US to provide Ukraine with another $425M worth of supplies to help defend itself against Russia

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced Wednesday that it will provide Ukraine with an additional $425 million worth of supplies and weapons as it continues to defend itself against Russian forces.

According to a press release from the DoD, this is the 67th tranche of equipment from DoD inventories being sent to Ukraine from the Biden administration since August 2021.

The Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package is estimated to hold a value of about $425 million and will provide Ukraine with the ability to meet its most urgent needs in terms of air defense, air-to-ground weapons, rocket systems and artillery munitions, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons.

Particularly, the capabilities being provided to Ukraine by the U.S. included additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); RIM-7 missiles and support for air defense; Stinger anti-aircraft missiles; ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); air-to-ground munitions; 150mm and 105mm artillery ammunition; tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided (TOW) missiles; Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems; High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs); small arms and ammunition; grenades, thermals and training equipment; demolitions equipment and munitions; and spare parts, ancillary equipment, services, training and transportation.

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"The United States is committed to supporting Ukraine with the equipment it needs to strengthen its position on the battlefield, defend its territory and people from the Kremlin’s brutal aggression, and secure a just and lasting peace," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. "As President Biden has made clear, the United States and the international coalition we have assembled will continue to stand with Ukraine."

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and both sides have made little gains on the battlefield.

As the winter fighting season begins soon, the Ukrainian government needs to step up its efforts to recruit new soldiers, train them and provide the necessary military equipment to win the war, the country said. 

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With no end in sight, mobilization is proceeding according to plans laid out by the Ukrainian government.

In April, Ukraine passed a mobilization law to reform the military recruitment process as the war continues and casualties stack up.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov told Fox News Digital the aim of the law is to make recruitment more efficient and transparent.

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Umerov said that the positive numbers show that Ukrainians are ready to "defend their land with weapons in their hands."

Still, he said Ukraine needs help from its international partners.

"We have enough troops. However, we need support from international partners in weapons and equipment, and we require it fast."

Umerov said Ukraine desperately needs modern Western-made air defense systems and a sufficient supply of ammunition for these systems. Ukraine needs a multi-layered air defense system to protect critical infrastructure and long-range capability to strike airfields and other military facilities deep inside Russia. 

So far, the Biden administration has been hesitant to consent to the need for long-range systems for fear of antagonizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and escalating a possible confrontation with Russia.

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Official data on Ukrainian battlefield casualties are unreliable, but the U.S. estimates that some 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and between 100,000 and 120,000 wounded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the goal is to mobilize up to 500,000 additional conscripts for future war efforts. 

Fox News’ Chris Massaro contributed to this report.