Explained: Why is US giving heavier weapons to Ukraine? Everything you need to know

On Wednesday, American President Joe Biden announced an additional US$800 million in military and security aid to sustain Ukraine’s battle to guard its sovereignty. While the White House has bankrolled over 2.5 billion to Kyiv, the latest aid would assure that Ukrainian troops get heavy and lethal weapons including - new artillery systems, artillery rounds, armored personnel carriers, and unmanned coastal defence boats amongst others.  As the war continued for the 50th day, not only has the Kremlin regrouped and resupplied its troops but Washington has also altered its pattern of supplies. 

Why is the US supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine?

Russian troops have now entered what they call Phase 2 of their military offensive, shifting their entire focus to Ukraine's Southeast port cities, particularly Mariupol, and eastern separatist-held regions of Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR). Military experts have said that the terrain in the aforementioned regions adds to Russia’s natural military advantage. It is pertinent to note that there are wide stretches of plains in the Ukrainian southeast. 

What does the latest military aid contain?

The latest military package by the US includes weapons that are necessary to stymie Russian troops as the war continues for the seventh week. As per Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby, the new package of war equipment encompasses 18 155mm howitzers and 40,000 artillery rounds, 200 M113 armored personnel carriers, 11 Mi-17 helicopters, and 100 armoured multi-purpose vehicles. In addendum, it also includes 10 AN/TPQ-3G counter-artillery radars, two AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel air surveillance radars, 300 Switchblade drones, and 500 Javelin anti-armor missiles, unmanned coastal defence vessels, chemical, biological, and nuclear protective equipment, 30,000 sets of body armourr and helmets, C-4 explosives and M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel mines. 

“The Ukrainian military has used the weapons we are providing to devastating effect," Biden said announcing the military package in the aftermath of holding a telephone conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "As Russia prepares to intensify its attack in the Donbas region, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to defend itself," he added.

What is happening in Ukraine?

It has been 50 days since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he said was a “special military operation to denazify” Ukraine. The war that followed, has now left thousands dead, cities pulverised and turned the ex-soviet state into a macabre trap. The gruesome conflict has not only affected Ukraine, which was once the world’s third-largest nuclear power, but also neighbouring countries. With new mass graves and as cases of torture and rape emerge, the international community has pressed on Moscow to explain its "war crimes." 

Image: AP