Washington (AP) As the Biden administration scrambles to do everything it can to support Kyiv in its struggle against Russia in the next two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, U.S. officials said Tuesday that the Pentagon will ship Ukraine at least $275 million in new weapons.
The most recent round of weaponry arrives as concerns about the fight intensifying are growing, with both parties attempting to seize any advantage they can in the event Donald Trump demands a speedy conclusion to the war, as he has promised.
This week, Russian President Vladimir Putin formally lowered the threshold for launching nuclear weapons after President Joe Biden granted Ukraine permission to fire longer-range missiles deeper into Russia.
Although Moscow is cautioning that Ukraine’s new use of the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, inside Russia on Tuesday could provoke a severe response, U.S. officials argue that Russia’s shift in nuclear policy was anticipated.
According to one U.S. official, there are no signs that Russia is getting ready to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine. The aid package has not yet been made public, so the U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity.
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Kremlin, responded in the affirmative when asked Tuesday if a Ukrainian strike using longer-range American missiles may lead to the deployment of nuclear weapons. He cited the clause in the doctrine that permits it following a conventional strike that poses serious risks to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Russia and its partner Belarus.
Only two of Ukraine’s approximately eight ATACM missiles that were shot into Russia on Tuesday were intercepted, according to a U.S. official. According to the official, the missiles hit an ammunition supply point in Karachev, in the Bryansk region, although the U.S. is still evaluating the damage.
U.S. officials believe the fresh aid package for Ukraine includes weaponry such as Javelin anti-armor missiles, 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), and other equipment and spare components for air defense.
The presidential drawdown power, which enables the Pentagon to swiftly remove goods from its shelves and expedite them to Ukraine’s front line, will be used to supply the weaponry.
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This article was written by Associated Press writers Tara Copp in Washington, Michelle Price in New York City, and Aamer Madhani in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
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