"Proxy war of attrition": how the United States is increasing military assistance to Ukraine

Eight NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems destined for Ukraine are already “on the way”.

This was announced by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plum.

“NASAMS is an interesting complex.

It seems that now on the way (for Ukraine. -

) eight systems.

I can’t say for sure at what stage they (deliveries. -

) are, but they will be, and, in my opinion, this is a very important point, ”he said, speaking at a seminar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington.

Plum also added that "the United States has supplied about 1,400-1,500 Stinger MANPADS" to Ukraine.

According to him, although this weapon is already outdated, it turned out to be “very useful”.

According to a Pentagon representative, “it is necessary to develop a modernized version” of this complex and increase its production volumes.

In addition, as Plum said, the old Soviet air defense systems, which are at the disposal of Kyiv, allegedly also proved to be effective.

“It turns out a very interesting combination, and all this indicates how important it is to have (at your disposal. -

) such funds,” he said.

It is worth noting that there are conflicting reports regarding the timing of the training of the Ukrainian military to manage NASAMS.

Thus, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on October 27 that the United States plans to transfer NASAMS to Ukraine in early November and begin training Ukrainian military personnel at the same time.

And the next day, October 28, US Department of Defense spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that the preparation of the Ukrainian military for the use of NASAMS air defense systems is allegedly already underway and will even be completed soon.

Recall that NASAMS is a ground-based air defense system of small and medium range.

This complex is based on air-to-air missiles adapted for launch from a ground installation.

From NASAMS launchers, networks of up to 12 air defense systems and up to eight radars capable of detecting a target at a distance of 120 km can be created.

The complex also includes a mobile command post and a vehicle with an electro-optical search and target tracking system.

"The situation is extremely worrying"

In recent days, Washington has announced several initiatives to support Kyiv at once.

So, on November 4, the US Department of Defense announced the allocation of another package of military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $400 million. The United States will transfer to the Ukrainian Armed Forces 1.1 thousand Phoenix Ghost kamikaze drones, 40 river armored boats, as well as funds for the modernization of 250 M1117 armored personnel carriers and air defense systems HAWK for their inclusion in subsequent tranches of aid to Kyiv.

In addition, the package included 45 Czech T-72 tanks.

Another 45 tanks volunteered to pay for the Netherlands.

Thus, in total, Ukraine should receive 90 T-72 tanks, the Pentagon said.

Recall that in total, under the Joe Biden administration, the United States sent military assistance to Ukraine for $18.9 billion, of which $18.2 billion since the start of the Russian special operation in February 2022.

• US military aid supplies to Ukraine

• AFP

• © Sergei SUPINSKY

On November 5, the Pentagon issued a statement that the United States intends to create a security assistance group for Ukraine called SAG-U.

Its headquarters will be located in the German city of Wiesbaden.

According to the plans, SAG-U will continue the work that the 18th Air Corps previously performed in the region.

Sabrina Singh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. defense department, said the new headquarters will help the U.S. continue to support Ukraine in the long term.

RISS expert Sergey Ermakov believes that the creation of such a structure is connected with control over the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

“Then one can ask the question: why didn’t they create such a structure earlier if the deliveries have been going on for more than eight months?

It seems to me that this is connected, among other things, with the elections to the US Congress.

The topic of strengthening control over aid to Ukraine, over all deliveries, has now begun to be actively discussed in the States, including by Republicans, who demand that control bodies work better.

In addition, this structure will allow coordinating assistance to Kyiv, because there are many countries, everyone has different capabilities - all this must be taken into account, ”the analyst said in an interview with RT. 

In Russia, the policy of pumping Ukraine with weapons is considered erroneous.

This, in particular, was stated to journalists on November 4 by the Russian Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, during a working trip to California.

“In connection with the new decisions of the American administration on additional deliveries of weapons to Ukraine, I would like to emphasize that our so-called partners continue the erroneous policy, thinking that the problem can be solved on the battlefield, spending more and more effort and money.

And now they are pulling up the armed forces to the Russian borders, ”TASS quoted Antonov as saying.

Commenting on the next supply of weapons to the Kyiv regime, the ambassador stressed that "the situation is extremely alarming."

“In fact, in Ukraine, on Ukrainian soil, we are fighting not with Ukrainians, but with the entire united West, which is trying to undermine the foundations of the Russian state, exhaust us, draw all economic and military resources out of us and create such a situation that Russia will never had the opportunity to talk on an equal footing with Western states in the international arena,” the diplomat said.

However, according to him, regardless of the actions of Washington, the Russian Federation will still achieve victory.

“We have no other choice and there is no doubt that our cause is really right and we will win,” Antonov stated.

"Expand armed conflict"

According to experts, the NASAMS air defense system is "a good air defense system with elements of the ability to intercept missiles."

However, as noted by Sergei Yermakov, their deliveries will not be able to fundamentally solve the issue of air defense for Kyiv.

• NASAMS

• Gettyimages.ru

• © Michel Porro

“This system cannot fundamentally solve anything.

But the deliveries themselves indicate that the Biden administration is consistent in its desire to fuel and expand the armed conflict in Ukraine, ”the analyst said.

Nevertheless, the officially declared volume of Western military supplies will not provide Kyiv with a decisive advantage on the battlefield, Yermakov believes.

“There is no question of advantage here.

The nomenclature of weapons suggests that this is done more in order to keep the Armed Forces of Ukraine afloat.

The most paradoxical thing is that there is no talk of any strategic victory for Ukraine in Western expert circles.

Yes, this would be contrary to the interests of the West, in fact, since they seek to weaken Russia as much as possible in a long proxy war of attrition, ”the expert noted.

According to Yermakov, "American assistance is provided in such proportions that the Ukrainian armed forces can continue to resist Russia."

“But the Americans do not want a radical escalation of the conflict, because with such a development of events, they would probably have to directly get involved in the situation,” the analyst believes.

Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies, expressed a similar opinion in an interview with RT.

“The delivery of NASAMS and a new assistance package is another contribution to Ukraine continuing its military confrontation with Russia, so that the Kyiv regime does not collapse.

But the balance of power does not change radically.

The total power of the Russian Federation is still greater, ”concluded the analyst.