US releases record aid package for Ukraine

The USA has announced a new $3bn military aid package for Ukraine. According to the White House, as part of this package, $682m will be allocated to NATO's eastern bloc to buy weapons, while $225m will be used to modernize the Ukrainian army.

White House spokeswoman Carina Jean-Pierre said that the new military aid package includes BMP Bradley, self-propelled howitzers and other armoured vehicles, as well as ammunition. She said:

"Colleagues at the State Department will give details of this package later, but it is expected to include the Bradley combat vehicles we announced yesterday, self-propelled howitzers, surface-to-air missiles, other equipment and ammunition

According to US officials, the package aims to deliver as much needed equipment as possible to Ukrainian forces over the winter months - before spring arrives and the expected intensification of hostilities begins.

At the same time, the head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said that the package included shells in HIMARS; MRAP armoured vehicles, Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missiles, as well as M2 Bradley BMPs.

Full list of weapons:

• 50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles with 500 TOW anti-tank missiles and 250,000 25mm rounds;
• 100 M113 armored personnel carriers;
• 55 anti-mine vehicles (MRAP);
• 138 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV);
• 18 155mm self-propelled howitzers and 18 ammunition supply vehicles;
• 70,000 155 mm artillery shells;
• 500 high-precision 155-mm artillery shells;
• 1,200 155mm rounds for anti-tank remote mines (RAAM);
• 36 105 mm towed howitzers and 95,000 105 mm artillery shells;
• 10,000 mortar shells of 120 mm caliber;
• additional ammunition for high mobility rocket and artillery systems (HIMARS);
• air defense missiles RIM-7;
• 4,000 Zuni aircraft missiles;
• approximately 2,000 anti-tank missiles;
• sniper rifles, machine guns and cartridges for grenade launchers and small arms;
• Claymore anti-personnel ammunition;
• night vision devices and optics;
• spare parts and other field equipment.

The US side will also train Ukrainians how to operate American BMPs, but whether in the US or Germany is not yet known.