On Friday, the Biden administration announced it would provide an additional $425 million in military aid to Ukraine as the country prepares for an intensified Russian offensive, now bolstered by over 10,000 troops from North Korea.
During a recent trip to Kyiv, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin indicated that more military support would soon arrive. This latest package will draw from U.S. stockpiles and includes key assets such as air defense interceptors for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 155 mm artillery, as well as armored vehicles and anti-tank armaments.
Ukrainian cities in the east continue to endure a barrage of Russian missile attacks, with Kharkiv being targeted by a devastating 1,100-pound glide bomb. This strike occurred on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of three individuals and leaving numerous others injured.
Compounding these challenges, Ukraine now faces the uncertainty of new North Korean soldiers, recently stationed in Russia, who are set to enter the conflict near Ukraine’s border in the days ahead.
Russia has increasingly relied on powerful glide bombs to bombard Ukrainian defensive positions along the lengthy 600-mile contact line, affecting urban areas situated far from the front lines. Kharkiv, home to 1.1 million residents, lies just under 20 miles from the border.
With this latest assistance package, the total military support provided by the U.S. to Ukraine since the onset of Russia’s invasion in February 2022 has reached $60.4 billion.
