The Pentagon has revealed plans to “rush” Patriot air defense missiles and artillery ammunition to Ukraine as part of its latest military aid package.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Friday that the United States would provide $6 billion (£4.8 billion) for military support.
However, the aid package does not include the Patriot missile launch systems, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s urgent request for these systems to combat increasing Russian air threats.
Zelensky stated that Patriots “can and should save lives right now.”
A Pentagon source confirmed that the $6 billion allocation is part of a broader $60 billion aid package signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
This package also includes $1 billion in immediate aid for Ukraine’s defense.
During a news conference, Austin stated that the US was committed to its most substantial security assistance package to date and would work swiftly to deliver the supplies to Ukraine.
The package includes air defense munitions, counter-drone systems, and artillery ammunition, but not the actual Patriot launch systems.
Austin remarked, “It’s not just Patriots that they [the Ukrainians] need, they need other types of systems and interceptors as well,” emphasizing that reliance on a single defense system could be limiting.
The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown, added that this new aid package should help alleviate the need for Ukrainian forces to ration shells on the frontline.
Some funds from this package will be dedicated to bolstering Ukraine’s domestic defense industry to improve its capability to produce the ammunition it urgently requires.
Austin highlighted that Russia had already ramped up its domestic production of artillery ammunition and other weapons with support from Iran and North Korea.
“Understand what’s at stake for Ukraine, for Europe, and for the United States,” he said.
“If Putin prevails in Ukraine, Europe would face a security threat it hasn’t seen in a lifetime.”
However, Austin acknowledged that the US aid package would take time to reach the Ukrainian forces, stating, “It’s going to take some time to get it in there and distribute.”
The announcement comes as Ukraine reports that Russia has intensified its attacks on railway infrastructure, likely in preparation for a new offensive.
These attacks aim to “paralyze deliveries and movement of military cargo,” according to Ukrainian security sources.
Additionally, Ukrainian officials reported a significant airstrike by Russia on Friday night, which caused damage to various infrastructure, including energy facilities and a hospital in Kharkiv.
A Ukrainian drone attack on an oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region also led to a large explosion, though Russian authorities downplayed the impact.
Germany has already committed to sending an extra Patriot system to Ukraine, with its defense and foreign ministers urging other European countries to do the same.
However, countries like Greece, which has stocks of Patriots and S-300s, stated that they couldn’t spare any systems due to their critical role in protecting their own airspace.
The situation underscores Ukraine’s urgent need for military assistance as it continues to face sustained Russian aggression.
Delays in receiving aid have led to the loss of lives and territory, heightening the urgency for rapid delivery of support.
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