NEW YORK, February 17. /TASS/. The United States has handed over to Estonia nearly $500,000 in "forfeited Russian funds" for providing assistance to Ukraine, the Justice Department stated.

"Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Estonian Secretary General Tonis Saar announced today at the Munich Security Conference the transfer of nearly $500,000 in forfeited Russian funds for the purpose of providing aid to Ukraine," the statement reads.

"This transfer is the first of its kind from the United States to a foreign ally for the express purpose of assisting Ukraine," it said.

"The confiscated funds are being transferred to Estonia since under current authorities, the facts of this case do not allow for a direct transfer to Ukraine. Estonia will use the funds for a project to expedite damage assessments and critical repairs to the Ukrainian electrical distribution and transmission system, which have been purposefully targeted by Russian forces," according to the statement.