Despite the continuous Ukrainian requests in all international forums for weapons because they are short of ammunition and means, on closer inspection the international effort, although decreasing, does not cease to exist. Although as John Kirby, coordinator of the US National Security Council, recalled: “Funding for Ukraine is nearing the end; the assistance is not indefinite”.
Belgium will supply F-16s to Ukraine starting in 2025. Belgium will also send funds received following the taxation of frozen Russian assets worth 1.7 billion euros to support Ukraine. The United States has announced a new military assistance package worth $200 million to Ukraine that will include artillery ammunition, according to the Pentagon.
The International Fund for the Support of Ukraine (Denmark, Great Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Lithuania and Iceland) will allocate more than 147 million euros to Ukraine for the maintenance of equipment and technical facilities. In detail, the British Ministry of Defense reports on the allocation of a new military aid package to the Ukrainian Armed Forces for an amount of 122 million dollars which will include the Terrahawk Paladin short-range modular mobile air defense system. This is the latest development of MSI-DS; the complex can be installed on trucks, ships and helicopters. Due to its newness, Terrahawk Paladin is not yet in anyone’s service. It is sent to Ukraine for testing in combat conditions.
Denmark plans to transfer the first F-16 fighters to Ukraine in spring 2024. The German Defense Ministry has announced the shipment of 10 more Leopard 1 A5 tanks to Kiev in the coming weeks. Norway will make around 17 million euros available for demining in Ukraine.
Still on the subject of weapons, the Ukrainian armed forces could receive more Switchblade 600 attack drones, according to Newsweek which reported that Ukraine could receive a new batch of Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones.
Charlie Dean said that during the Switchblade’s flight, the operator can make decisions about the route. Furthermore, AeroVironment is already learning from the experience of the Ukrainian military. Communication between the company and Switchblade’s Ukrainian operators is constant, meaning drone designs can be improved or adapted within weeks.
Moscow has also been developing its war industry for some time. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu checked the implementation of the State Defense Order at the BTA aircraft manufacturing plant in Ulyanovsk
The head of the defense department inspected the implementation of the state defense order at the enterprise Il – Aviastar PJSC of the United Aircraft Corporation. Shoigu controlled the production process of the Il-76MD-90A aircraft, as well as the repair and maintenance of the An-124-100 aircraft. The aircraft scheduled for delivery this year will enter service with the troops within the terms established by contractual obligations.
At the same time, the head of the UAC in the aircraft repair and maintenance laboratory reported to the Minister of Defense on the conduct of the planned work on the An-124-100 Ruslan. Following the results of his work at the enterprise, Shoigu held a working meeting with the management of the Corporation and the relevant central military authorities, during which the state and prospects for the development of transport aviation were examined military.
On the subject of drones, Moscow has developed a high-speed drone “Tubes” to destroy artillery in the depths of the front. Its flight speed reaches 300 km/h, a defense industry source said.
Graziella Giangiulio
