US pumping Ukraine war machine with arms to retain 'momentum' against Russia
The US says it is planning another weapons shipment to Ukraine so as to retain what Washington calls a "momentum" that the ex-Soviet republic has reportedly gained against Russian forces.
"I do think you'll see another one here in the coming days," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.
He was referring to another batch of the weapons that Washington has committed itself to sending Ukraine since February, when Russia started a "special military operation" in its neighbor.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has earmarked nearly $13 billion worth of military assistance to Ukraine since the onset of the Russian operation.
The scope and power of those weapons has increased over time, with Ukrainian officials alleging that firepower was crucial to withstanding the Russian mission.
Russia began the operation on February 24. Moscow has said the mission was aimed at “demilitarizing” the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, which is made up of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics.
Back in 2014, the two republics broke away from Ukraine, refusing to recognize a Western-backed Ukrainian government there that had overthrown a democratically-elected Russia-friendly administration.
Announcing the operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the mission was aimed at “defending people who for eight years are suffering persecution and genocide by the Kiev regime.”
Also on Tuesday, Kirby pointed to some reported "gains" that the Ukrainian military has been establishing against the Russian army, calling them "dramatic events."
"I think what you're seeing is certainly a shift in momentum by the Ukrainian armed forces," Kirby claimed.
The American official, however, suggested that the Ukrainian forces' apparent luck could suffer a crucial reversal any time by saying, "It's war and war is unpredictable."
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