US announces additional Ukraine security assistance worth up to $400m

US Department of Defense (DOD) announced further Ukraine security assistance valued at up to $400m to "meet Ukraine's critical security and defence needs".

This is President Jo Biden's 25th drawdown of equipment from DOD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin said the security assistance will consist of "a mix of critical battlefield capabilities to help Ukraine defend their homeland".

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"Alongside our international allies and partners, we stand united in our unwavering support of Ukraine's self-defense," the US Secretary of Defense added in the announcement.

Capabilities in the package, according to the DOD announcement, include:

• Missiles for HAWK air defence systems
• Four Avenger air defence systems, and Stinger missiles
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)
• 21,000 155mm artillery rounds
• 500 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds
• 10,000 120mm mortar rounds
• 100 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs)
• 400 grenade launchers
• Small arms, optics, and more than 20,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition
• Demolition equipment for obstacle clearing
• Cold weather protective gear.

Recently the UK announced it was sending about 1,000 extra surface-to-air missiles to the Ukrainian armed forces.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the delivery of the weapons would shortly be completed.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) did not specify the exact weapons being sent but said the missiles can be used in conjunction with Ukraine's existing military capabilities.

MOD reported that the additional kit would come in response to Ukrainian requests for more air defence capabilities amid continued Russian targeting of civilian infrastructure.

The US announcement similarly highlighted this, with their latest support being a response to Russia's "unrelenting and brutal air attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure", adding that the "additional air defense capabilities are critical". 

It added that the Hawk missiles will be refurbished using Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds, and will complement Spain's recent commitment of Hawk launchers to help Ukraine meet the Russian aerial threat.

Watch: Further Western support needed to counter Russia's new air approach, RUSI report says.

Also, the Avenger short-range air defence systems included in the package according to the DOD will also provide Ukraine with the capability to protect Ukrainian troops and critical infrastructure against Unmanned Aerial Systems and helicopters.

In total, the US has committed more than $18.6bn since the beginning of Russia's invasion on February 24 and $19.3bn in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration.