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Dozen of Ukrainian troops have reportedly started to receive U.S. military training on howitzer artillery amid its fight against invading Russian forces.
The U.S. announced last week that it would be sending 18 howitzers, which are similar to small cannons, along with 40,000 artillery rounds and training to operate the systems, to Ukraine as part of an $800 million security assistance package. Another $800 million package was announced on Thursday, adding 72 additional howitzers, 140,000 artillery rounds and 121 unmanned drones.
A senior U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday that "a little bit more than 50" Ukrainian troops had already begun training to use the artillery, according to Reuters. The official said training was being conducted outside of Ukraine and expected to last for about one week.
On Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters that training on the weapons system was set to begin "very, very soon," adding that a limited number of Ukrainian trainers would learn how to operate the system, then train their own colleagues "within days." Training is required because, although the Ukrainian military has used similar weapons, the American howitzers are of a different caliber than they are used to.
"We're going to get some training for a small number of Ukrainians on the howitzers and the 155 artillery because they don't use that caliber and they don't—they don't have in their stocks American howitzers," Kirby said.
Kirby added on Thursday that the "additional 72 howitzers will help basically fit out five more ... artillery battalions for the Ukrainians. He added that the additional artillery was "very much in keeping with their needs, specifically in the Donbas, and the kind of fighting that has already started there and we expect to continue over days and weeks ahead."
President Joe Biden announced the second military aid package during an address from the White House on Thursday morning. The president said that the additional assistance would "further augment Ukraine's ability to fight" the Russian attack in the Donbas region.
"We have to accelerate [the] assistance package to help prepare Ukraine for Russia's offensive that's going to be more limited in terms of geography, but not in terms of brutality," Biden said. "It will ensure a steady flow of weapons and equipment into Ukraine over the next few weeks."
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal thanked the U.S. for the aid but insisted that more was needed to defeat Russia during a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday.
"Your support helps us to stand our ground and push the enemy back, and in doing so, to save the lives of our military and civilians," Shmyhal said before urging additional assistance in the form of "a continuous supply of firepower" and weapons that "would give us a big advantage."
According to the statement from the DoD, the new package includes 72 155mm howitzers and 144,000 artillery rounds; 72 tactical vehicles used to tow the howitzers; more than 121 "Phoenix Ghost Tactical" drones; and field equipment and spare parts.
Newsweek reached out to the DoD for comment.
About the writer
Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more