The Pentagon will supply two medium-range air defense systems to Ukraine, but the procurement procedure may take weeks or months, a senior defense official said Friday.
The most recent circular of aid to Ukraine, totaling $820 million, provides assistance with a reduction of the Defense Ministry’s existing reserves, as well as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative Fund (USAI), which contracts for weapons that the Pentagon will then send to Ukraine.
Two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) are included in the USAI package. NASAMS are medium-range air defense systems capable of shooting down cruise missiles and aircraft and are also deployed around Washington, D. C. , in the nation’s capital.
The announcement came as fighting continues in Donbass. The Russians have advanced recently. They now control Severodonetsk and are fighting for Lysychansk, but the official said Friday that Russia is “paying such a high value for small profits” in terms of territory.
The official said the Ukrainians would use the first set of high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) well in opposition to Russian command posts, and Friday’s aid program includes another $50 million in ammunition from Defense Ministry reserves for the systems.
In total, the United States has more than $6. 9 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia introduced its invasion in February.