Including Excalibur missiles: US sends new drones to Ukraine
The sources indicate that Washington and Kyiv expect fierce fighting in the coming weeks
On Friday, the Biden administration announced it would send new weapons to Ukraine as part of a $775 million package, including new drones, armored vehicles and artillery.
The sources indicate that Washington and Kyiv expect fierce fighting in the coming weeks. Moreover, these are not only artillery clashes, which the world has been watching for several weeks.
For the first time, the US is sending 15 ScanEagle reconnaissance drones to help the Ukrainians detect and correct high-precision artillery and missile strikes.
Small drones can be moved around the battlefield relatively easily. They will also be invaluable in the expected attack on Kherson. Other items included in the tranche indicate preparations are underway for an offensive by Ukrainian ground forces in the south, where fighting has been deadlocked for weeks as the war has turned into one long, grueling artillery duel.
“Right now, we are observing a complete and absolute lack of progress on the part of the Russians on the battlefield. In this sense, we are in a different phase than a couple of months ago, when Russian forces were gaining strength in the Donbass and in the south,” a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Defense told reporters anonymously of Ukraine
For the first time, the equipment being shipped includes 40 heavily armored MaxxPro anti-mine vehicles, originally developed for US forces in Iraq. In Ukraine, they will clear roads and fields before ground troops move forward, paving paths through dense minefields laid by the Russian occupiers.
Also new are TOW anti-tank guided missile systems, sixteen 105mm howitzers and 36,000 rounds, as well as 2,000 rounds for the Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle.
In addition, the US is also sending more high-speed anti-radar fighter jets that target Russian radar systems, a key factor in undermining Russia’s ability to detect new Ukrainian military movements and command and control its own forces.
It is worth noting that in the future the Americans plan to send Excalibur high-precision artillery ammunition. However, they were not included in this package.
