(Washington) The United States on Thursday announced a new round of military aid to Ukraine totaling $2.5 billion, including hundreds of armored vehicles of various types, but no Abrams heavy tanks .
This new tranche provides for the shipment of 59 Bradley armored vehicles, which will be added to the 50 light armored vehicles of this type promised on January 6, and 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers “which will provide Ukraine with two armored brigades”, a the Pentagon said in a statement.
The US Army will also deliver to Ukraine 53 anti-mine armored vehicles (MRAP) and 350 M998 transport vehicles, the famous Humvee.
But this new tranche does not include any heavy tanks, such as the Abrams, which the United States is not yet ready to supply to Kyiv, justifying this refusal by maintenance and training issues.
Washington will also hand over to Ukrainian forces spare missiles for the NASAMS and HIMARS anti-aircraft systems they have already been provided with, 8 Avenger short-range anti-aircraft systems – vehicle-mounted defense units that move at the same pace as the units. land – and thousands of various ammunition.
This new tranche brings the total US military assistance to Ukraine to $26.7 billion since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.
It was announced on the eve of a meeting of Defense Ministers of Western countries providing military aid to the Ukrainians, in the forefront of which the American Lloyd Austin, who meet in Ramstein, Germany, to coordinate the continuation of military assistance to Kyiv.
Referring to press reports that Berlin will only deliver heavy tanks if the United States delivers Abrams tanks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday criticized Berlin’s hesitation to deliver heavy tanks.