Weapons of Ukrainian serviceman covered in dirt are seen after their return from the frontline. Reuters/File
Washington: United States is raiding its ammunition stocks abroad to help Ukraine prepare for its planned counteroffensive later this spring. Ukraine’s demand for arms and ammunition has reportedly outpaced Western forecasts.
While allies of US have been unable to supply enough ammunition to Ukraine, the US military is trying to secure its arms stockpile from locations like Israel, South Korea, Germany and Kuwait. Known as the prepositioned stocks, these locations serve as a base where US stores everything from trucks to bandages in order to support American forces posted across the world.
According to The Wall Street Journal, US has been forced to pull out ammunition from its overseas stocks as many of the country’s allies have turned their backs on supplying arms to Ukraine in fear of Russian reprisal.
Russia has time and again warned countries not to supply arms to Ukraine. Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said that helping Ukraine with weapons “would lead to a global disaster.”
Till now, US has provided Ukraine with 160 howitzers, which use 155-millimeter artillery ammunition. The country has also sent more than a million rounds of 155 mm ammunition.
It is now making sure that Ukraine is better equipped for the next phases of the war as artillery rounds will help Kyiv’s forces to reclaim its territory from Russia.
Director of Russia Studies at CNA, Michael Kofman, said, “If we don’t supply them with enough artillery, this whole thing is an intellectual exercise.”
Some military planners have revealed that ammunition that has been supplied to Ukraine from US military stocks has pushed down inventories to levels that were too low.
“The Department has stocks that are located all around the world and we do not withdraw them without the support and consultation from our allies and partners,” said Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary.
US seeks artillery from allies
In addition to scrambling through its own overseas stockpile, US is also seeking more ammunition for Ukraine from countries that possess large stocks or can produce large volumes of weapons.
However, as mentioned before, not many countries are willing to help Ukraine’s war efforts.
For instance, the US has persuaded South Korea to supply arms to Ukraine. But owing to the country’s neutral stance on the war, it has been reluctant to provide two months’ worth of ammunition to Ukraine.
Similarly, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin asked Egypt to provide more of its 155 mm rounds and Soviet-era equipment. But that deal never came through as the country could not secure a commitment from Egypt.
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.