The Pentagon announced on Friday it will send an additional $425 million in military aid to Ukraine as Kyiv readies itself to confront Russian forces reinforced by over 10,000 North Korean troops.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had signaled that more aid was on the way during his visit to Kyiv last week. This latest package will include supplies from current U.S. stockpiles, such as air defense interceptors for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 155 mm artillery, as well as armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons.
Ukraine’s eastern cities continue to endure intense Russian missile attacks. On Thursday, a Russian 500-kilogram (1,100-pound) glide bomb struck an apartment complex in Kharkiv, killing three and injuring many others.
Meanwhile, Ukraine faces a new challenge as waves of North Korean soldiers recently deployed to Russia have reportedly reached areas close to Ukraine's border and are preparing to join Russian forces against Ukrainian troops.
Russia has increasingly deployed glide bombs to hit Ukrainian positions along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line and to target cities at a significant distance from the battlefield. Kharkiv, with a population of 1.1 million, is just under 20 miles (about 30 kilometers) from the Russian border.
With this latest package, the total U.S. military assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022 has reached $60.4 billion.
