Announcement due this week after Moscow drone bombing
“Ukraine won’t attack Russian mainland with US weapons” Denying Bombings
The U.S. plans to announce a total of $3 billion in military aid to Ukraine this week, including additional ammunition for drones, a senior official told The Associated Press on the 30th (local time).
The talk of ammunition for drones came after drone strikes on residential areas in Moscow early on the 30th.
While there has never been a rumor that the drones or explosives used in the Moscow bombing were American, US officials have reiterated that Ukraine has agreed never to use US-supplied weapons against Russia.
The Russian government has claimed that the drone attack was carried out by the Ukrainian government, but Ukrainian authorities have yet to comment directly.
However, it is clear that this additional aid plan will be announced at the most urgent moment of the war in Ukraine. The drone attack on Moscow came shortly after the Russians took over the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which killed hundreds of thousands in nine months of fighting.
The Ukrainian military also believes that the long-awaited Ukrainian spring general counteroffensive has already begun.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that one of the drones attacking Moscow was shot down, while three others had malfunctioned and veered off course. President Vladimir Putin called the attack an “act of terrorism” orchestrated by the Ukrainian government.
Pentagon officials said the drone strikes would have no impact on U.S. plans to provide arms support to Ukraine, including ammunition for drones.
The United States will support Ukraine’s efforts to defend its territory and will continue to provide necessary aid, and since Ukraine has never attacked the interior of Russia with weapons provided by the United States, it will continue to provide aid in the future.
Pentagon officials who spoke out on the matter asked not to be identified, saying that the aid plan had not yet been made public.
However, regarding the provision of ammunition and bombs for this drone, detailed information such as what kind of drone is used was not disclosed. The Pentagon has provided Ukraine with several different types of drones over the past year. They include reconnaissance drones and attack drones, as well as so-called ‘kamikaze-style’ self-destruct drones that explode while charging at a target in the air.
In addition, the aid package announced to be provided this time is known to include cutting-edge weapons and equipment such as ammunition for the Patriot missile battery and HIMARS (High Speed Mobile Artillery Rocket System).
[워싱턴 = AP/ 뉴시스]
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.