Pentagon Urges Sending Patriot Missiles to Ukraine. What other weapons are included in the $6 billion aid package

The Pentagon says it will “expedite” sending Patriot air defense missiles and artillery ammunition to Ukraine as part of its new $6 billion military aid package, which comes from $61 billion in aid approved by the US Congress.

The US will use $6 billion for this purpose, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revealed on Friday. However, the Patriot missile launch systems will not be sent.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Patriot missiles were “an emergency,” needed to deal with a growing Russian air threat, and “can and should save lives right now.”

A source confirmed to the BBC that the $6 billion is part of a $61 billion aid package signed by US President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

Austin told a news conference that the US was committed to the largest security assistance package to date and would “move immediately” to bring the supplies to Ukraine.

These would include air defense munitions, counter-drone systems and artillery ammunition, but not Patriot missile systems.

“They don’t just need Patriot systems [ucrainenii], they also need other types of systems and interceptors,” Austin said. “I would caution everyone not to make the Patriot the silver bullet.”

He added that he is confident that more missile systems will be available to Kiev soon. Talks were ongoing with European partners, he said, to provide additional capabilities.

Part of the funding will go towards the production of ammunition in Ukraine

The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown, said the assistance should eliminate the Ukrainians’ need to ration shells on the front line.

Some of the latest funding would also go towards building up Ukraine’s own defense industry so it can start producing more of the munitions it desperately needs.

Austin said Russia had already increased domestic production of artillery ammunition and other weapons and was supported by supplies from Iran and North Korea.

“Understand what is at stake for Ukraine, for Europe and for the United States,” he said. “If Putin prevails in Ukraine, Europe would face a security threat it has never seen before. Russia will not stop in Ukraine.”

Asked whether US aid would protect Ukrainian forces, Austin said the commitment was “material, real and substantial”, although “not instantaneous”.

“It will take some time to get it in there and distribute it. The Ukrainians have been able to withstand this capability, they can do much better,” the Pentagon chief said.

Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s railway infrastructure

The defense secretary’s words came as Ukraine warned on Friday that Russia was stepping up attacks on railways ahead of a new offensive.

A Ukrainian security source told the AFP news agency that Moscow wants to damage Ukrainian railway infrastructure to “paralyze deliveries and movement of military goods”.

Ukraine said Russia carried out another massive airstrike on Friday night. Authorities in Kharkiv said one person was killed and a hospital damaged. Energy installations in three regions were attacked, said the Minister of Energy, German Galushchenko.

And Ukraine hit the Russians. A Ukrainian drone attack on an oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region reportedly caused a large explosion there, although local authorities have denied significant damage. Authorities said they shot down about 68 Ukrainian drones over Russia.

Who else could help Ukraine with Patriot systems

Ukraine has only a handful of Patriot systems to complement other Western missile defense systems and existing stockpiles of Soviet-era surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) such as the S-300.

They are the most capable and most expensive air defense systems that Ukraine has. Each Patriot battery costs around $1 billion, and each missile costs nearly $4 million.

Germany has already pledged an additional Patriot system, and its defense and foreign ministers called on their European counterparts earlier this month to respond urgently.

Greece has stockpiles of the Patriot and S-300, but has said it cannot do without either.

“We have explained why we cannot do that,” Greek Prime Minister Kyrios Mitsotakis told Skai TV. He said his country’s air defenses have “critical systems for the protection of Greek airspace.”

According to reports, Spain will supply some Patriot missiles, but not a full system.

In recent months, Kiev has stepped up its calls for Western assistance as its ammunition stocks run low and Russia makes steady gains.

Ukrainian officials blamed delays in military aid from the US and other Western allies for the loss of life and territory.

Publisher: MI

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