As US Announces New $800M Ukraine Arms Package, Here’s The Total List Since War’s Start

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

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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:

• HIMARS ammunition (This is an acronym for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. These mobile missile launchers can fire a wide range of munitions, including rocket artillery and short-range ballistic missiles.)
• Artillery ammunition
• Javelin missiles and other anti-armor weapons

August 1

The Pentagon announced an additional $550 million of security aid via presidential drawdown, including:

• HIMARS ammunition
• Artillery ammunition

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:

• Four additional HIMARS 
• HIMARS ammunition
• Four Command Post vehicles (These can be used as a tactical operations center or an armored ambulance, among other things.)
• Tank gun ammunition
• Phoenix Ghost drones (These are a type of “loitering munition,” or a weapon that can wait in the air for extended periods of time before attacking a target. This was created by the United States for use in Ukraine.)

July 8

The Pentagon announced an additional $400 million of military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:

• Four additional HIMARS
• HIMARS ammunition
• Artillery ammunition

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:

• HIMARS ammunition
• Two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) (This system launches missiles to defend against various types of aircraft, including drones.)
• Artillery ammunition

June 23

The Pentagon announced an additional $450 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:

• Four HIMARS
• Artillery ammunition
• Grenade launchers
• Patrol boats

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:

• Howitzers (This is a popular long-range artillery weapon.)
• Artillery ammunition 
• HIMARS ammunition
• Two Harpoon coastal defense systems (These launch missiles that fly just above the surface of the water to attack planes and ships.)

June 1

The Pentagon announced an additional $700 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:

• HIMARS ammunition
• Javelin missiles and other anti-armor weapons
• Artillery ammunition
• Four Mi-17 helicopters (These can be used for transport or combat.)

May 19

The Pentagon announced $100 million in lethal aid via presidential drawdown, including:

• Howitzers
• On the same day, Congress passed a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine, roughly half of which was earmarked for military assistance.

May 6

The Pentagon announced $150 million in military aid via presidential drawdown, including:

• Artillery ammunition

April 21

DoD announced $800 million in further aid via presidential drawdown, including:

• Howitzers
• Artillery ammunition
• Phoenix Ghost drones

April 13

The Pentagon announced that it will send an additional $800 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:

• Howitzers
• Artillery ammunition
• Switchblade drones (This is another form of loitering munition.)
• Javelin missiles and other anti-armor weapons
• Armored personnel carriers
• 11 Mi-17 helicopters
• Various types of explosives

April 6

The Pentagon announced an addition $100 million in aid via presidential drawdown, including:

• Javelin anti-armor systems

April 1

DoD announced that it will send $300 million in lethal aid using USAI funds, including:

• Laser-guided rocket systems
• Switchblade drones
• Puma surveillance drones
• Anti-drone systems 
• Armored vehicles

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:

• Javelin missiles 
• Stinger missiles

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:

• Anti-armor weapons
• Small arms