Ukraine’s military to get tactical bridges as part of new U.S. $400M aid package – National | 24CA News
The U.S. introduced a brand new $400 million navy assist bundle for Ukraine on Friday that for the primary time contains armored automobiles that may launch bridges — permitting troops to cross rivers or different gaps as Russian and Ukrainian forces stay entrenched on reverse sides of the Dnieper River.
The battle had largely slowed to a grinding stalemate through the winter months, with Russia and Ukraine firing at one another from throughout the river. Both sides are anticipated to launch offensives as temperatures heat.
This spherical of assist might be drawn from present U.S. weapons stockpiles so it may arrive in Ukraine sooner. The U.S. and allies try to hurry further help to Kyiv to finest place it for intensified spring combating.
The Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge is a conveyable, 60-foot (18-meter) folding metallic bridge that’s carried on prime of a tank physique. Providing that system now may make it simpler for Ukrainian troops to cross rivers to get to Russian forces.
Because Ukraine additionally continues to face shortages of ammunition within the intense firefight, this assist bundle, like earlier ones, contains 1000’s of substitute rounds, corresponding to rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and 155mm Howitzer rounds. This bundle additionally contains demolition munitions and tools for clearing obstacles to assist Ukraine break via dug-in strains.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine a yr in the past, the U.S. has despatched in additional than $32 billion in weapons and tools.
The U.S. can also be roughly tripling the variety of Ukrainian forces it’s coaching on superior battle ways at a base in Germany, to assist them punch via entrenched Russian strains.
At the Grafenwoehr coaching space, Ukrainian forces run via a five-week course that prepares them to conduct superior mixed arms maneuvers with Bradley combating automobiles, M109 Paladins and Stryker armored personnel carriers. The first 600 Ukrainian troops accomplished the course final month and 1,600 extra are in coaching.
The assist may even embody spare elements and tools for automobile upkeep and restore.
The announcement comes on the heels of a quick assembly Thursday between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a gathering of prime diplomats from the Group of 20 nations in New Delhi. It was the highest-level in-person speak between the 2 nations since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But there was no indication of any motion towards easing the extraordinary tensions between the 2 nations.
Blinken stated he advised Lavrov the U.S. would proceed to help Ukraine for so long as it takes.
Lavrov, who didn’t point out talking with Blinken when he held a news convention after the assembly, advised reporters Moscow would proceed to press its motion in Ukraine.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
