​The United States announced on Thursday a new tranche of military aid to Ukraine totaling $2.5 billion, including hundreds of armored vehicles of various types, but without Abrams heavy tanks, AFP notes.

This new tranche involves the delivery of 59 Bradley armored vehicles, which will be added to the 50 light armored vehicles of this type promised on January 6, and 90 armored Stryker vehicles “which will arm Ukraine with two armored brigades,” he said. The Pentagon in a statement.

The US Army will also supply Ukraine with 53 mine-resistant armored vehicles (MRAP) and 350 M998 transport vehicles, the famous Humvee.

But this new tranche does not include any heavy tanks, such as the Abrams, which the United States is not yet ready to provide to Kyiv, citing maintenance and training issues.

Washington will also provide Ukrainian forces with backup missiles for the NASAMS and HIMARS anti-aircraft systems already delivered to them, eight Avenger short-range anti-aircraft systems — vehicle-mounted defense units that move at the same speed as units land, and thousands of different munitions.

This new tranche brings total US military aid to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24 to $26.7 billion.

This became known on the eve of a meeting of defense ministers of Western countries that provide military aid to Ukrainians, primarily the American Lloyd Austin, who are meeting in Ramstein, Germany, to agree on the continuation of military aid to Kyiv.

Citing media reports that Berlin will supply heavy tanks only if the US supplies Abrams tanks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on Thursday criticized Berlin’s reluctance to supply heavy tanks. (Source Agerpres)

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