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supply Ukraine with military equipment worth 5.8 billion Danish kroner (around $830 million) in its largest aid package since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
More military aid for Ukraine: ATACMS, a $600M package from the US, 1.5 million rounds of ammunition from Lithuania, and the first 10 Leopard 1 tanks. The US administration is preparing to transfer ATACMS long-range missile systems with a range of more than 300 km to Ukraine, reported ABC News. The new US arms package worth $600M includes equipment to strengthen air defenses and artillery ammunition. The Ministry of Defense of Lithuania announced the transfer of 1.5 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine as part of a new aid package. The country will soon send NASAMS launchers, counter-drone equipment, logistics equipment, and more. In addition, Germany will deliver two types of ammunition for Gepard self-propelled guns that can hit armored and air defense targets. However, the German Foreign Ministry urged careful consideration before providing Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles. The first 10 (out of 100) Leopard 1 tanks being provided by Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands also arrived in Ukraine. At the same time, the Pentagon continues to train 200 Ukrainian soldiers on Abrams tanks while the re-equipment of 31 tanks to be sent to Ukraine continues.
The European Defense Agency has signed the first contracts to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, and the EU plans to double the production of artillery shells. According to the European Defense Agency (EDA), eight signed contracts are for joint ammunition procurement. "We now offer member states viable opportunities to place orders within the industry through the EDA to support Ukraine or replenish their national stockpiles," said EDA Executive Director Jiří Shedivi. The ammunition purchased refers to the most common self-propelled howitzers that the EU countries have sent to Ukraine: the French Caesar, the Polish Krab, the German Panzerhaubitze 2000, and the Slovak Zuzana. In addition, according to the Minister of Defense of Estonia, Hanno Pevkur, the production of artillery ammunition in Europe is planned to be doubled. "We see that European industrial capacity has increased. By the end of the year or the beginning of the next year, we will be able to produce almost twice as much as we did last year," said Pevkur.
The US has provided Ukraine with a $175M security aid package with depleted uranium projectiles and is preparing to hand over a supply of cluster munitions. The package includes air defense equipment, ammunition for HIMARS, artillery shells, mortar systems, TOW missiles, Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems, and depleted uranium shells for Abrams tanks, the Pentagon said. Denmark also announced its readiness to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. At the same time, according to the NYT, the US will send a new batch of cluster munitions to Ukraine soon. According to one US official familiar with the matter, the weapons are key to helping Ukraine maintain the momentum their military has recently gained during a counteroffensive in the south. Western officials and experts agree that cluster munitions are most effective against troops and convoys of equipment spread over open terrain. Demand for ammunition in Ukraine is expected to increase as some units increasingly rely on heavy artillery to prepare the ground for infantry attacks.
Poland claims state defense corporation not invited to forum in Kyiv, Ukraine denies. In contradictory comments on Oct. 2, the Polish Minister of State Assets Jacek Sasin said that the largest Polish state-run defense
23 UKRAINE Country Report October 2023 www.intellinews.com