Military News

US Department of Defense Resumes Ukraine Military Aid with $250 Million Payment

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FGM-148 Javelin man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile
FGM-148 Javelin man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile

The U.S. Department of Defense announced today its plans for $250 million in Fiscal Year 2020 Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds for additional training, equipment, and advisory efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity to more effectively defend itself against Russian aggression. This reaffirms the long-standing defense relationship between the United States and Ukraine – a critical partner on the front line of strategic competition with Russia. The United States remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

The USAI funds – $125 million of which was conditional on Ukraine’s progress on defense reforms – will provide equipment to support ongoing training programs and operational needs. This includes capabilities to enhance Ukraine’s defensive lethal capabilities and situational awareness in the maritime domain, air surveillance systems to monitor sovereign airspace, command and control and survivability of Ukraine’s Land and Special Operations Forces through the provision of counter-artillery radars and tactical equipment, military medical treatment and combat evacuation procedures, and cyber defense and strategic communications to counter Russian cyber offensive operations and misinformation. 

These security cooperation programs are made possible by Ukraine’s continued progress on key defense institutional and anti-corruption reforms. Over the past year, Ukraine has taken considerable steps to: strengthen civilian control of the military; reform military command and control structures; transition to a Western-style human resources management system; introduce measures to promote increased transparency and competition in defense procurement and the defense industrial sector; and tighten internal controls to reduce corruption. These reforms will bolster Ukraine’s ability to defend its territorial integrity in support of a secure, prosperous, democratic, and free Ukraine.

A delegation of senior Ukrainian military officials observes a U.S. Army unit currently conducting training at the combat training center at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany on May 9, 2017. A soldier demonstrates how to use the Javelin anti-tank missile system. Under the mentorship of Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine, currently led by the U.S. Army's 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the Ukrainian military is working towards establishing a NATO interoperable Combat Training Center by 2020. (Photo by 1st Lt. Kayla Christopher, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team)
A delegation of senior Ukrainian military officials observes a U.S. Army unit currently conducting training at the combat training center at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany on May 9, 2017. A soldier demonstrates how to use the Javelin anti-tank missile system. Under the mentorship of Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine, currently led by the U.S. Army’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the Ukrainian military is working towards establishing a NATO interoperable Combat Training Center by 2020. (Photo by 1st Lt. Kayla Christopher, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team)
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