 59 Bradleys included in the latest US package come after 50 previously committed on January 6. The armoured Bradley has a powerful gun and has been used by the US military to carry troops around battlefields since the mid-1980s.
In a statement, the Pentagon said the Kremlin’s recent airstrikes against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure again show the devastating impact of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine.
This package also provides additional NASAMS ammunition and Avenger air defence systems to help Ukraine counter a range of short and medium-range threats and bolster its layered air defence.