U.S. Sends Ukraine More HIMARS, New Precision Artillery

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday approved sending another $400 million in military equipment to Ukraine, including 4 more advanced rocket systems HIMARS, as well as a new type of precision-guided artillery round that the Pentagon believes will give Kyiv a technological edge in its battle against Russia, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The latest tranche of aid also includes 3 tactical vehicles, demolition munitions, counter battery systems and spare parts and other equipment. The 1,000 rounds of the new 155mm ammunition is also part of the package.

The weapons will bolster Ukrainian efforts to strike deeper behind Russian frontlines in the eastern Donbas region, a senior defence official told reporters.

"This is a new type of 155 mm artillery ammunition," the official said. "It has greater precision. It offers Ukraine precise ... capability for specific targets. It will save ammunition. It will be more effective due to the precision. It's a further evolution in our support for Ukraine in this battle in the Donbas."

The official also noted that the precision rounds, for use in howitzer artillery systems already in place in Ukraine, are something the U.S. military already uses and has in its own stock. The systems are new in that this is the first time the U.S. has sent them to Ukraine.

"From a security assistance perspective, this is a steady drumbeat now, and it is a long-term commitment to Ukraine," the official said. "We'll be ready for whatever the experts tell us is required for the battlefield."

The U.S. has now committed $2.2 billion of security assistance to Ukraine in the last 3 weeks "as we support their fight to defend their democracy" the Pentagon said.

In total, Washington has committed approximately $8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration.

According to the Pentagon assessment, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused hard and brutal fighting, but the Ukrainians are making the Russians pay for every foot of territory they are taking.

"What we have found is that Ukrainians are possessing a will and spirit that a good portion of folks just did not take into account," a senior official said.

There are news reports that the Russians have paused their offensive, but the official did not confirm that. "I've got to think that if ... I took the number of casualties that the Russians took to gain that portion of ground, I'd probably have to stop and refit," he said. 

The Ukrainians have given up ground to a much larger foe, but they have moved into better defensive positions. In this type of warfare, the advantage is with the defense, he said.

This is not a "rosy" description of the Russian-Ukraine war, the official said. There have been many pundits lately who see the Russians advancing slowly in Donetsk and they have accused officials of being too optimistic about Ukraine's chances.

"What we have found is that Ukrainians are possessing a will and spirit that a good portion of folks just did not take into account," the official said. 

But overall, the Ukrainians are going toe-to-toe with one of the larger military powers of the world. "This small country, that didn't have an enormous army beforehand, but this one small country has been able to hold this at bay in many cases and give up very little ground," the official said. 

"I don't want to appear overly optimistic here, but history is full of examples of small countries like this, who display their will and are able to hold their own," he added. "We celebrated one of them last Monday. And I'd like to think the Ukrainians were demonstrating the same to the rest of the world, right now."

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.