The United States will provide $1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, the single largest package using the president's drawdown authority, including munitions for long-range weapons and armored medical transport vehicles, acting Pentagon spokesman Todd Breasseale said on Monday.
The package adds to about $8.8 billion in aid the United States has given Ukraine since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24. It includes munitions for HIMARS, NASAMS surface-to-air missile system ammunition and as many as 50 M113 armored medical transports.
Russia and Ukraine traded accusations Monday that each side is shelling Europe's biggest nuclear power plant, in southern Ukraine. Russia claimed that Ukrainian shelling caused a power surge and fire and forced staff to lower output from two reactors, while Ukraine has blamed Russian troops for storing weapons there.
Nuclear experts have warned that more shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, which was captured by Russia early in the war, is fraught with danger. The Kremlin echoed that statement Monday, claiming that Ukrainian shelling could create “catastrophic” consequences for Europe.
Ukraine's military intelligence spokesman, Andriy Yusov, countered that Russian forces have planted explosives at the plant to head off an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive in the region. Previously, Ukrainian officials have said Russia is launching attacks from the plant and using Ukrainian workers as human shields.
