The United States arms Ukraine with long-range Himars rockets, Javelin anti-tank missiles and Mi-17 helicopters

USA will send to Ukraine four Himars advanced missile systems, as well as 1,000 Javelin anti-tank weapons and four Mi-17 helicopters in a new weapons package valued at $700 million, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl said that Ukrainian forces need about three weeks for training in the Himars systema mobile unit launching precision guided missiles that can give the Ukrainians more accuracy in the artillery battle in the region of the donbas.

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The Himars system, with the capacity to carry six missiles at a time and an average range of 70 kilometers, almost doubles that of the M777 howitzers, recently delivered to Ukraineand “will provide additional precision on distant targets,” Kahl added at a press conference.

The HIMARS system consists of multiple rocket launchers mounted on light armored vehicles and use precision-guided munitions with a range of 80 km. (FADEL SENNA / AFP /)

With the new military aid, Ukrainian forces will also receive five anti-artillery radars, two air surveillance radars, 50 launch command units for the Javelins, 6,000 anti-armor weapons, 15,000 artillery rounds and 15 tactical vehicles.

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With this new package, the arms and security assistance provided by USA Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraineon February 24, amounts to 4,600 million dollars.

“Our support for Ukraine and that of the international community remains unwavering,” Kahl assured.

American-made Javelin missiles have become a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance. (Photo by Sergey BOBOK / AFP)

The undersecretary added that the Himars systems, which kyiv had urgently claimed for several weeks, were already positioned in Europe for training and delivery.

These systems could be very useful to the Ukrainian military in selecting and attacking high-value Russian targets, Kahl explained.

He also confirmed that President Volodymyr Zelensky had given guarantees to Washington that the Himars would not be used to attack Russian territoryin response to US concerns that doing so could prompt Moscow to expand the war outside Ukraine.

“President Biden has been clear, we have no intention of going into direct conflict with Russia.”Kahl assured.

Source: Elcomercio