HIMARS, an American highly mobile operational-tactical missile and artillery system. File photoWASHINGTON, Jun 1A new package of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine provides for the supply of HIMARS missile systems and will be announced on Wednesday, a senior U.S. administration official said at a briefing. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that President Joe Biden's administration approved the delivery of MLRS and HIMARS systems to Ukraine. Biden himself claimed that the United States would not hand over missiles to Ukraine that could strike Russia. Later, Republican Congressman Adam Smith called the president's words «a casual remark» and questioned them, since from beyond the common border, any shells from the territory of Ukraine could reach Russia.
"Tomorrow we will announce the 11th package security assistance. This package will include longer-range systems, in particular HIMARS", said a US administration official.
The supply of missile systems, according to the speaker, is designed to «strengthen the position» of Ukraine at the negotiating table and increase its defense capability. He added that the ammunition for these missile systems is capable of hitting targets at a distance of about 80 kilometers and will not allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to strike outside Ukrainian territory. The administration official added that Kyiv had promised not to use the weapons transferred to it, including HIMARS, against targets on Russian territory.American MLRS will arrive in Kyiv in the coming weeks, the media write. In general, the new package of American military assistance to Ukraine is estimated at $ 700 million and will include, in addition to HIMARS, radar stations, helicopters, cars and anti-tank weapons, including Javelin systems. special operations to protect the Donbass Washington and NATO allies continue to pump weapons into Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly stated that the supply of Western weapons only prolongs the conflict, and transport with them becomes a legitimate goal. Also, US President Joe Biden signed a bill on the allocation of military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Kyiv. It includes various appropriations related in one way or another to the situation in Ukraine. Congress increased the amount to almost $40 billion from the $33 billion originally requested by the head of state. Russia has sent a note to all countries, including the United States, over arms supplies to Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia. The Foreign Ministry stated that the NATO countries were «playing with fire» by supplying weapons to Kyiv. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that pumping Ukraine with weapons from the West does not contribute to the success of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and will have a negative effect. Wipe after him again: Americans were angered by Biden's words about missiles to Kyiv