On the night of February 24, 2022, three months ago, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on almost all fronts. Putin planned to capture Kyiv in three days and build a new multi-vector world with the Anglo-Saxons on their knees.
The outlet SPEKA has analyzed how, while the myth of the "second army in the world" was being broken, NATO and allies were building up armed assistance to Ukraine.
Recall that the West gave us two or three days and a scenario, almost like in the British TV series Years and Years, where Moscow keeps Kyiv under occupation, represses and restores the Soviet Union 2:0, and London suffers from an influx of Ukrainian refugees. That is why the US and Europe were in no hurry to provide military assistance.
Later, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov admitted that the maximum period that one of the Western intelligence agencies had given us was three weeks, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson would tell that on the very first day he had planned to evacuate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to London.
Ukraine showed the fierce resistance of the Ukrainian people, the courage of the fighting spirit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine against the army that outnumbered them, and even the fact that the Ukrainian authorities do not flee from Kyiv, and the President is ready to put pressure on the West to get all possible support.
previously reported about how the West had changed its mind about building a "golden ladder" for Putin and changed its rhetoric during the 90 days of the war, and now has compiled key changes on the allies’ armed assistance.
From guerrilla weapons to tanks and MANPADS
Ukraine has already got both non-lethal and lethal heavy weapons and equipment from 30 countries, from the United States to North Macedonia.
Nevertheless, in the first days and weeks of a full-scale invasion, Kyiv got mainly weapons intended for guerrilla operations, and did not hope that we could push back the Russians. In particular, these were NLAW and Javelin anti-tank systems.
Wikipedia photos collage
The first tanks from the allies, and these were the T-72 and BMP-1, the Czech Republic began to prepare for shipment only on April 5-6.
Wikipedia photos collage
By the end of April, Kyiv got more serious weapons:
- anti-aircraft missile systems S-300 from Slovakia;
- 100 Mistral ADMSs from Norway;
- M777 howitzers from Canada;
- almost 200 T-72 tanks from Poland, etc.
Wikipedia photos collage
Already on April 25, NATO and allies from 40 countries promised at the Ramstein military base in Germany to "move" heaven and earth for the victory of Ukraine, and German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced the permission of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann to sell Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Kyiv.
Here it should be understood that these self-propelled guns (SPG) have not yet arrived — Ukraine will get the first batch of 30 pieces in July 2022. Denmark also agreed to send Harpoon missiles to Ukraine; it is planned to launch from the ground.
The United States and Norway are discussing the possibility of supplying Naval Strike Missile anti-ship missiles so that they can also be used as the surface-to-air ones to unblock the ports of Ukraine.
Germany is considering the possibility of supplying Ukraine with 10 IRIS-T SLM medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems as early as November 2022.
Forum on the Arms Trade
What weapons Ukraine has got or will get soon
The weapons that the allies have already provided or promised to provide to Ukraine have been compiled by countries by experts of the Forum on the Arms Trade.
Australia
Types of weapons:
- M113 armored personnel carriers;
- Bushmaster protected vehicles;
- missiles and weapons.
Total aid amount:
- 285 million Australian dollars ($200 million).
Belgium
- 200 anti-tank weapons;
- 5,000 automatic rifles/machine guns.
Canada
- 8 armored vehicles, M777 howitzers;
- 4,500 M72 rocket launchers;
- up to 7,500 hand grenades;
- $1 million for purchasing commercial satellites;
- machine guns, pistols, carbines, 1.5 million rounds of ammunition, ammunition, sniper rifles, and miscellaneous related equipment ($7.8 million);
- $20 million in military aid (details not disclosed).
Total aid amount:
- $618 million Canadian dollars (about $482 million).
Croatia
- rifles and machine guns;
- means of protection.
Total aid amount:
- 124 million kunas ($17.5 million).
Czech Republic
- tanks T-72 and infantry fighting vehicles;
- attack helicopters (Mi-24);
- missile systems;
- heavy weapons, including 160 MANPADS systems (9K32 Strela-2) worth $18.23 million;
- 20 light machine guns, 132 machine guns, 70 submachine guns, and 108,000 bullets worth $756,000;
- preliminary $8.6 million for 4,000 mortars, 30,000 pistols, 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns, a number of sniper rifles, and 1 million rifles.
Denmark
- anti-ship launcher;
- Harpoon missiles;
- 2,700 anti-tank weapons;
- 300 Stinger missiles (returned to the U.S. for bringing into use);
- armor vests.
Estonia
- Javelin anti-tank missiles;
- nine howitzers (with German permission).
European Union
- 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) for military supplies.
Finland
- 2,500 assault rifles;
- 150,000 rounds for assault rifles;
- 1,500 single-shot anti-tank weapons;
- combat rations.
France
- anti-tank guided missile systems MILAN;
- CAESAR artillery howitzers;
- additional defense equipment.
Germany
- 50 anti-aircraft systems Cheetah;
- 56 infantry fighting vehicles PbV-501;
- 1,000 anti-tank weapons;
- 500 Stinger air defense systems;
- permission for some other countries to send German-controlled weapons.
Greece
- portable missile launchers;
- ammunition;
- Kalashnikov assault rifles.
Ireland
- 200 bulletproof vests;
- medical supplies;
- fuel;
- other non-lethal aid.
Italy
The Cabinet of Ministers approved handing over military equipment. Preliminary the aid will include:
- Stinger surface-to-air missiles;
- anti-tank weapons;
- heavy machine guns;
- light machine guns type MG;
- countermeasure systems for self-propelled explosive devices
Japan
- armor vests;
- helmets;
- other non-lethal military aid.
Latvia
- it is planned to supply Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.
Lithuania
- Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems;
- Stinger ammo.
Luxembourg
- 100 NLAW (next generation light anti-tank weapons);
- Jeep Wrangler 4x4 vehicles;
- 15 military tents;
- additional non-lethal equipment.
Netherlands
- 200 Stinger missiles;
- 3,000 combat helmets;
- 2,000 fragmentation vests with accompanying armor plates;
- 100 sniper rifles with 30,000 rounds;
- 400 multiple launch missile systems (with German permission);
- other equipment.
North Macedonia
- unspecified military equipment.
Norway
- 100 Mistral air defense missiles;
- 4,000 pieces of anti-tank weapons;
- helmets;
- armor vests;
- other means of protection.
Poland
- 200+ T-72 tanks;
- other approved supplies of short-range MANPADS and Piorun (Thunderbolt) ammunition;
- in preparation — the supply of several tens of thousands of ammunition and artillery ammunition, air defense systems, light mortars, and reconnaissance drones.
Portugal
- grenades and ammunition;
- G3 assault rifles;
- other non-lethal equipment.
Romania
- fuel;
- armor vests;
- helmets;
- ammunition;
- military equipment;
- treatment.
Total aid amount:
- 3 million euros ($3.2 million).
Slovakia
- S-300 air defense system.
Slovenia
- T-72 tanks (announced);
- a certain number of Kalashnikov assault rifles;
- helmets;
- ammunition.
Spain
- 1,370 anti-tank grenade launchers;
- 700,000 rifles and machine guns, as well as light machine guns;
- 20 tons of medical supplies, defense and personal protective equipment, consisting of helmets, armor vests, and protection against nuclear-biological-chemical attacks;
- protective vests.
Sweden
- 10,000 AT4 anti-tank weapons, helmets, and shields.
Turkey
- joint production of armed drones Bakar Bayraktar TB2.
United Kingdom
- anti-aircraft weapons(Stormer);
- 10,000 short-range and anti-tank missiles (including NLAW and Javelin);
- Saxon armored vehicles;
- Starstreak air defense systems;
- barrage ammunition;
- radars;
- heavy lift drones
Total aid amount:
- 650 million pounds ($818.1 million).
USA
- howitzers and artillery shells;
- missile systems with laser guidance;
- Switchblade, Puma, and Counter-Unmannered Aerial systems;
- anti-artillery radars;
- Stinger and Javelin missiles;
- anti-armor systems;
- small arms and ammunition;
- more than 50 million rounds;
- armor vests ($3.9 billion since the beginning of the invasion);
- 5 Mi-17 helicopters;
- 70 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV).
MiG-29 aircraft stuck in Germany
Two unpleasant moments for Ukraine during these three months were NATO's categorical refusal to close the skies over our country, which resulted in numerous civilian casualties, and the blocking of the MiG-29 aircraft transfer.
As already reported, at first, there was an attempt to shift the decision on handing them over onto Warsaw’s shoulders. And Warsaw, for its part, was frightened and, like a hot potato, tossed them to the Ramstein base in Germany, so that later they would be transferred to Ukraine, in fact, by the United States.
The Americans, despite all the discussions in the Senate and the House of Representatives, the criticism of Joe Biden by both Democrats and Republicans, did not dare to transfer the fighter jets that Kyiv needed so much. Only on May 21 it was… Slovakia who returned to the issue of transferring aircraft to Ukraine.
Another unpleasant moment was crossing out in April of all heavy weapons from the list of deliveries to Ukraine from Germany. However, this story ended in a scandal in the Bundestag, and finally Berlin agreed on the supply of heavy weapons to Kyiv.
The list of Ukraine's needs, which are hanging in the air literally and figuratively, are:
- M142 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems;
- M270 MLRS.
Wikipedia photos collage
It is they who could finish off the Crimean bridge and create serious problems for the invaders in the Black and Azov Seas that are blocked for Ukrainian ships to leave the ports.
Historic Lend-Lease and $40 billion
We already reported that on April 28, the U.S. House of Representatives almost unanimously passed the Lend-Lease Act, revived for the first time since World War II.
A couple of weeks later, on May 9, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed this law.
Ukraine expects to get the following weapons under the program that helped the USSR win the war:
- Third generation tanks M1A2 Abrams;
- U.S. infantry fighting vehicles M2A3 Bradley;
- Self-propelled guns M109A6 Paladin;
- HIMARS Multiple launch rocket systems on wheeled chassis;
- Multi-purpose launcher/MLRS M270 MLRS4;
- Mobile Norwegian air defense system NASAMS 2;
- SAM Patriot;
- Multifunctional light fighter jets of the 4th generation F-16 C/D.
Furthermore, after a long process of passing through the U.S. Senate, Joe Biden approved a law on allocating more than 40 billion in assistance to Ukraine.
According to this law, about $19.7 billion will be send to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine; about $8.8 billion will be send to economic assistance to Ukraine, about $6 billion will go to direct armed assistance to Kyiv, the rest of the money will be distributed among American, European, and Ukrainian institutions, including, to support NATO allies and overcome the global food crisis.
Context.
- Earlier, we reported about how three months of the war had passed for Ukraine, why the turning point in Donbas would be in August, and when Russia would eventually lose this war,
- also covered how the Russian Federation had already got five packages of sanctions because of invading Ukraine, and how these sanctions continue to destroy its economy. We detailed who had imposed restrictions against Putin's bloody regime.
- In addition, we wrote an article about how Russia has been burning through weapons for years to come because of Putin's obsession.
Read also
Ukraine's Recovery: How to Change Critically Low Citizen Engagement Indicators?
The future has already arrived: blockchain technologies in the global economy and everyday life
