US announces $500 mn in armor, air defense, other arms for Ukraine

The United States on Tuesday announced a fresh tranche of arms to bolster Ukraine's mounting counteroffensive against Russian forces, including armored vehicles, precision munitions and mine-clearing equipment.

The package will include ground vehicles including Bradley fighting vehicles and Stryker armored personnel carriers, and munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, according to a statement from the Pentagon.

The package "includes key capabilities to support Ukraine's counteroffensive operations, strengthen its air defenses ... and other equipment to help Ukraine push back on Russia's war of aggression," the Pentagon said.

The package is being funded using Presidential Drawdown Authority, or PDA, which authorizes the president to transfer articles and services from U.S. stocks without congressional approval during an emergency. The material will come from U.S. excess inventory.

The security assistance package is the 41st approved by the United States for Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022, for a total of more than $40 billion.