The United States had initiated the delivery of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine as part of a new aid package, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder announced, speaking during a briefing.
Ryder informed journalists that he could not disclose specific details regarding the terms of the military aid delivery to Ukraine.
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“We've already started the process to move some of the weapons, ammunition, and equipment which will be, as I mentioned earlier there within days, if not sooner,” he said.
Additionally, Ryder mentioned that while some equipment may take longer to arrive, efforts are underway to deliver artillery ammunition promptly.
“Recognizing there's a variety of equipment and capabilities on the list that we put out. Some of those things will obviously take longer than others,” he said. “But when it comes to essential capabilities like ammunition, we're already moving out to make those deliveries.”
US plans to deploy additional military advisors to Ukraine sparks concerns
Another report published Saturday by Politico said: “The US is considering sending as many as 60 military advisers to Kyiv to facilitate the incoming weapons transfers while supporting the Ukrainian government. The advisers would be in a non-combat role.”
In response to the Pentagon's announcement of plans to deploy additional military advisors to Ukraine, concerns have been raised regarding potential escalation risks reminiscent of the Vietnam War.
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During a press briefing, Ryder addressed these concerns, stressing the differences between the situations in Vietnam and Ukraine. He stated that the advisors in Ukraine are not conducting training of indigenous forces, unlike the U.S. military's role in Vietnam.
Currently, a few advisors are operating out of the embassy in Ukraine, assisting in logistics support, weapon oversight programs, and end-use monitoring, he clarified.
While the decision to deploy additional advisors has not been finalized, General Ryder said that if approved, it would involve a small number of personnel operating under the embassy's Chief of Mission Authority.
“These forces are not in a combat role. They're in a non-combat role. They're an advisory role,” Ryder said.
“The United States has no intention of conducting combat operations inside Ukraine, nor are these forces going to be anywhere near the frontlines,” he added.
Despite concerns about potential danger, the General disclosed that all necessary precautions would be taken to ensure the safety of U.S. forces operating in Ukraine, as is done in other hotspot regions worldwide.
US President Joe Biden signed a bill to send a long-awaited $61 billion aid package for Ukraine on Wednesday, April 24. It was approved by the House of Representatives on Saturday, April 20, in a rare bipartisan coalition, 311-112, after months of impasse, and then approved by the Senate in a combined bill in a 79-18 vote on Tuesday before being signed by the US president on Wednesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had even gone so far as to say that, without US support, “Ukraine will lose the war.”
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