Ukraine to Receive 'Scan Eagle'... US $14 Trillion Military Aid, Will It Change the Course of War?

Shipborne launch scene of the reconnaissance drone Scan Eagle

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] The U.S. government has announced additional support for Ukraine, which has been invaded by Russia.

According to ABC News on the 19th (local time), U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated, "This is a carefully decided matter to help Ukraine gain an advantage in the ongoing war situation."

The scale of this support amounts to $775 million (approximately 1.0354 trillion KRW). It is the second-largest single U.S. aid package since the outbreak of the war, following the $1 billion announced on the 8th.

The weapons the U.S. is providing to Ukraine include 15 Scan Eagle reconnaissance drones, 40 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, ammunition for mobile artillery rocket systems, armored vehicles, and howitzers. Notably, this is the first time the U.S. has supplied Scan Eagle drones.

Additionally, the ultra-high-speed anti-radar missile AGM-88 HARM is included in the support package. This air-to-ground missile, mounted on Ukrainian aircraft, is primarily used to destroy radars such as Russia's advanced missile defense system S-400. Earlier this month, the U.S. also included this missile in its aid package.

Furthermore, the U.S. has decided to provide Ukraine with 1,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles, 36,500 rounds of 105mm artillery shells, and 1,500 optical tracking guided missiles.

With this, ABC News reported that the total amount of U.S. military aid to Ukraine since the inauguration of the Joe Biden administration has reached approximately $10.6 billion (about 14.1616 trillion KRW).

U.S. authorities expect this support to help Ukraine gain an advantage in the protracted war.

On the 18th (local time), Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the Shipbuilding Development Conference via video conference from the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, the war triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 is now in its sixth month. As the war prolongs, the damage is increasing, but there are few signs of a ceasefire. According to The New York Times (NYT) on the 18th, Russian forces launched missiles in the northern Kharkiv region of Ukraine, killing 15 civilians and injuring more than 17 others.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on his social media, calling it "the most vile and evil attack on civilians," and stated, "We can never forgive the Russian military's behavior that ultimately targets civilians."