The White House on Thursday announced a $450 million aid package for Ukraine that includes 4 high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) as combat with Russia in Donbass continues.
The 4 HIMARS announced through the United States in a previous aid program arrived in Ukraine this week.
In the war in eastern Ukraine, the Russians have a numerical merit when it comes to firepower. To Ukraine, USA The U. S. first shipped howitzers and has since begun shipping more accurate and longer-range HIMARS.
In addition to HIMARS, the package announced on Thursday 36,000 rounds of ammunition, tactical vehicles, 2,000 firearms and more than 1,000 grenade launchers. The United States has committed about $6. 1 billion in aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began.
Announcing the first shipment that included HIMARS, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl said, “HIMARS and the accompanying guided munitions will allow Ukraine to target any target it desires for this Ukrainian combat territory. “
Ukrainian leaders have trusted the United States that the systems will be used to attack Russia.
Ammunition shipped through the U. S. The U. S. with the first shipment of HIMARS has a diversity of up to 70 kilometers, more than double the diversity of M777 howitzers, but less than the complex long-diversity tactical missile systems (ATACMS) that can succeed in a bunch of kilometers.
“We don’t think they need systems that span lots and lots of miles for existing combat, and that’s how we decided,” Kahl said earlier this month.
Since Ukrainian forces do not use HIMARS, the United States has organized an education that lasts about 3 weeks for Ukrainians outside of Ukraine. The United States prepositioned the 4 HIMARS in Europe so that education can begin quickly, and the first 60 Ukrainians graduated last week.
HIMARS is a precedent for Ukraine, which is wasting a hundred infantrymen a day. HIMARS offers more precise guidance with prolonged diversity so that Ukrainians can achieve high-value Russian targets from further afield.
Russia also suffered significant losses despite its numerical superiority. The Russian Defense Ministry has not given casualty estimates for months, however, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, said last week that Russia had lost between 20 and 30 percent of its armored forces and had “suffered an abundant number of casualties. “
Combat in the East has been described as a street-by-street war that can take months or even years. The United States has provided more than $5. 6 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine. security plan for Ukraine that will deliver more aid in the summer.