WASHINGTON, July 9. /TASS/. The United States keeps supplying Ukraine with more weapons, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), because it wants to drag out the conflict at any cost, the Russian Embassy in the United States said in a statement.

The statement comes in the wake of US President Joe Biden’s decision to grant Ukraine another package of military aid worth about $400 million.

"This decision is based on Washington’s fierce desire to drag out the conflict at any cost and, by using its weapons’ supplies, to compensate for increasing multiple casualties among the nationalist battalions and Ukrainian troops," the statement from the Russian Embassy reads.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) specified earlier in the day that the newly-announced package of military aid for Ukraine includes four additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) high-precision artillery rounds and "other equipment."

"Included in this latest set of gear and supplies is something the US has previously not sent to Ukraine: 1,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery billed as having greater precision," the DoD said in a statement.

The American defense department cited an unnamed senior defense official from Pentagon as saying that: "This is a new type [of] 155 mm artillery ammunition. It has greater precision. It offers Ukraine precise ... capability for specific targets. It will save ammunition."

The US Department of Defense also said in its statement that: "Also included in the latest package, are four additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems which will complement the eight already in place. There is also additional ammunition for those HIMARS systems, some tactical vehicles, demolition munitions, spare parts and other equipment."

Russia’s military operation

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow would recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders. Russia recognized the Donbass republics in accordance with the DPR and LPR constitutions within the boundaries of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions as of the beginning of 2014.

Russian President Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had decided to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, noting that the operation was aimed at the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine.

Subsequently, the DPR and the LPR launched an operation to liberate their territories under Kiev’s control.