Biden Approves $400 Million in Military Aid for Ukraine in Response to Latest Russian Offensive
Russia launched a new ground offensive into Ukraine’s northeast region on Friday.
The Biden administration approved a new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine on Friday, as Russian forces attempted to breach Ukrainian defenses in a fresh offensive.
This latest package involves transferring existing weapons from the Pentagon’s inventory, with an estimated value of $400 million. It includes Patriot and NASAMS surface-to-air missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, artillery shells, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and anti-tank launchers.
The Senate recently approved a $93.5 billion foreign aid funding package, with a significant portion earmarked for Ukraine. Additionally, on April 26, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin committed to sending $1 billion worth of weapons and equipment to Ukraine to support their defense efforts.
Russia Launches New Major Offensive
Russian troops initiated a ground offensive in Ukraine’s northeast Kharkiv region, according to Zelenskyy. Ukrainian forces are actively engaging in combat to defend against the incursion.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is currently the battleground for fierce fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Despite being close to the Russian border, Russian forces failed to capture the city during the initial invasion in 2022.
The Defense Ministry of Ukraine reported that Russian forces attempted to breach Ukrainian defense lines with armored vehicles early in the morning, but Ukrainian forces successfully repelled the attack.
