[News] U.S. preparing new $275 million package for Ukraine, bringing total war assistance to $17.6 billion

The United States is preparing a new $275 million package of military assistance for Ukraine to bolster its counter-offensive against Russian forces.

According to a report by Reuters, a source familiar with the plan said on Thursday, October 27, that the new package is expected to include ammunition and more High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, and the assistance could be announced as early as Friday.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby on Thursday said a new tranche of weaponry for Ukraine would be announced “very, very soon.”

Since the Feb. 24 Russian invasion of  Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”, the United States has sent around $17.6 billion worth of security assistance to Kyiv.

Also White House officials say the United States is considering sending older HAWK air defense equipment from storage to Ukraine to help it defend against Russian drone and cruise missile attacks.