Washington: The United States has transferred over 85 out of the 90 M777 howitzers committed to Ukraine during Russia’s special military operation, a senior US defense official said on Monday.
“I can report that almost all the 90 howitzers are in Ukraine, more than 85 of them,” the official told a press briefing. “These howitzers are already in the fight, not all of them. But we know that some of them are and the feedback we’re getting from the Ukrainians is that they are very valuable.
The United States has committed a total of 90 M777s or 155mm howitzers to Ukraine as part of the last two presidential drawdown authorities to boost Kiev’s military capabilities. The deliveries of howitzers come in parallel with the training of Ukrainian military personnel in a number of locations in Europe, including Germany, on how to operate them.
On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help in defending themselves from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said the operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger.
