“So today, as you probably have already seen, the Department of Defense is announcing the authorization of a presidential drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $400 million to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs.  This authorization is the Biden administration's 25th drawdown of equipment from DOD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021,” said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh during a briefing on Thursday.

Singh went on to say: “Capabilities in this package include missiles for HAWK air defense systems, four Avenger air defense systems and Stinger missiles, additional ammunition for the HIMARS, which are the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 21,000 155 millimeter artillery rounds, 500 precision-guided 155-millimeter artillery rounds, 10,000 120 millimeter mortar rounds, 100 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, the Humvees, 400 grenade launchers, small arms and more than 20 million rounds of small arms ammunition, and demolition equipment for obstacle clearing, optics, and cold weather gear.”

“With Russia's unrelenting and brutal air attacks on Ukrainian civilian and critical infrastructure, additional air defense capabilities are critical,” Singh noted.

“The Avenger short-range air defense systems will also provide Ukraine with the capability to protect Ukrainian troops and critical infrastructure against unmanned aerial systems and helicopters,” she added. (ILKHA)