US, Ukraine's defence chiefs discuss delivery of more HIMARS systems amid war with Russia

In efforts to discuss the outcomes of the recent Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting and ongoing security assistance to Ukraine, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov discussed military aid to Ukraine in a recent telephonic conversation, the Pentagon informed on Tuesday. According to the report, it was also revealed that the US will provide additional supplies of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to the war-torn country to fight the Russian aggression. 

Acting Pentagon press secretary Todd Breasseale, in a statement, said, "US Secretary Austin reassured Reznikov that the US was moving as quickly as possible to deliver equipment to Ukraine."

More HIMARS, 'Phoenix Ghost' Drones for Ukraine

The US Department of Defence, on Monday, in a statement informed that the US has announced another package of security assistance for Ukraine, which will include additional HIMARS, ammunition and a substantial number of Phoenix Ghost unmanned aerial systems. It was informed that the US will provide four more additional HIMARS multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine, which will give Ukraine a total of 16 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. 

Apart from this, four command post vehicles, additional anti-armour weapons and 36,000 rounds of 105 mm ammunition will also be provided to Ukraine to fight the invading Russian forces. Further, as part of the $95 million Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI fund), the US Defense Department has also committed to sending as many as 580 additional 'Phoenix Ghost' tactical unmanned aircraft systems to Ukraine. The statement revealed that under USAI, these systems will be purchased from manufacturers so they can then be delivered to the Ukrainian forces. 

Ukraine says it destroyed 50 Russian ammunition depots using US-supplied HIMARS

Earlier on Monday, Russian newspaper Pravda quoted Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and reported that Ukrainian forces destroyed at least 50 Russian ammunition depots using US-supplied HIMARS rocket systems. 

Russia, on the other hand, said that it has destroyed several of the HIMARS systems. The Russian Defence Ministry in its report on Monday said that its forces had destroyed an ammunition depot for HIMARS systems in the Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine. However, the claim was denied by Ukraine.