By Tyler Durden
In a Thursday CNN interview, Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk described a stalemated battlefield situation with Russia, while also urging more Western arms to be urgently sent. “The war is in a situation where the Russians cannot move anywhere further because of the weapons the West provided us. We managed now to make them stop,” Zagorodnyuk said.
“But unfortunately at the same time we don’t have enough weapons for a proper, serious, fully-fledged counter-offensive,” he added. Yet a battlefield stalemate is where things can get dangerous fast, as is the case with the ongoing standoff at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. As we detailed earlier President Putin has warned his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a Friday phone call that Ukraine forces’ “systematic shelling” risks a “large-scale catastrophe” at the Zaporizhzhia plant, based on his words in the Kremlin call readout.
But the West still appears to be holding out hope that ramped-up arms shipments, including increasingly heavier and longer-range weapons, can tip the scales against the superior and larger Russian forces. This is at least the logic in Washington, despite little evidence the unprecedented defense aid packages have significantly halted or dented the Russian offensive.
Politico reports Friday: “The U.S. will announce a new military aid package for Ukraine on Friday, two people familiar with the announcement told Politico, with another $800 million in weapons and ammunition.” This means the total so far in pledged defense packages (excluding other types of US aid) has just sailed north of $9 billion, according to the below figures.
“A third person said the next package will include Excalibur precision-guided munitions, which would further help Ukraine hit far-away Russian targets during the war’s artillery-heavy phase,” the report continues. The package is to include additional HIMARS, or the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, as well as Howitzers.
Russia is already warning that the possibility of a direct clash with NATO or the US is now higher than ever, also as on Thursday the defense ministry sent hypersonic missiles to be stationed in Kaliningrad, to be on ‘ready’ by three MiG fighter jets.
Tensions with Ukraine’s Western backers are also boiling because of recent explosions at Russian bases deep inside Crimea, leading to speculation of long-range attack capability by Ukraine.
Politico speaks to the potential symbolism and timing of the new impending aid: “The tranche comes just days before Ukraine’s independence day on Aug. 24, which one DoD official suggested could also bring a fresh American show of support,” it notes.
Source: Ukraine Support Tracker via the Kiel Institute for the World Economy
* * *
Below is a timeline of all publicly disclosed major weapons shipments or funding packages going back to February 24, compiled by the thinktank Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft:
August 8
The Pentagon announced that it will send $1 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine via presidential drawdown, including:
August 1
The Pentagon announced an additional $550 million of security aid via presidential drawdown, including:
July 22
The Pentagon announced that it will send $270 million of military aid to Ukraine, with $175 million authorized via presidential drawdown and the other $95 million coming via USAI funds. This included:
July 8
The Pentagon announced an additional $400 million of military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:
July 1
The Pentagon announced that it will send $820 million of security aid, with $50 million authorized via presidential drawdown and the remaining $770 million coming via USAI funds. This included:
June 23
The Pentagon announced an additional $450 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:
June 15
The Pentagon announced an additional $1 billion in lethal aid, with $350 million authorized via presidential drawdown and $650 million coming from USAI funds. This included:
June 1
The Pentagon announced an additional $700 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:
May 19
The Pentagon announced $100 million in lethal aid via presidential drawdown, including:
May 6
The Pentagon announced $150 million in military aid via presidential drawdown, including:
April 21
DoD announced $800 million in further aid via presidential drawdown, including:
April 13
The Pentagon announced that it will send an additional $800 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:
April 6
The Pentagon announced an addition $100 million in aid via presidential drawdown, including:
April 1
DoD announced that it will send $300 million in lethal aid using USAI funds, including:
March 16
The Pentagon announced that it will send $800 million worth of military aid via presidential drawdown. The exact contents of this package are unclear, but it likely included Mi-17 helicopters, Javelin missiles, and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.
March 12
The White House announced that it will send $200 million in lethal aid via presidential drawdown, including:
March 10
Congress approved $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine, roughly half of which was earmarked for military assistance.
February 25
The White House announced that it will send $350 million in military aid via presidential drawdown, including:
Source: ZeroHedge
Image: Anthony Freda Art
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