“Stimulate the process”: what is known about the intentions of the Pentagon to transfer heavy weapons to Kyiv

Washington is working on transferring long-range firepower to Kyiv, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said during a briefing.

“When implementing these packages (assistance to Kiev.

) - sending weapons and systems to Ukraine - we mainly look at what Ukraine needs to fight right now.

The constant answer we're getting is she needs a long-range weapon," Kirby said.

- The main need that Ukraine continues to emphasize is long-range firepower.

We are working on it".

In this direction, according to a Pentagon spokesman, the United States is working closely with allies and partners who have multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) needed by Ukraine, and help Kyiv get them.

“Among other things, we are discussing with allies and partners (transfer.

) their artillery systems, some of which Ukrainians are better acquainted with, others not so well, for example, with our M777 howitzer.

However, we continue to discuss these funds with allies and partners, ”Kirby said.

He also announced the details of the upcoming second meeting of 40 donor countries of military assistance to Ukraine, which is scheduled for May 23.

According to a Pentagon spokesman, the United States is "impatient to find out what types of weapons other states are ready to provide Kyiv with."

“The main goal, as during the first meeting, is to draw the attention of leaders (states. -

) to reports from the battlefield, to what is happening on the ground.

We can change the configuration of the supply of weapons systems according to the situation, ”Kirby said.

At the same time, the Pentagon spokesman stressed that Washington allegedly seeks to avoid aggravating the situation around Ukraine, but intends to continue supplying weapons to Kyiv.

“We are constantly monitoring threats in the context of preventing escalation, it is obvious that it would be irresponsible not to do this.

But we can do both: watch for signs of escalation and at the same time supply Ukraine with the funds it needs to protect it, ”Kirby said.

• Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby

• AP

• © Manuel Balce Ceneta

"We need weapons"

Recall, on May 18, the Politico edition reported, citing sources, that Joe Biden was not sending American MLRS to Kyiv, believing that Russia could regard this as an escalation of the conflict.

“The White House remains concerned that the dispatch of this system, or its counterpart, the M142 HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, could be perceived by the Kremlin as an escalation, given the greater range and destructive power compared to traditional artillery, such as howitzers or old Soviet systems. ", - writes the publication.

Because of these concerns, according to Politico, there is growing frustration in the Ukrainian leadership with Washington's indecisiveness.

So, on May 20, during a speech at the American analytical center Atlantic Council, Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, said that Kyiv "does not have enough heavy weapons" and he expects the supply of MLRS from the American side.

“And very important: we are still waiting for the MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System, multiple launch rocket system.

).

I learned this word, like many Ukrainians, for life.

We are still waiting for them,” he said.

According to Yermak, in addition to MLRS, the Ukrainian side also needs high-precision missiles, drones, air defense systems, ammunition "and much more."

After that, the head of the office of the President of Ukraine called on Western countries to help Ukraine with weapons as soon as possible.

“We need weapons.

With no restrictions.

Immediately,” he stressed, reproaching his partners that at the first stage of hostilities in Ukraine, too much time was spent “on negotiations and agreeing on deliveries, on the search for these weapons.”

"Unable to motivate"

According to the editor-in-chief of Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine and military expert Alexei Leonkov, statements by the Pentagon spokesman indicate that instead of sending its own multiple launch rocket systems, which Ukraine so requests, Washington is aiming to search for predominantly Soviet-style artillery systems from its allies. .

“Now the United States, apparently, is negotiating the supply of these weapons to Ukraine, offering its partners something in return.

But, given that Kyiv is asking not only for MLRS, but also for heavy weapons, we can conclude that Washington has not yet been able to find a sufficient number of such weapons from its allies and achieve their transfer to Ukraine.

It is possible that a meeting of donor countries of military assistance to Ukraine is going to stimulate this process, ”Leonkov suggested in a comment to RT.

• Deliveries of American weapons to Ukraine

• AP

• © Senior Airman Stephani Barge / US Air Force

At the same time, the analyst noted that many states that have already sent sufficient volumes of weapons to Ukraine do not seek to increase such supplies.

“Now the United States is unable to motivate its partners to send more weapons to Kyiv.

There are less and less Soviet weapons in the warehouses of these countries, and the states of Europe do not want to supply NATO weapons, and therefore they are playing for time.

The fact is that now the military-industrial complex of the US partners in NATO is not in the best condition: since many types of equipment have not been produced there for a long time, it will be quite difficult to revive this production, ”Leonkov noted.

At the same time, Washington really fears that the supply of American weapons of this type can be regarded by Russia as a direct intervention in the hostilities in Ukraine, and "the United States is clearly not ready for such a turn of events," the expert added.

The analyst recalled that those RZSO, which were discovered on the territory of Ukraine and liquidated by the RF Armed Forces, were supplied from the countries of Eastern Europe.

“These are, for example, the Soviet BM-21 (Grad) multiple launch rocket systems, the destruction of which was recently announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense,” Leonkov said.

In turn, Sergey Ermakov, a leading expert at the RISS Research Coordination Center, said in an interview with RT that the United States, without risking sending its RZSO to Ukraine, still strives to "increase the conflict situation in Ukraine and achieve an escalation of tension."

“This is what Washington is trying to achieve by supplying other weapons.

In particular, Biden recently announced the shipment to Ukraine of additional artillery, radars and other equipment, which, according to the head of the White House, the country is already "effectively using on the battlefield."

However, in reality, the Armed Forces of Ukraine often demonstrate an inability to use the weapons supplied by the United States, and training takes too much time, ”the analyst said.

At the same time, as Yermakov noted, Ukraine receives "very different weapons" from the West, which greatly complicates the control of equipment and troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“This creates serious problems for Kyiv, since there is an enormous burden on support services, given the diversity of weapons, various types of fuel and fuels and lubricants for these guns,” the expert explained.

Yermakov said Washington is counting on the new $40 billion aid package for Kyiv, already approved by Congress and Biden, to play a key role in plans to escalate the fighting in Ukraine.

“However, a significant part of this money will be mastered by the Westerners themselves, some of the weapons that reach Kyiv will end up on black markets.

Most of what the Armed Forces will get will be destroyed by Russian troops, who, as practice has shown, use their potential very effectively in this matter, ”concluded the analyst.