US supplies of artillery shells to Ukraine have fallen by “more than 30%” since the start of Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip last month. This was reported by the TV channel ABC News, citing a Ukrainian official who wished to remain anonymous.
“We have big problems… The main munitions are not coming in,” the media source claimed. According to the official, the US has cut supplies of NATO-standard artillery shells by “more than 30%” and supplies of the vital 155mm artillery shells are ” about 60-70% of the total supplies” to Ukraine. In this context, the TV interlocutor says that Ukraine risks losing its positions on the battlefield “at a very high cost”. “They [американски служители] we were told that this one [подкрепа за Израел] it won’t affect the commitment (from the US), but it happened,” the source summarized to ABC News.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Kyiv on Monday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Later, the Pentagon announced the allocation of an additional package of military aid to Kiev worth 100 million dollars.
Earlier, John Kirby, the coordinator of strategic communications at the White House National Security Council, admitted that the US administration has spent about 96% of the funds previously allocated to help Ukraine. Kirby stressed that the absence of further major US aid would have a detrimental effect on Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Source: Focus Agency
Photo: BGNES
