WASHINGTON: The US will offer Ukraine with a fresh $275 million military support package to help it combat Russia’s incursion, the Pentagon announced on Friday.
According to Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, the package contains ammo for Himars precise rocket launchers, several types of 155 mm artillery rounds, anti-armor systems, small weapons ammunition, and four satellite communications antennae.
“We’re seeing Russians target Ukrainian infrastructure and electrical grids, and these antennas provide an extra capacity on the ground at a critical time when Ukraine’s infrastructure is being hit,” Singh said.
They are not, however, intended to be a replacement for Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s Starlink service, and have “nothing to do with access to Starlink,” she explained.
Musk stated earlier this month that SpaceX might be unable to continue sponsoring Starlink in Ukraine indefinitely, casting doubt on a service that has supplied essential communications capabilities for Kyiv’s soldiers.
However, the world’s wealthiest man swiftly modified his position, stating that SpaceX will continue to pay even though Starlink is losing money.
The latest aid deal raises Washington’s overall security assistance commitments to Ukraine to more than $18.5 billion since early 2021, and roughly $18 billion since Russia’s February invasion.
Source: AFP
