WORLD NEWS | US announces military aid worth over $3.75 billion to Ukraine and European allies

washington [US]Jan. 7 (ANI): The United States on Friday announced military aid worth more than $3.75 billion to Ukraine, European allies and partners, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in a statement.

“This assistance includes $2.85 billion drawn from DoD reserves for immediate access to Ukraine, and $225 million in foreign military financing to build long-term capabilities and support the modernization of the Ukrainian military,” Anthony Blinken said in a statement. ”

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He further added, “It also includes $682 million in foreign military financing for European partners and allies to help incentivize and backfill military equipment donations to Ukraine.”

Notably, the United States has been providing military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since Moscow began its offensive on February 24, 2022.

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Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense noted that “the presidential drawdown is the 29th time since August 2021 that the Biden administration has drawn down equipment from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense inventory.”

The U.S. has pledged more than $24.9 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Biden took office.

The announced security aid to Ukraine includes 50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 500 TOW anti-tank missiles and 250,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition.

In addition, the military assistance announced by the United States also includes 100 M113 armored personnel carriers, 55 mine-resistant ambush vehicles (MRAP) and 138 high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV).

In addition, military assistance included 18 155mm self-propelled howitzers and 18 ammunition support vehicles, 70,000 155mm shells and 500 precision-guided 155mm shells, 1,200 155mm Remote Anti-Armor Mines (RAAM) systems, 36 105mm towed Type howitzers and 95,000 rounds of 105mm shells, according to a US Department of Defense press release.

In addition to this, the defense assistance included 10,000 120mm mortar rounds, additional ammunition for the High Mobility Rocket Artillery System (HIMARS), RIM-7 missiles for air defense, 4,000 Zuni rockets, approximately 2,000 anti-armor Rockets, sniper rifles, machine guns, and ammunition for grenade launchers and small arms, claymore anti-personnel ammunition, night vision goggles and optics, spare parts and other field equipment.

On Jan. 5, U.S. President Joe Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin was trying to “find oxygen” in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine through a ceasefire.

He cast doubt on Putin’s ordering a ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas services in Ukraine.

Biden’s statement came after Vladimir Putin directed Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to order a ceasefire in Ukraine from Jan. 6 to Jan. 7. Putin said the decision came after patriarch Kirill called for a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine, according to a statement released by the Kremlin on its website.

“I don’t want to respond to anything Putin said. I find it very interesting. He is going to bomb hospitals, nurseries and churches on the 25th and New Year’s,” CNN quoted US President Joe Biden as saying.

“I mean, I think he’s trying to find oxygen,” he added. (Arnie)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)