Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the 23rd drawdown of U.S. arms and equipment to be sent to Ukraine since August 2021.
He authorized this $725 million drawdown for arms, munitions and equipment from the U.S. Department of Defense inventories, according to an Oct. 14 Department of State news release.
“In the wake of Russia’s brutal missile attacks on civilians across Ukraine, the mounting evidence of atrocities by Russia’s forces, and the firm and unequivocal rejection by 143 nations at the United Nations of Russia’s illegal attempted annexation of parts of Ukraine, the United States is offering additional military assistance to help Ukraine’s proud defenders protect their country,” Blinken said in the release.
According to Blinken, this brings the total U.S. military assistance for Ukraine to more than $18.3 billion since President Joe Biden took office, the release reported.
"We will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence with extraordinary courage and boundless determination," Blinken added, according to the release. "The capabilities we are delivering are carefully calibrated to make the most difference on the battlefield for Ukraine.”
The new security assistance package will include a restock of ammunition for the U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 23,000 155mm artillery rounds, 500 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds, 5,000 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine Systems, 5,000 anti-tank weapons, High-speed Anti-radiation missiles, more than 200 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, small arms and more than 2 million rounds of small arms ammunition and additional medical supplies, the Department of Defense reported in an Oct. 14 news release.
Germany recently delivered the first of four IRIS-T air-defense systems it committed to Ukraine, the Defense Department reported in its release. Germany also announced it will deliver more MARS rocket systems and howitzers. Additionally, Spain announced it will provide four HAWK launchers.
The contributions of Spain and Germany will work to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. The Department of Defense report also said Norway, Germany and Denmark have invested into Slovakia's indigenous production of Howitzers.
