US Announces $300 Million in Arms Package but Requests Kyiv Not to Attack Russia

On Wednesday, the US unveiled a fresh $300 million arms package for Ukraine that included air defense systems and millions of rounds of ammunition. However, Washington cautioned Kiev not to use the US weapons to launch an assault inside of Russia.

“We have made it quite clear to the Ukrainians both in private and in public that we oppose assaults within Russia. According to John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, “We do not support or allow assaults inside of Russia.

The next shipments, according to the Defense Department, would raise the total cost of US security assistance to Ukraine to $37.6 billion since Russia began its invasion in February 2022.

The Pentagon released a statement in which it said that “the United States will continue to work with its allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements.”

An extraordinary effort by NATO and other allies to provide Ukraine with weapons and other assistance has been spearheaded by the United States.

The most recent weaponry supplies occur as Ukraine is ready to launch a counteroffensive to push Russian soldiers out of large areas of seized territory in the east and south of the nation.

The support also follows a string of covert assaults on targets located inside Russia, including an extraordinary flurry of drone operations on Moscow.

According to Kirby, the United States has made clear to Ukraine what the restrictions are.

“We don’t direct them as to where to attack. We don’t advise them on safe areas to attack, he added. President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and his military leaders ultimately determine what they will do.

“We definitely don’t want to see attacks inside Russia that are being propagated, that are being conducted, using US-supplied equipment,” the statement said.

According to Kirby, the White House is still convinced that Ukraine would uphold its pledge not to employ US-built F-16 fighters — scheduled to be provided by European nations — against targets outside of Ukrainian boundaries, despite the rising tensions surrounding the matter.

At multiple levels, “we have received that assurance,” Kirby added.

While Washington fully supports Ukraine’s efforts to repel the Russian invasion, Kirby stated that the United States wants to prevent circumstances that “suck in the West, NATO, and the United States” and “avoid World War III.”

The $300 million package, according to the Pentagon, contains ammunition for Avenger air defense systems, Patriot air defense systems, AIM-7 air defense missiles, and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.

The package also includes Zuni aviation rockets, 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, 105mm tank ammo, and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

According to the Pentagon, the US is also giving Ukraine more than 30 million rounds of small weapons ammunition.