WORLD NEWS | US offers $325 million more military aid to Ukraine

STOCKHOLM, April 19 (AP) The Pentagon said Wednesday that the United States will provide Ukraine with about $325 million in additional military aid, including large quantities of shells and ammunition, as a spring offensive against Russian forces looms.

The U.S. declined to say how much munitions would be sent to Ukraine, but the latest package was similar to other recent deliveries, including rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), howitzers, and a range of other missile and anti-tank munitions. It will all be drawn from the Pentagon’s inventory, so it can get to the front lines quickly.

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A Ukrainian official warned Monday that it was only a matter of time before his country was ready militarily to launch a counteroffensive. Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told The Associated Press in Kiev that the Ukrainian army will launch an offensive against Russian forces when it is ready. The delivery of armored vehicles and ammunition was key to the launch, he said.

The latest leaks of classified information include documents detailing a timeline for arms deliveries to Ukraine and a previously unpublished assessment of how quickly the Ukrainian military might run out of critical anti-aircraft munitions. These include predictions that the missile stockpile could run out as soon as the end of this month or May, giving Russia a greater chance to launch devastating air and artillery strikes.

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Danilov echoed other Ukrainian leaders who said they did not think the leak would seriously undermine future offensives, stressing that Ukraine would not share highly sensitive information with anyone.

Defense and military leaders from more than 50 countries will meet in Germany on Friday to discuss and plan for future security aid for Ukraine ahead of the announcement of new U.S. aid. About a year ago, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin created the Ukraine Liaison Group to better coordinate military aid, weapons and training to Ukraine. Both Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be in attendance.

The new U.S. aid package includes demolition ammunition to clear routes, more than 9 million rounds of small arms ammunition, four logistical support vehicles, spare parts, and equipment for port security and maintenance and repairs.

The weapons and other equipment will help as Ukraine prepares to emerge from a long and bloody winter standoff that has focused on intense fighting in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donetsk province town of Bakhmut, officials said nearby.

While the fighting was brutal, not much territory changed hands. Moscow controls about half of Donetsk, and capturing Bakhmut would be a stepping stone to capturing the remaining half.

It was the 36th shipment of Pentagon supplies to Ukraine since the war began in February 2022, bringing total U.S. military aid to nearly $36 billion. (Associated Press)

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