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U.S. Security Cooperation with Ukraine

National Security

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

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The United States, our allies, and our partners worldwide are united in support of Ukraine in response to Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine.  We have not forgotten Russia’s earlier aggression in eastern Ukraine and occupation following its unlawful seizure of Crimea in 2014.  The United States reaffirms its unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters.

Ukraine is a key regional strategic partner that has undertaken significant efforts to modernize its military and increase its interoperability with NATO.  It remains an urgent security assistance priority to provide Ukraine the equipment it needs to defend itself against Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Since January 2021, the United States has invested more than $41.2 billion in security assistance to demonstrate our enduring and steadfast commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This includes more than $40.5 billion since Russia’s launched its premeditated, unprovoked, and brutal war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since 2014, the United States has provided more than $43.3 billion in security assistance for training and equipment to help Ukraine preserve its territorial integrity, secure its borders, and improve interoperability with NATO.

United States security assistance committed to Ukraine includes:

  • Over 1,700 Stinger anti-aircraft systems;
  • Over 10,000 Javelin anti-armor systems;
  • Over 70,000 other anti-armor systems and munitions;
  • Over 160 155mm Howitzers and over 2,000,000 155mm artillery rounds;
  • Over 7,000 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;
  • Over 14,000 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) Systems;
  • 100,000 rounds of 125mm tank ammunition;
  • 10,000 203mm artillery rounds;
  • Over 50,000 152mm artillery rounds;
  • Approximately 40,000 130mm artillery rounds;
  • 40,000 122mm artillery rounds;
  • 60,000 122mm GRAD rockets;
  • 72 105mm Howitzers and over 500,000 105mm artillery rounds;
  • Over 300 tactical vehicles to tow weapons;
  • 54 tactical vehicles to recover equipment;
  • 30 ammunition support vehicles;
  • 18 armored bridging systems;
  • 38 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ammunition;
  • 47 120mm mortar systems;
  • 10 82mm mortar systems;
  • 67 81mm mortar systems;
  • 58 60mm mortar systems;
  • Over 345,000 mortar rounds;
  • Over 4,000 Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
  • Rocket launchers and ammunition;
  • Over 1,800,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition;
  • Precision-guided rockets;
  • 10 command post vehicles;
  • One Patriot air defense battery and munitions;
  • Eight National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and munitions;
  • HAWK air defense systems and munitions;
  • RIM-7 missiles for air defense;
  • 20 Avenger air defense systems;
  • Nine c-UAS gun trucks and ammunition;
  • 10 mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems;
  • Anti-aircraft guns and ammunition;
  • Equipment to integrate Western air defense launchers, missiles, and radars with Ukraine’s air defense systems;
  • Equipment to sustain Ukraine’s existing air defense capabilities;
  • High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
  • Precision aerial munitions;
  • Over 6,000 Zuni aircraft rockets;
  • Over 7,000 Hydra-70 aircraft rockets;
  • Munitions for Unmanned Aerial Systems;
  • 20 Mi-17 helicopters;
  • 31 Abrams tanks;
  • 45 T-72B tanks;
  • 120mm and 105mm tank ammunition;
  • 154 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles;
  • Four Bradley Fire Support Team vehicles;
  • Over 2,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);
  • Over 100 light tactical vehicles;
  • 68 trucks and 124 trailers to transport heavy equipment;
  • Eight logistics support vehicles and equipment;
  • 89 heavy fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers;
  • 125 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers;
  • 300 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;
  • 250 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles;
  • Over 500 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs);
  • Six armored utility trucks;
  • Mine clearing equipment;
  • Over 35,000 grenade launchers and small arms;
  • Over 300,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades;
  • Over 100,000 sets of body armor and helmets;
  • Switchblade Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS);
  • Phoenix Ghost UAS;
  • CyberLux K8 UAS;
  • Altius-600 UAS;
  • Jump-20 UAS;
  • Puma UAS;
  • Scan Eagle UAS;
  • Two radars for UAS;
  • Laser-guided rocket systems and munitions;
  • Unmanned Coastal Defense Vessels;
  • Over 70 counter-artillery and counter-mortar radars;
  • 20 multi-mission radars;
  • Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems and equipment;
  • Counter air defense capability;
  • 21 air surveillance radars;
  • Two Harpoon coastal defense systems;
  • 62 coastal and riverine patrol boats;
  • Port and harbor security equipment;
  • M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel munitions (configured to be compliant with the Ottawa Convention);
  • Anti-tank mines;
  • C-4 explosives, demolition munitions, and demolition equipment for obstacle clearing;
  • Obstacle emplacement equipment;
  • Tactical secure communications systems and support equipment;
  • Four satellite communications antennas;
  • SATCOM terminals and services;
  • Thousands of night vision devices, surveillance systems, thermal imagery systems, optics, and laser rangefinders;
  • Commercial satellite imagery services;
  • Explosive ordnance disposal equipment and protective gear;
  • Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear protective equipment;
  • 200 armored medical treatment vehicles;
  • Medical supplies to include first aid kits, bandages, monitors, and other equipment;
  • Electronic jamming equipment;
  • Field equipment, cold weather gear, generators, and spare parts;
  • Support for training, maintenance, and sustainment activities.
To date, nearly 50 Allies and partner countries have provided security assistance to Ukraine.  Among their many contributions to Ukraine, Allies and partners have delivered 10 long-range Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), 178 long-range artillery systems, nearly 100,000 rounds of long-range artillery ammunition, nearly 250,000 anti-tank munitions, 359 tanks, 629 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), 8,214 short-range air defense missiles, and 88 lethal UAVs.  Since February 24, Allies and partners worldwide have provided or committed over $13 billion in security assistance.

Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA)

Pursuant to a delegation by the President, we have used the emergency Presidential Drawdown Authority on forty-one occasions since August 2021 to provide Ukraine in military assistance directly from DoD stockpiles.[1] Consistent with his overall responsibilities for the direction and coordination of foreign assistance, the Secretary of State plays a central role in the initiation and coordination of these drawdowns. After initial engagement with Congress, the Secretary requests the President’s authorization to notify Congress of the intent to exercise the drawdown authority under section 506(a)(1) of the FAA and seeks delegated authority from the President to make the necessary determinations and to direct the drawdown. The Department of State is also responsible for coordinating the implementation of the drawdown with the Department of Defense.[2]

Security Assistance

On September 8, 2022, the Department notified Congress of our intent to make a further $2.2 billion available in long-term investments under Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to bolster the security of Ukraine and 17 of its regional neighbors; including both many of our NATO allies as well as other regional security partners who are most potentially at risk for future Russian aggression. These funds will help our allies and partners who have provided security assistance to Ukraine backfill their capabilities.

On April 24, 2022, the Department notified Congress of its intention to obligate more than $713 million in Foreign Military Financing funding for Ukraine and 15 other Allied and partner nations in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans.  Assistance in this Notification will help NATO Allies backfill capabilities they have donated to Ukraine from their own stockpiles to retain and strengthen NATO deterrence.

So far in FY2023, DoD has provided $10.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) in seven separate tranches.

In FY2022, DoD provided $6.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) in seven separate tranches.  All the FY2022 USAI funds appropriated by Congress have now been committed. In FY 2021, Ukraine received $275 million under DoD’s Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).  This included $75 million in lethal assistance.

In FY 2021, the Department provided Ukraine $115 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and $3 million in International Military Education and Training (IMET) funding.  Prior to Russia’s renewed invasion, FMF supported Ukraine’s acquisition of a wide array of capabilities including counter-mortar radars, secure radios, vehicles, electronic equipment, small arms and light weapons, and medical supplies, among others.

The Global Security Contingency Fund, a joint program of the U.S. Departments of State and Defense, has provided more than $42 million in training, advisory services, and equipment to assist the Government of Ukraine to further develop the tactical, operational, and institutional capacities of its Special Operations Forces, National Guard, conventional forces, non-commissioned officer corps, and combat medical care since 2014.

Excess Defense Articles (EDA)

On February 20, 2022, the United States utilized the Excess Defense Articles program to transfer Mi-17 helicopters to Ukraine.

Since 2018, the United States has provided Ukraine with four refitted U.S. Coast Guard Island-Class cutters.  The refit was funded with Ukrainian national funds and FMF.  Additional vessels are pending transfer.

Third Party Transfers (TPT)

In advance of Russia’s invasion and after the outbreak of war in February 2022, the United States approved Third Party Transfers from 14 NATO Allies and close partners to provide U.S.-origin equipment from their inventories for use by Ukrainian forces.  Deliveries to date include almost 12,000 anti-armor systems of all types; more than 1,550 anti-air missiles; radars; night vision devices; machine guns; rifles and ammunition; and body armor.  The contributions from our partners and Allies are vital and appreciated.

Foreign Military Sales

The United States has $595.9 million in active government-to-government sales cases with Ukraine under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system.  FMS sales notified to Congress are listed on the DSCA website, and significant prior sales include the: 2022 sale of non-standard artillery ammunition;  2018 sale of 210 Javelin anti-armor missiles, which first provided Ukraine with a critical anti-armor capability; the 2019 sale of 150 additional Javelins; and the 2020 Mark VI patrol boats sale.  The Javelin sales were funded by a mixture of State Department FMF funds and Ukrainian national funds.

Direct Commercial Sales

From 2015 through 2020, the United States also authorized the permanent export of over $274 million in defense articles and services to Ukraine via Direct Commercial Sales (DCS).  The top categories of DCS exports to Ukraine during that period were Category III: Ammunition and Ordnance ($88 million); Category XII: Fire Control, Laser, Imaging, and Guidance Equipment, ($69 million); and Category XI: Military Electronics ($22 million).

Border Security

Since 2017, the Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation has provided over $34.8 million in Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs support to Ukraine through the Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) Program. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) has been a primary recipient of EXBS assistance. EXBS also provided assistance to Ukraine Customs and export control and sanctions authorities. Until Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, a major focus of EXBS efforts was the development of SBGS’s Maritime Border Guard operational and sustainment capabilities to replace capabilities lost during Russia’s unlawful annexation of Crimea and introduce modernized equipment, training, and procedures. EXBS also provided advisory and equipment assistance for SBGS land border elements. Following Russia’s further invasion in February 2022, EXBS transitioned to providing non-lethal assistance and continued advisory support to the SBGS and other government partners. In addition, EXBS is also providing $6.9 million in regional NADR funding to support sanctions and export control implementation to respond to Russia’s aggression.

Conventional Weapons Destruction

On September 30, 2022 the Department awarded $47.6 million to Tetra Tech to launch a large-scale train and equip project to strengthen the Government of Ukraine’s demining and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) capacity. This project forms part of the $91.5 million in assistance that the Department will provide over FY2023 to help the Government of Ukraine address the urgent humanitarian challenges posed by explosive remnants of war created by Russia’s brutal war of aggression.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has littered massive swaths of the country with landmines and unexploded ordnance. The Government of Ukraine estimates that 160,000 square kilometers of its land may be contaminated – this is roughly the size of the states of Virginia, Maryland, and Connecticut combined, or nearly twice the size of Austria. These explosive hazards block access to farmland, delay or otherwise harm reconstruction efforts, and prevent displaced people from returning to their homes. They may also continue to kill and maim Ukrainian civilians for years to come.

Tetra Tech’s expert instructors will train Government of Ukraine demining and EOD teams to international standards, provide equipment, and mentor trained personnel. The project also supports deploying additional clearance teams and explosive ordnance risk education teams through the local non-governmental organization Ukrainian Deminers Association (UDA).

From 2004 to 2021, the United States provided more than $77.3 million to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance left by Russia’s forces and Russia’s proxies in the Donbas region, strengthen Ukraine’s demining capacity, and enhance security services’ capacity to manage weapons and ammunition stockpiles.  In 2021 alone, the U.S. government funded Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) programs that cleared and returned more than 1.9 million square meters (477 acres) of land to local communities that was previously contaminated with explosive hazards.  Since Russia’s further invasion, U.S.-funded digital explosive ordnance risk education campaigns have provided lifesaving information to more than 18 million people in Ukraine.  Additionally, Ukrainian demining authorities previously trained and equipped by the United States are leading emergency efforts to remediate the massive levels of explosive hazard contamination littered across the country by Russian forces.

Global Peacekeeping Operations

Ukraine was a significant troop contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations before its troops were called home to defend Ukraine, including a helicopter unit to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).  Ukraine is also a partner country of the Global Peace Operations Initiative and has benefited from nearly $4 million in peace operations capacity-building assistance.

State Partnership Program

Ukraine is partnered with the California National Guard under DoD’s State Partnership Program (SPP) .  Established in 1993, SPP’s goal was to assist former Warsaw Pact and Soviet states in their democracy efforts and to reform their defense forces following the Soviet Union’s collapse.  Over the past 29 years, California National Guard conducted regular military-to-military engagements with Ukrainian forces, contributing to Ukraine’s continued defense modernization.

Joint Exercises

Ukraine participates in multiple bilateral and multilateral military exercises with the United States, EU, and NATO Allies to include Rapid Trident, Sea Breeze, and Cossack Mace.

For further information, please contact the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at PM-CPA@state.gov, and follow the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs on Twitter, @StateDeptPM.

[1] https://www.state.gov/use-of-presidential-drawdown-authority-for-military-assistance-for-ukraine/

[2] https://www.state.gov/use-of-presidential-drawdown-authority-for-military-assistance-for-ukraine/

Original source can be found here.

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