WASHINGTON — The US will throw in powerful armored vehicles as a part of its latest $2.6 billion security package for Ukraine — one in all the most important since Russia’s invasion began 11 months ago, Pentagon sources tell The Post.
The help is predicted to incorporate nearly 100 Stryker combat vehicles and a minimum of 50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
The package, to be announced Friday, is one other step toward giving Ukraine the tanks Kyiv has long asked for, with fighting expected to accentuate later this yr. Stryker combat vehicles and Bradley Fighting Vehicles are much like tanks but have less armor and smaller guns.
The US has previously sent Ukraine 1000’s of other combat vehicles to assist move troops — reminiscent of Humvees and mine-resistant vehicles — but Bradleys and Strykers offer increased combat capabilities with their 25 mm and 105 mm cannons, respectively.
Despite Ukraine’s repeated asks for tanks, only the UK has responded. Over the weekend, London announced it will send Ukraine 14 Challenger 2 major battle tanks. Germany can be considering sending its Leopard 2 tanks.
While US officials have acknowledged the advantages tanks would supply Ukraine’s defenders, this week’s package won’t include M1 Abrams tanks, which Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said “just doesn’t make sense” to send “at this moment,” a minimum of partly attributable to upkeep requirements.
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“The Abrams are more of a sustainment issue,” Singh told reporters Thursday. “I mean, it is a tank that requires jet fuel, whereas the Leopard and the Challenger — it’s a special engine, they require diesel. It’s somewhat bit easier to keep up.”
Details of the package come ahead of the Friday meeting of the Pentagon-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which brings together defense leaders from greater than 50 nations every month to coordinate resources for the war-torn country. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin steadily times major military aid announcements to the group’s monthly meetings.
Austin can be expected to press other allies who use Leopard tanks to supply them to Ukraine.
“There are dozens of nations which have the Leopard tanks,” Singh said. “I believe the secretary’s objective here is to secure and work with our partners and allies to get Ukraine the capabilities and the requests that it has for what it needs on the battlefield. That’s why the contact group is so essential.”
US officials consider Russia is planning a fresh spring offensive in Ukraine. Discussions on the Friday meeting – to be held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany – are expected to deal with what Kyiv might want to counter the expected offensive and “launch attacks to take back the territory Russia has taken,” in accordance with the Pentagon.
While those needs include a gentle supply of air-defense and artillery capabilities, the upcoming fight would require armored weaponry, necessitating the Bradleys, Strykers and British Challenger tanks, a senior US official said Wednesday.
“What’s really essential at this point is providing Ukraine with armor capabilities, and particularly, maneuver[able] armor capabilities,” the official said.
Ukrainian troops are already training on Bradley Fighting Vehicles on the seventh Army Training Center in Grafenwoehr, Germany, near Nuremberg, in accordance with the Pentagon.
To date, the US has sent Ukraine roughly $20 billion in military aid from its own stock and thru weapons purchases with congressionally-approved funds.
WASHINGTON — The US will throw in powerful armored vehicles as a part of its latest $2.6 billion security package for Ukraine — one in all the most important since Russia’s invasion began 11 months ago, Pentagon sources tell The Post.
The help is predicted to incorporate nearly 100 Stryker combat vehicles and a minimum of 50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
The package, to be announced Friday, is one other step toward giving Ukraine the tanks Kyiv has long asked for, with fighting expected to accentuate later this yr. Stryker combat vehicles and Bradley Fighting Vehicles are much like tanks but have less armor and smaller guns.
The US has previously sent Ukraine 1000’s of other combat vehicles to assist move troops — reminiscent of Humvees and mine-resistant vehicles — but Bradleys and Strykers offer increased combat capabilities with their 25 mm and 105 mm cannons, respectively.
Despite Ukraine’s repeated asks for tanks, only the UK has responded. Over the weekend, London announced it will send Ukraine 14 Challenger 2 major battle tanks. Germany can be considering sending its Leopard 2 tanks.
While US officials have acknowledged the advantages tanks would supply Ukraine’s defenders, this week’s package won’t include M1 Abrams tanks, which Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said “just doesn’t make sense” to send “at this moment,” a minimum of partly attributable to upkeep requirements.
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“The Abrams are more of a sustainment issue,” Singh told reporters Thursday. “I mean, it is a tank that requires jet fuel, whereas the Leopard and the Challenger — it’s a special engine, they require diesel. It’s somewhat bit easier to keep up.”
Details of the package come ahead of the Friday meeting of the Pentagon-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which brings together defense leaders from greater than 50 nations every month to coordinate resources for the war-torn country. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin steadily times major military aid announcements to the group’s monthly meetings.
Austin can be expected to press other allies who use Leopard tanks to supply them to Ukraine.
“There are dozens of nations which have the Leopard tanks,” Singh said. “I believe the secretary’s objective here is to secure and work with our partners and allies to get Ukraine the capabilities and the requests that it has for what it needs on the battlefield. That’s why the contact group is so essential.”
US officials consider Russia is planning a fresh spring offensive in Ukraine. Discussions on the Friday meeting – to be held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany – are expected to deal with what Kyiv might want to counter the expected offensive and “launch attacks to take back the territory Russia has taken,” in accordance with the Pentagon.
While those needs include a gentle supply of air-defense and artillery capabilities, the upcoming fight would require armored weaponry, necessitating the Bradleys, Strykers and British Challenger tanks, a senior US official said Wednesday.
“What’s really essential at this point is providing Ukraine with armor capabilities, and particularly, maneuver[able] armor capabilities,” the official said.
Ukrainian troops are already training on Bradley Fighting Vehicles on the seventh Army Training Center in Grafenwoehr, Germany, near Nuremberg, in accordance with the Pentagon.
To date, the US has sent Ukraine roughly $20 billion in military aid from its own stock and thru weapons purchases with congressionally-approved funds.
