The Biden administration on Friday announced a new batch of military aid for Ukraine, worth up to $400 million. The latest allotment pushes the total value of U.S. military aid provided to Ukraine to more than $32 billion.
The aid package, to be drawn from U.S. stockpiles, will provide thousands of artillery shells of various sizes, including the 155mm shells used by the more than 100 M-777 howitzers the U.S. has supplied to Ukraine and are reportedly in heavy use as Ukrainian forces battle an attempted Russian advance near the city of Bakhmut.
The U.S. will also supply Ukraine for the first time with Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges, unarmed tank-like vehicles with folding metal bridges that allow tanks and jeeps to cross trenches and water obstacles. Combined with the equipment used to clear mines that is also part of the package, the mobile bridges could be used in a possible spring offensive against dug-in Russian forces.
The U.S. is also ramping up its training of Ukrainian soldiers. According to the Associated Press, the U.S. has nearly tripled the number of Ukrainians receiving training in Germany on equipment such as Bradley fighting vehicles and Stryker armored personnel carriers. An initial group of 600 completed a five-week course last month, and 1,600 soldiers are currently learning to use the new equipment.
