The US to Provide New Weapons to Ukraine

As of now, it has not been disclosed what specific weapons Washington will provide to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in case the situation in Donbass escalates. The Pentagon is likely to strengthen Ukraine's air defense with "Patriot" missile systems, which Ukraine has long requested.

Andrey Kots, RIA Novosti

Anti-ship missiles, air defense systems, and more "Javelin" complexes: the Americans are developing a new program to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine. Western media emphasize that this is necessary in the event of direct military confrontation between Kyiv and Moscow. And although the Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that troops will withdraw after military exercises, it is unlikely that the Pentagon will abandon the opportunity to further militarize the region.

Military Aid

NATO has made it quite clear that they do not intend to fight against Russia for the sake of Ukraine and will not send troops to Donbass. However, the West will not abandon providing material-technical support to Kyiv.

The alliance's reconnaissance planes and drones are deployed daily over the Black Sea and the contact line, relaying information to Ukraine's General Staff. Intelligence from the LPR and DPR constantly observes foreign military specialists in the trenches. Mysterious NATO military transport aircraft regularly land in Kyiv with cargo.

In late April, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a bipartisan bill on "Partnership with Ukraine in the Security Sector," which stipulates that military assistance to Kyiv will increase to $300 million. Ukraine's Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova announced on social media that this funding will also be used to purchase lethal weapons.

Why Russian "Sarmats" should fly between the poles of the planet

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon is preparing to provide Ukraine with air defense systems, anti-ship and anti-tank missiles, and operational-tactical strike systems. It is apparent that Western experts will install and configure the more complex weapons systems, as Ukrainian servicemen are currently not being trained for this. This means that a small contingent of alliance troops may nevertheless be involved in potential armed conflict by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Feeling the taste of military "aid," the Kyiv authorities have immediately begun to demand more. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba admitted in an interview with Reuters that he asked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for support in equipping modern electronic warfare systems.

Furthermore, many experts believe that Western electronic warfare (EW) systems are already being stationed in Donbass. Military expert Alexey Leonkov suggests that these systems are being urgently transported to Kyiv by cargo planes. This is indirectly confirmed by recent reports from the militias of the unrecognized republics, which indicate that OSCE mission drones often fail to take off because the Ukrainian side is jamming control signals.

More Missiles

So far, it has not been revealed what specific weapons Washington will provide to the Ukrainian Armed Forces if the situation in Donbass escalates. Perhaps the Pentagon will bolster Ukraine's air defense with "Patriot" missile systems, a long-time request from Ukraine.

In mid-April, Andrey Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, literally demanded from the US the deployment of "Patriots" in Ukraine, declaring that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defending against Russia "for the entire West." Regarding anti-ship missiles, the Pentagon could transfer a batch of "Harpoon" anti-ship missiles to Ukraine. Yes, Kyiv currently lacks platforms for deploying this weapon in the air and at sea, but "Harpoons" are also fired in a coastal version. The range is 280 kilometers. Remember, that ships of the Black Sea Fleet can launch salvos of winged "Kalibr" missiles from over two thousand kilometers away.

To destroy targets located deep behind enemy defenses, Ukraine's ground forces could be allocated American "HIMARS" operational-tactical systems with the capacity to launch "ATACMS" missiles, which can strike at distances of up to 270 kilometers—again inferior to the Russian "Iskander-M," which strikes at distances of 500 kilometers. Additionally, the Ukrainian armed forces will continue to receive third-generation "Javelin" anti-tank systems; funding has already been allocated for this.

Seven Years of Supplies

Since the very beginning of the civil war in Donbass, the Americans have actively supplied the Ukrainian Armed Forces. While supplies of small arms and armored vehicles mainly come from former Soviet countries, all types of auxiliary equipment and specialized technology predominantly come from the US.

Initially, Washington limited itself to non-lethal products. In 2014, Kyiv received about 2,000 bulletproof vests, two dozen AN/TPQ-48A counter-battery radar stations, 35 HMMWV armored vehicles, and field hospitals. In 2015, they received 130 "Humvees" and five fast boats. In 2016, 14 radar stations, more than 2,000 night-vision devices, five HMMWV armored vehicles in a medical evacuation variant, and 24 sets of RQ-11B Raven light UAVs. In 2017, another 40 "Humvees" and about 700 radios were supplied. In 2018, the Pentagon sent lethal weapons to Ukraine, including 35 anti-tank FGM-148 Javelin missile systems and 210 missiles. Since 2014, Kyiv has been asking Washington for "Javelins," believing these missiles could bring a decisive victory. However, they did not reach the frontlines. According to American conditions, these systems must not be used at the contact line of the opposing forces and can only be deployed in the case of "Russian aggression."
Besides "Javelins," in 2018 the Pentagon also provided the Ukrainian armed forces with 2,500 night-vision equipment, mine detectors, evacuation "Humvees," three systems for use against snipers, as well as 30 all-terrain vehicles, two radio-location devices, and medical equipment worth $9 million. In 2019, assistance remained approximately at the same level, totaling about $361 million. In 2020, Washington spent $510 million. It is known that another batch of "Javelins" has arrived in Ukraine. Additionally, in September, the State Department approved the sale of $600 million for 16 "Mark VI" patrol boats to Kyiv. However, it is still unknown when they will be delivered.