Pentagon announces new assistance package to Ukraine containing cluster munitions

The U.S. Department of Defense officially announced a new $800 million package of security assistance to Ukraine.

U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl made a corresponding statement on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The package contains cluster munitions, as well as other types of weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Today, the United States also continues to demonstrate its enduring commitment to Ukraine, with the announcement of a new drawdown of military assistance to provide Ukraine's forces with additional munitions, weapons and equipment needed to defend their country,” the Pentagon representative said.

As noted, the assistance is provided under the Presidential Drawdown, that is, weapons will not be purchased from manufacturers but will be delivered immediately from the Pentagon warehouses.

“Some of the capabilities in today's $800 million drawdown package include 155-millimeter artillery rounds, including DPICMs [U.S. cluster munitions] and 105-millimeter artillery rounds,” he noted.

Moreover, a new package will include additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems and HIMARS, precision aerial munitions, additional Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, Stryker armored personnel carriers, demolition munitions and systems for obstacle clearing, and various spare parts and operational sustainment equipment.

In total, the US has provided Ukraine with more than $41.3 billion in security assistance since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.