Biden Administration Announces $500 Million Drawdown Package to Ukraine
The Biden administration has announced a drawdown package worth $500 million to Ukraine, which includes more than three dozen Bradley and Stryker armored vehicles. The package comes as Ukraine’s armed forces are in roughly week three of their long-expected counteroffensive, and are making slow progress against Russian troops.
The drawdown package includes 30 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and 25 Stryker armored personnel carriers, which are key to helping the Ukrainians advance. So far, 15% of the 113 Bradleys provided by the U.S. have been damaged or destroyed, according to U.S. officials. Despite videos surfacing online showing damage to vehicles provided by the U.S., Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has downplayed the significance, joking that the Russians have probably shown the same image in different ways to make it appear that more of the military vehicles have been damaged. Officials have said that losses were to be expected, which is why the U.S. and allies have spent so much money training the Ukrainians on how to maintain and repair the provided equipment.
The drawdown also includes more artillery rounds, Javelins, Stingers, and more munitions for previously provided high mobility artillery rocket systems and Patriot air defense battery. This is the 41st drawdown of equipment to Ukraine since August 2021.
Pentagon Overvalued Equipment Given to Ukraine
The Pentagon announced last week that it had overvalued the equipment given to Ukraine from Defense Department stocks by about $6 billion. In the initial valuation, the Defense Department counted the cost it would take to replace old equipment with new equipment, not adding up the value of the old equipment that was being provided to Ukraine.
Despite this setback, the U.S. continues to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. The drawdown package is just one of the many ways the Biden administration is showing its commitment to Ukraine’s security.
Conclusion
The Biden administration’s $500 million drawdown package to Ukraine includes more than three dozen Bradley and Stryker armored vehicles, as well as additional artillery rounds, Javelins, Stingers, and munitions. The package is part of the U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. Despite some losses, officials have said that it is to be expected and that the U.S. and allies have spent significant amounts of money training Ukrainians on how to maintain and repair the provided equipment. The drawdown package is the 41st since August 2021.
Original Story at www.cbsnews.com – 2023-06-27 23:56:00
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