WASHINGTON, July 9. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden has ordered to allocate another package of military aid to Ukraine worth $400 million, the White House said in a statement.
According to the statement, Biden stated in particular: "I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority… to direct the drawdown of up to $400 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Ukraine and to make the determinations required under such section to direct such a drawdown."
The US Department of Defense (DoD) specified 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."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Xinhua news agency on April 30 that the NATO countries were doing their utmost in attempts to prevent the completion of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine through political agreements. Lavrov stressed that various weapons were being sent to Ukraine in an incessant flow under the pretext of "fighting an invasion", but in reality, the US and the EU intend to fight against Russia "to the last Ukrainian," while staying absolutely indifferent to the fate of Ukraine as an independent actor in international relations.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov has warned that the West’s efforts to militarize Ukraine were a direct threat to European and global security. Moscow is calling on the sponsors of the Kiev regime to stop promoting bloodshed and think about the consequences of their actions, the diplomat said.
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.