The Pentagon has provided details on the $200 million military aid package for Ukraine that President Joe Biden approved last month.
The additional information comes with the recent shipment of 79 tons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, to Ukraine.
The package, apart from 300 Javelin missiles, includes anti-armor systems, munitions, grenade launchers, and nonlethal equipment, Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Lt. Col. Anton Semelroth told reporters.
The recent shipment, believed to be the third, arrived in Kyiv on Sunday.
~300 Javelins.
79 tons of security assistance for 🇺🇦’s armed forces.
Tonight, the third shipment of $200 million in assistance authorized by President Biden arrived at Boryspil Airport in Kyiv. The 🇺🇸 stands with 🇺🇦, and we will continue to provide 🇺🇦 the support it needs. pic.twitter.com/RIPMLMOmIY
— U.S. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) January 25, 2022
An earlier delivery last Friday included over 200,000 pounds of lethal aid like ammunition for frontline forces.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov thanked the US for the military aid and said that the country expects the arrival of the fourth batch of military equipment soon.
Russia-Ukraine Tension
The shipment comes as the Pentagon has put over 8,500 troops on a heightened alert in view of the rising threat of incursion from neighboring Russia.
In recent months, Russia has gathered over 100,000 troops at Ukraine’s border.
Since 2014, the US has supplied more than $2.7 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, of which over $650 million was sent in 2021 alone, to build the capacity of its forces. It has also given a go-ahead to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to send US-made weapons to Ukraine.
Missiles Used in Iraq and Afghanistan
Javelin missiles are anti-tank missiles that can be locked on a variety of targets including armored vehicles, caves, and bunkers. They can be operated throughout the day and in all weather conditions and can be launched by a single person.
The missiles can be used on various platforms and can also be fired using a remote launcher mounted on an unmanned ground vehicle.
The missile has been used in Afghanistan and Iraq in over 5,000 combat engagements.
