‘Shipments Start in the Next Few Hours’ – US Rushes Military Aid to Ukraine

The United States swiftly dispatched ammunition, weaponry, and other crucial military provisions to Ukraine on Wednesday, April 24, following President Joe Biden's long-awaited endorsement of a bill to bolster the country's defense against Russian advances.

The bill, finally greenlit after months of intense political debate, earmarks $61 billion in funding for Kyiv out of a total of $95 billion. This decision comes at a critical moment as Ukrainian forces grapple with ammunition shortages and battlefield setbacks.

"I just signed into law the national security package that was passed by the House of Representatives this weekend, and by the Senate yesterday," Biden told reporters, saying he is "making sure the shipments start right away, in the next few hours."

In the immediate aftermath of Biden's announcement, the Pentagon revealed a $1 billion aid package for Kyiv, utilizing the fresh funding.

This comprehensive aid package includes air defense munitions, artillery rounds, ammunition for HIMARS precision rocket launchers, anti-tank weapons, and armored vehicles.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly expressed gratitude on social media.

"I am grateful to President Biden, Congress, and all Americans who recognize that we must cut the ground under Putin's feet rather than obeying him, as this is the only way to truly reduce threats to freedom," he wrote.

This marks the second time this year that Washington has announced new aid for Ukraine. In March, a $300 million package was provided, made possible by reallocating funds saved by the Pentagon from other purchases.

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EXPLAINED: What We Know About Russia’s Oreshnik Missile Fired on Ukraine

Putin said it had been deployed "in a non-nuclear hypersonic configuration" and said that the "test" had been successful and had hit its target.

Confirming on Wednesday, the State Department disclosed that the United States had covertly shipped long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine as part of the March assistance package, fulfilling a longstanding request from Kyiv.

"We refrained from announcing this initially to maintain operational security for Ukraine at their request," said State Department spokesman Vedant Patel.

The bill signed by Biden on Wednesday passed after months of heated debate among lawmakers over how, or even whether, to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russia's invasion, launched by Moscow in February 2022.

Facing a severe shortage of arms and recruits as Moscow applies constant pressure from the east, Ukraine's military is in dire need.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan warned on Wednesday that "it is certainly possible that Russia could make additional tactical gains in the coming weeks."