The US announces a $6 billion military aid package for Ukraine to purchase US military hardware

The United States has announced an additional $6 billion aid package for Ukraine to purchase American military hardware, including new Patriot missiles.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said Washington will provide Ukraine with the long-term military aid package – the largest yet – to buy new military hardware directly from US defense companies.

“This is the largest security assistance package we have committed to date. “It includes critical interceptors for the Ukrainian Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems, more counter-drone systems and support equipment, significant amounts of artillery ammunition, air-to-ground munitions and maintenance and sustainment support,” he said.

The recently announced package is the second this week, following another package worth up to $1 billion announced on Wednesday that included items that will be removed from U.S. stocks. However, the $6 billion aid package will be secured by the defense industry, meaning it will take longer to arrive on the battlefield.

In recent months, Ukraine has repeatedly asked for more air defense from its Western allies, especially the US, as the country struggles to halt Russia’s advance.

The U.S. House of Representatives on April 20 approved legislation authorizing $61 billion for the war-torn ex-Soviet republic. The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday and US President Joe Biden signed it into law on Wednesday, after months of division within Congress.

Austin’s comments came after he concluded a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a consortium of about 50 countries that includes all NATO members, some of the U.S.’s top non-NATO allies and other countries seeking military and humanitarian aid delivered to Kiev.

On Wednesday it was announced that the US had shipped long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) MGM-140 missiles to Ukraine in recent weeks.

These missiles, which have a range of about 300 kilometers, were included in a $300 million military aid package for Kiev that Biden approved on March 12.

According to US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, some of these missiles were part of a $1 billion weapons package approved on Wednesday.

Washington has already supplied Kiev with HIMARS launchers, which can fire ATACMS missiles, which can hit Russian targets far behind the front line between the two warring neighbors.

Russia has warned that the conflict in Ukraine could be prolonged due to the support of Western countries, in addition to the US, for Kiev.

On Saturday, reports said Ukrainian drones had hit two Russian oil refineries and a military airfield in a large-scale overnight attack.

A Ukrainian defense source quoted by AFP said “key technological facilities” were hit at two refineries in the southern region of Krasnodar.

Russian officials had earlier reported a fire at a refinery in the Kuban city of Slavyansk and state media said production had been partially halted.

Officials in Kiev said Russia launched a “massive” missile attack on Ukraine overnight, hitting energy facilities and damaging power stations in several regions.

Moscow has escalated its attacks on Ukraine’s electricity grid in recent months, causing blackouts and prompting Ukraine to ask consumers to ration their energy supplies.

“Russian forces carried out another massive missile attack on Ukraine,” the army said in its regular morning update.

DTEK’s electricity company said equipment at four of its thermal power stations was “severely damaged” during the overnight strikes.