Next Ukraine Package ‘Larger Than Normal’ As Biden Tells Zelensky Aid Coming “Quickly”

US officials have been quoted in Politico as saying the Biden White House is preparing a “larger than normal” weapons package for Ukraine to be sent quickly once Biden signs the bill into law authorizing $61 billion in spending, following the historic weekend House vote, which was far and away the biggest hurdle.

The officials described the new “significantly larger” tranche as including Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Humvees, M113 armored personnel carriers, and missiles – which will be ready to roll out the door. Also expected included in the package will be older Humvees and M113 armored personnel carriers. Two admin officials have told Reuters that the first single new package is expected to be valued at $1 billion.

ATACMS missile, via US Army

The White House said in a readout of Biden’s Monday call with Zelensky wherein the latter thanked the US for the new assistance: “President Biden shared that his administration will quickly provide significant new security assistance packages to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield and air defense needs as soon as the Senate passes the national security supplemental and he signs it into law.”

Interestingly (and alarmingly, given the cross-border escalation with Russia soon to follow), Zelensky touted that the new bill also included provisions for Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) with a range of about 190 miles. “In the agreement on ATACMS for Ukraine, all the details are in place,” Zelensky said. “Thank you, Mr. President, thank you Congress, thank you America.”

The $61 billion marked for Ukraine, among a broader final package totaling $95 billion (the rest for Israel and Taiwan), is now set for a vote in the Senate on Tuesday. “The task before us is urgent. It is once again the Senate’s turn to make history,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell stated while previewing the vote.

Biden told Zelensky that he could expect the military assistance to arrive “quickly” – at a moment Ukrainian cities and especially energy and communications infrastructure are getting pounded. One question that remains is how much of the $61 billion is going straight to major US defense contractors, as they work speedily to prepare more military hardware to be shipped out the door.

Meanwhile, the southern port city of Odesa was pummeled overnight, and there are reports of Russian drones having been fired on the capital of Kiev as well:

At least nine people have been injured after an overnight Russian air strike on the city of Odesa, Ukrainian officials said. “As a result of Russian terror, residential buildings were damaged, and there was a fire,” Ukraine’s state emergency services said on Telegram.

The day prior, stunning video emerged from Kharkiv showing a large TV tower being taken out during a Russian attack…

Russia just struck the TV tower in Kharkiv, messing with Ukrainian digital signal. It’s their scorched-earth tactic in action, déjà vu from spring 2022 pic.twitter.com/rwGOHyaEg2

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) April 22, 2024

AFP reported that an “AFP journalist in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, saw the red-and-white spire of the 240-meter structure toppled after local officials reported a barrage by Russian forces.”

The New York Times has recently observed that “War in eastern Ukraine has killed tens of thousands of people, reduced cities to ruins and displaced millions of people. It has also all but destroyed the factories and plants that were for years an important driver of Ukraine’s economy.”

As for what’s expected to be rushed US aid the moment Biden signs the new package into law, there are reports saying the staging has already taken place in central and eastern Europe…

According to CNN, most of the American aid to Ukraine, which still needs Senate approval, has already been pre-positioned in warehouses in Germany and Poland. This advance placement will shorten the delivery time to Ukraine.

Among the first items to be supplied will be… pic.twitter.com/1PXWI0N4ML

— X news (@runews) April 23, 2024