Amid Spy Balloon Controversy, Biden Admin Approves $2.1 Billion Aid Package to Defend Ukrainian Skies

After a Chinese surveillance ball flew above the United States, national attention was drawn to the incident. The Biden administration approved another $2.1Billion in military aid packages to help strengthen the nation. Ukraine’s air defense arsenal.

The package includes $425 million in arms and equipment drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles, as well as $1.75 billion in Ukraine Assistance Security Initiative (UASI) funds, which Ukraine can use to purchase new weapons—particularly those related to air defense—from manufactures contracted with the U.S. Department of Defense.

In Friday’s announcement, the Pentagon said the package includes “critical air defense capabilities to help Ukraine defend its people.”

Ukraine will specifically receive ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HMARTS).HIMARSAdditional 155 millimeter artillery ammunition rounds, additional 120 mil mortar rounds and 190 heavy machine guns with thermal imaging sights and specialized antidrone ammunition. Also, 250 Javelin antimor systems, 2,000 antiarmor rockets, Claymore Anti-personnel munitions, as well as many other items of equipment.

Ukraine will have the ability to order a wide range of air defense hardware using $1.75 million USAI funds. This includes four anti-drone warfare systems, four HAWK missile firing units, anti drone warfare systems, anti aircraft guns and ammunition, as well as two HAWK HAWK air defense firing unit. Ukraine could also purchase equipment to integrate Western air defense missiles and launchers into their existing air defense systems.

“In total, the United States has now committed $30 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration,” The Pentagon stated that the United States had sent $32 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since 2014’s Crimea crisis, and $29.3 billion since February of last year. Russia Launched what it called a “special military operation” Ukraine

“The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements,” It was added.

This announcement comes as the Biden Administration faces criticism for its handling of a Chinese spy ball that allegedly traveled from China to Alaska, through northwest Canada, and finally arrived in Montana. Local residents spotted it.

“I believe that Montana truly got a firsthand look at the Biden administration’s weakness on foreign policy this week,” Montana Republican Senator Steve Daines spoke at a press conference Friday. “It is a tremendous embarrassment for the United States of America.”

“Montanans and all the American people deserve answers from the Pentagon and from this administration on what happened and what is being done to ensure this never happens again,” Daines said.

The balloon was being carried by a “large payload underneath the surveillance component,” Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, Pentagon’s chief spokesperson. However, the Pentagon said it estimated that the transit might not add much value to Beijing’s intelligence gathering effort.

“Currently, we assess that this balloon has limited additive value from an intelligence collection perspective,” Ryder stated Friday.

Montana’s Democratic Senator Jon Tester announced on Friday that the Senate defense subcommittee that he chairs will hold a hearing to demand that Biden administration officials answer questions about the balloon.

“Montanans value their freedom and privacy, and I’ll always fight to defend both,” Tester made the statement in a statement. “China’s actions are a clear threat to those values and to America’s national security, and I’m demanding answers from the Biden Administration.”