BERLIN, August 19. /TASS/. Berlin has handed over to Kiev another IRIS-T SLS air defense system (three in all), artillery shells, drones and other weapons, as follows from Monday's updated list of military support for Ukraine, uploaded to the German government's website.

The latest package includes, alongside the IRIS-T SLS anti-aircraft missile system, 14,000 155 mm artillery shells, 10 surface drones, 26 Vector reconnaissance drones with spare parts, 6 HMEE loaders and a Bergepanzer 2 armored vehicle, 700 MK 556 automatic rifles, 10 HLR 338 sniper rifles with ammunition, 50 CR 308 rifles, 55,000 first aid kits, and explosive ordnance disposal equipment.

"The reports to the effect that we will limit support are simply incorrect," Wolfgang Buechner, a spokesman for the Cabinet, told a news briefing. He said Chancellor Olaf Scholz's pledge that Germany's support for Ukraine would continue for as long as necessary remained in force.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported on August 17 that Germany was to limit military aid to Ukraine because, according to current budget planning, no more funds are now available for this purpose. The austerity measures taken by the Federal Chancellor's Office and the Ministry of Finance are the reason. In its turn, the German Cabinet of Ministers, citing a reply from the German Ministry of Finance, told TASS correspondent that bilateral assistance to Ukraine from Germany would be partially shifted to international programs in the future. The ministry added that it would be ready to consider the issue of providing additional funds in the short term by that time.

Germany is the second largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the US. Berlin has so far allocated funds for Kiev's military support and committed to future spending in an amount of about 28 billion euros. Under the 2025 budget agreement, 4 billion euros will be allocated for military support for Ukraine - half of the current year's amount. The Russian authorities have repeatedly said that pumping weapons into Ukraine will not reduce Moscow’s resolve or turn the tide of the special military operation.