US to Send New $2 Billion Military Aid for Ukraine

The announcement is likely to come later this week, citing unnamed US officials. The arms will be provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative [USAI], which has furnished billions of dollars in American weapons to Kiev since fighting erupted with Moscow last year. 

The new aid package will include two types of Patriot missiles: the Patriot Advanced Capability Missile-3 [PAC-3] and the Guidance Enhanced Missile. Produced by Raytheon, the latter munitions are said to provide “improved ability to defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or enemy aircraft in complement to the PAC-3 missile,” according to the US weapons-maker.

Washington will also reportedly send MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile launchers, an aging system whose first variant entered service in 1960. Officials initially said the platform would be provided last November, but noted they would require refurbishing and repairs using funds from the USAI project. 

The latest military assistance comes as Kiev staged several major attacks against Russian forces over the past few days. Officials in Kiev, however, insist that the actual “counteroffensive” operation has yet to come, with the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, Aleksey Danilov, arguing “When we start the counteroffensive, everyone will know about it, they will see it.”