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US Approves New Military Aid for Ukraine, Including Combat Drone Ammunition. PHOTO/Reuters
WASHINGTON – President United States of America (USA) Joe Biden has approved a new military aid package for Ukraine amounting to USD 300 million. The aid package includes additional ammunition for the drones and various other weapons.
US officials said there was no suspicion that US-made drones or munitions were used in the Moscow attack, which the Kremlin blamed on Ukraine. The Biden administration says it has made it clear to Ukraine that US-made weapons cannot be used for attacks inside Russia.
“We didn’t tell them where to attack. We don’t tell them where not to attack. Ultimately President Zelensky and his military commanders decide what they are going to do from a military perspective,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday (31/5/2023), as quoted by AP.
But he added that the US has been very clear with Ukraine privately, we have been clear publicly, that we are not supporting an attack inside Russia. He also said Zelensky had provided assurances to the US that Ukraine respected the concerns.
The new aid package provides ammunition to boost Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to fend off Russian airstrikes on Kiev. The package provides ammunition for the Patriot missile battery and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), as well as the Avenger and Stinger air defense systems.
Also supplied was mine clearance equipment, anti-armour rounds, unguided Zuni rockets, night vision goggles, and some 30 million rounds of undisclosed small arms ammunition and other artillery shells.
The new aid package arrives at a tense time in the war. The latest drone strike on Moscow follows Russia’s seizure of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut after nine months of fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people. Ukraine is also showing signs that its long-awaited spring counteroffensive may already be underway.
The Russian Defense Ministry said five drones were shot down over Moscow and the systems of the other three jammed, causing them to veer off course. President Vladimir Putin called it a “terrorist” act by Kiev.
(esn)
