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| How Many And What Weapons Was Sent To Ukraine To Fight Russia? |
International Military - International Military - Defense ministers from NATO countries have met to discuss sending weapons to Ukraine on June 15, 2022. The meeting was held because Ukraine wants to increase their arsenal to fight Russia.
Ahead of the talks, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said allies would continue to deliver heavy weapons and long-range systems to Ukraine. Since Russia's February 24 military operation, Ukraine has received a wide range of weapons and other military equipment worth billions of dollars from at least 28 countries, Al Jazeera reports.
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The US and UK are among the countries that have supplied Kyiv with advanced weapons such as the multiple launch rocket (MLRS). Despite having received a lot of arms aid, Ukraine, which has only 200,000 active military personnel, was significantly outpaced by the Russian army.
What weapons has Ukraine received?
Military aid sent to Ukraine includes conventional weapons as well as more sophisticated equipment and weaponry. The weapons include artillery, which has been delivered from Estonia and Norway, the US has also promised 155mm M114 long-range artillery.
Anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, such as the MANPAD system, NLAW, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Stinger missiles, Javelin anti-tank missiles, MILAN anti-tank missiles and Cheetah anti-aircraft missiles. Several countries have also supplied armored vehicles to Ukraine, for example the UK which provides armored Mastiffs which can carry a crew of two plus eight soldiers.
Australia has also promised an M113 armored personnel carrier and a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle that can carry 10 personnel. The Czech Republic and Poland are also the two countries that supply Ukraine with the largest T-72 tanks.
As a reminder, one of the systems that has really helped Ukraine against Russia is the Bayraktar TB2 attack drone from Turkey. This unmanned system caught the attention of the world, where it managed to destroy the notoriously powerful Russian artillery and armored vehicles.
For aerial heavy weapons assistance, the US and the Czech Republic have sent Ukrainian Mi-24 attack helicopters. And finally, "hand" weapons, a number of countries sent automatic rifles, machine guns, assault rifles, snipers, submachine guns, pistols and ammunition to Ukraine.
Last week, Britain announced that it would supply Ukraine with the M270 multi-launch rocket system, which can strike targets up to 80 km (50 miles) away.
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British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said, "as Russia's tactics change, so does your support for Ukraine. A system like the M270 is very capable of protecting our Ukrainian counterparts from Russian long-range artillery attacks," he told Al Jazeera.
What Help Does the US Send?
During the Russo-Ukrainian fighting, the US provided at least $54 billion in aid to Kyiv. That includes more than $20 billion in military support that Congress approved last May.
The billion-dollar package is in addition to the aid package deal agreed in March. Last June 1, the US Department of Defense announced the authorization for the withdrawal of eleven pieces of equipment from the DoD inventory for Ukraine since August 2021.
Read Also: US President Joe Biden Announces Worth $1 Billion Arms Aid to Ukraine
Because US President Joe Biden said the US would continue to provide Ukraine with weapons and equipment to defend itself. Al Jazeera reports the weapons systems include:
- High mobility Artillery rocket system with ammunition
- Five counter-artillery radar
- Two air surveillance radars
- 1,000 anti-tank Javelin and 50 automatic rocket launch units
- 6,000 anti-armored weapons
- 15,000 155mm . artillery shells
- Four Mi-17 . helicopters
- 15 tactical vehicles
- Spare parts and equipment
- More advanced weapons
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on Western countries to send in more heavy weapons, arguing it is the only way to stop Russian troops from turning the war into "endless bloodshed".
On June 1, the Biden administration said it would provide Ukraine with a high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS), on the condition that Ukrainian forces do not use it to hit targets inside Russian territory.
The M142 HIMARS is a high-tech light rocket launcher that can strike targets at a distance of 80 km (50 miles). This is nearly double the range of the current M777 howitzer, which the US promised to provide earlier in this conflict.
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The M142 HIMARS is seven meters long, 2.4 meters wide and 3.2 meters high. This combat vehicle has a maximum speed of 85 kilometers per hour (53 miles per hour) and a maximum cruising range of 480 km (298 miles). Ukraine already has some rocket launch system (MLRS) capabilities, but HIMARS is a newer and more advanced system.
The GPS-driven M142 HIMARS can carry one cannon containing six 227mm guided missiles or can be loaded with tactical missiles. Very flexible as this cannon can be detached by a small crew in just a few minutes. HIMARS will give Ukrainian forces the ability to strike deeper Russian lines at greater distances.